Washington telegraph., 1863-12-09

one iegitimateobJect common to every citizen a
home, and every soldier in the army, officer ol
private. 1t is the success of our cause-thest
tablshment Of the Independence Of the South.
ern Confederacy. 1t j. not the protection Of
the interests Of any particular classes-the
comfort and present safety Of any particular
section, much les the aggraniisement Of nny
particular individual, from President Davis
down TO the lowest corporal in the army. All
these latter should be abandoned without hes
itatiOn, when the main design may be forward
ed thereby. They are nothing in the balance
when the scales are held by the true patriot.
whose mind is engrossed by the all absorbing
idea of country. Whatever will soonest battle
the enemy, and bring about the grand result.
is 10 him the true and only course. We are so
prone To forget az this, under the pressure Of
selfish interests, and the fear If calamities to
our persons or our fortunes, that we are con-
stantly liable ID he led into positions nntaro-
nstic 10 those wh1 control The fortunes Of onr
country, and upon whose success our very ex-
istence depends. Ii j. always 10 Tie denlorrd
in the best Of times; At present il II franght
with extraordinary danger. Ii j. as if the
mariners in a storm, with their ship about to
be dashed upon lee-shore, should fall to crit
icising the conduct Of the captain and mates.
and exciting each other to disobedience and
mutiny
Not but that every freeman has the right TO
criticise the conduct of the highest officer.
civil or military. His right is indisputable. -
Forbid it Heaven that we ever fall SO low from
our h'gh estate as to lose this right, as has al
ready happened to the people Of the United
States. But it j. not always best to exercise
| our rights-in season or out, without rhyme or
reason. There il a small and selfish prudence.
certainly. which looks to personal results. and
which j. the lowest Of all virtues, but there j.
a higher prudence, which looks to the good Of
the whole, before which the exercise OF any
reserved right is checked in the patriots heart.
and which ranks with the deepest wisdom an,,
most exalted of virtues. Zeal is good. but
'.zeal without knowledge whether for the
public good or in defense OF civic rights, may
be the parent of evil
We have said TINS much by way Of preface.
and in order that we may be understood. as we
express the regret that the military conduct Of
Gen. Smith has been lately the subject Or the
most acrimonious criticism in some of the
newspapers If this department. TIE very life
nf our departmental possible chances Oi
success depend upon harmony nnl c1niienoe
between the people ami the commander With
out that we are lo=t. Gen Smith individually
in this view. il nothing. Whether lie be IN
command Of this department or any other, i.
TO the patriot matter Of small consequence.
whether President Davis be president or a
Mississippi planter, is nothing. But as he /,
the president, and Gen. Smith the commander
Of the Trans Mis-. Department, it i every
thing that we heartily, aud with all our ength
support both IN all their plans, and teach 9th
ers also to sustain their arms in the work
which they are called upon % do ia our behalf
or course we except the cases i'll which an
officer may he discovered To be 4 traitor
These are rare i'm the worlds history and wien
they arise, no doubt viii exist Al I'd tile -
Der conduct of thc people, Otherwise IN TINES
~ perilous TO the existence Of ali that makes
life tolerable to a freoborn man, we % not
hesitate to urge upon every citizen to sustain
the military authorities in all their designs
They are men selected for their fitness for the
purpose, by those better competent TO judge
than the unprofessonal citizen. They have
more ample means Of information, and are
more accustomed TO take survey Of all the
dangers or disadvantages which may attend
any given policy. They can have bnt one OBJ
| iect and that j. success. Their own fame and
future prosperity depends upon the same ele-
ment which secures our independence.
/ In the case o. Gen. smith especially, VIZ
\ have positive grounds for actual confidence
over AMI above the duty which arises from thc
general principle. he has been known to u.
since the beginning Of the war. in other fields
His high qualities a commander won for hin
soon the position Of 1t. General All his
subsequent history has justified the wisdom
( Of the appointment Wherever he has beer
placed he has shown an intellect quick to de.
/ sign, and rapid TO execute. The ans-NIiss
/ Department became dissatisfed-consideres
itself neglected. Gen. Smith was selected a.
onewhose high character AMI military rcputa-
| ton would enable bin to reconcile all diiicul
\ ties, and give assurance 10 the people VI tht
\ intention vi tho government % defend thc de
partment 10 the lat. and let ID fate Ne that "
the Confcderacy. The people received hin
with joy ana satisfac tion, and new hope sprung
/ up in their bns0ms. What has since been don,
70 change them He has simply been unabl,
to accomplish impossibiities. But he has don,
much-who can tell that any one could hav,
done more, or that other men, by ill-con ,eivcS
or hasty action might not have brought upor
us the most dire calamities?
We think those who now criiicise him and
endeavcr to shake the confidence of the people
| in bis abilities, or induce them to believe tha
he is careless Of their interests are, TO say thG
least, unkind, in that they refuse to estimate
the difficulties Of his position. The depart.
ment il in itself an empire. reaching from the
| Rio Grande to Iowa All this he il required
| to overlook and defend with forces most sadly
| inadequate. He j. required to do this against
n foe almost unlimited in numbers, and fully
supplied with all the munitions Of war OuI
| troops are limited in number, badly armed
and cut off from all means of supply. To meet
the enemy at every point, to be everywhere
and repuse them, to preserve all our important
agricultural regions, and hold over the people
the shield of protection whilst they make theiI