Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-11
the New York Evening Post, propounds the follow

I VFor
uttered by vaandgham, aud ournsls quite bitterly
disoya as the Chicago Times while the authors Of them
enjoy complete immunity They the worst things OF
the war; the President military chiefs that II Is posi-
Bile Tor their hearts devise, aud more
moested troubled than the sweetest little unconscious
infant asleep in his cradle How is thisf Are political
offences things of latitude and longitude Does the AR OF
the great lakes and the prares convert that whcn ID
harmless the coast into poisonous malaria OF
have different systems, different rules OF government
different ethics, different notions IF propriey IN the thou
saud different localities OF broad andf what mas
Vaandgham said that Wood and his five thousand rougos
did peat and echo last nght What has the chicago
| Times printed that the Express aud the News have
not printed, only in backer letters and more truc9-
lent spirit But Ben Wood and The New YORK Journals
both rejoice in their mpuniy and nsutngy DEFY tne IN
terposton Of the Federal authorities Whle Gen Dufh
side in his department appears to be brstng with Dayo
nets against all sorts Of gansayes Gen Dol SITS ID ms
as calmly as the swans of Central Park float the
lake when breeze ruhss the surface Strange 10 say
however in the face of this contrast OF demeanor they
pretend to act under the same general authority the sa
rules of law and the of duty the same maxlms
of proprety and love of order.
The only cure for such Inconsistencies is to be
found in strict and uniform adherence OF all tunc-
tionaries, both military and civil to the spirit and
letter of the laws 1t is the duty of good citizens
to avoid any and all agitation which has for its OBJ
ject to embarrass rather than to enghten the Ad-
ministration. AS is well said by the journal from
which we have just quoted, fair and earnest crti-
cism of those entrusted with power is not only the
right, but the duty Of the citizen of a republic.
He is bound, by his relations to the common
veal, to indicate to his political managers where
| he thinks they are wrong, in what respect their
measures defective, in what respect injurious,
{ in what respect of evil tendency. In no other
way can those functionaries learn well the con-
sequences and bearings of what they propose"
As men are this right is undoubtedly liable to
abuse, but for such abuse proper corrective is
found in the attempted repression of free speech
by military edicts. They who make such an at
tempt will only succeed in giving fresh volume and
Roadway to the current of popular defamation,
while they themselves will come into danger of be-
ing swept away by the torrents Of popular passion.
On this subject we have but to repeat the admoni-
tory language of the Evening Post:
But attempt to put these men down by force and you
exalt themnot in character, but in consideration They
become important personages at once Better men, who
will not yield their love of impartial liberty and human
rights any petext Of State necessity, begin to sympa
thzs with them; their without intrinsic merits, in
fact utterly despcable in itself is furnished with weapons
OF argument, and Is helped aongn minds where 1t would
not otherwise have gained accesby getting COMPOUNDED
with the cause Of free speech and free printing"
We could of course multiply indefinitely our ex-
tracts to the same effect from the columns of our
contemporaries for, whatever may have been the
hesitation of any to condemn the proceedings of
Gen. Burnside in the case of Mr. Vallandigham be-
fore the law covering that case vas known there is
absolutely no dissent from the impoicy and wrong
fulness of the course on which the General has en-
tered in trying to assert military jurisdiction
| the press. Gen. Burnside seems to have forgot
ten that there any other code than the military,
or that there are any other tribunals than courts
martial for the trial and punishment of disloyal
practices in his department The only journal in
New York which thought his conduct defensible
in relation to Mr.. Vaandigham was the Times,
but even this paper recos from any approval Of
his recent assumptions. 1t seys
UNLESS greatly mistaken, the Government will
very find necessary to check the Incorporate pa
rotism of Gen Burnside in his mode of dealing with dis
affected persons presses the loyal States Whether
the powers which be claims TO freedom of
speech aud Of the press do actually belong t. his Office
clear that they should be entrusted to
any whose zeal outruns his judgment An overzeaous
friend will often do ten times harm by restless and
injudcious meddlng than an open enemy and in the
ercise Of powers which, however they be,
always odous excessive prudence is always prefer
able a headong and reckless temper We have doubt
that Gen Burnside thinks he is rendering the country
essential service 10 suppressng the Chicago Times and
orbddug the circulation of the New York World within
his lines and have just little doubt that he utterly
mistaken He will very speedily find that he is multiply ing
fold the very evil he seeks to extrpate. 1t very
rarely that military be found who ia capable Of
understanding what public opinion 49, who be made
to comprehend that the press has any other rights than
those which he be pleased TO confer upon We do
know that should gain much either point by APP
peaing from the camp to the Governments but inter
est in the welfare of the country impels to risk the
pertinent Of counsellng President Lincoln to put check
upon Gen Burnsdes and dangerous pro
| ceedings as speedily as possible"
The President having in this matter realized the
just expectations of the Times and of all good citi-
zens, it is to be hoped that our military com.
manders will spare him the necessity of similar
Intervention in the future, and that those who re-
Gently thought to ingratiate themselves with the
Administration. by addressing its passions rather
than its reason when they upheld the illegal pro
ceedings against Mr.. Vallandigham, will not soon
let their compaisance again get the better Of their
discretion. The President has shown, by his prefer
ence for legal course that he values no support
which is rendered to him at the expense Of the law
As such we interpret the rebuke he has just ad-
ministered to an bouored military subordinate, and
as such we applaud it,
HISTORICAL PARALLEL.
The readers of Carendon's History of the Great