The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-15
The Opposition.


war upon the present administration, are evidently
inspired by no desire to see the rebellion speedi-
" crushed. unless, in some way, such result can
be made to advance their political fortunes. We
know they make loud protestatons of their un-
selfish devotion to the Constitution, but it is only
too evident that this is the old party trick to
gain and hold adherents to their partisan cause
They are not only willing the war should drag
aloag two years more, but are scheming to pre-
vent the Government from crushing the rebellion
sooner, and are willing thus to waste the blood
and treasure of the nation, that, through the po
ltical changes wrought by the continuance of the
strugge e, a Democratic National Administration
may succeed the present one at Washington
This is no random assertion, but a fair inference
from the conduct of the leading politicians and
papers who speak for and think for the opposition
party and we think any unprej udiced person can.
mot fail to see it.
A most remarkable instance of this disposition
to prolong the war for party advantage, appeared
im a recent number of the n. Y. Wortd, the lead
ing organ Of the opposition party in the country
Brig. Gen. Hascall, of Gen. Burnside's depart
meut, in general order, had stated that the re,
bellion must be crushed during the life of the
present National Administration and whatever
eve may think about the expedency of making
such an announcement in an official order, we
thi1k most persons, who prefer country to party
will agree with US that the limit was placed full
far enough in the future. But the N. Y. World
was not at all satisfied with such a programme
and ia the most excited rhetoric "pitched into
Gen. Hascall for thus daring to intimate that thi
rebellion must be crushed in the next two years
The motive for this onslaught is plain. If th'
present Administration should succeed in thor
opghy crushing treason, the politicians of thu
stripe Of the World would be consigned, for tht
remainder of their natural lives, to political oblivi
on They understand this, and, to avoid result sc
unpleasant to their hopes they are working, by ev
nv device short of overt treason, to keep the re-
bellion awe until it elects a President of theil
political faith.
10 full harmony with this purpose of these pol
it;cans, is their constant and unmiGgated abuse
Of every thing that is done by the Administration
looking to a more vigorous prosecution of the war
They denocne our conscripton law as unconsti
4ulional and despotic, worse than that of Russis
which has just driven Poland into revolution ant
yet they know that its only purpose Is to put
the control of the Government force equal tt
the task of speedily crushing treason. If they de
sire that rebellion should be put down, why at
tempt to create bitter and dangerous hostilit,
to the law by which armies are to be raiSee
10 destroy it They denounce, with ever,
variety of infammatory appeals, the arres
and punishment of such Northern sympathiser
with treason as Valandigham. But if they de
sire that the Government may speedily overcome
its enemies, why such opposition to efforts to stol
the mouths of those who are doing what they Cal
TO weaken the confidence of the people in the jus
aioe of our cause and our right to destroy trea
sop?
In short, everything the Government does i,
ats efforts to enforce obedience to the laws of tn
Hand, whether by armies at the South, or by tn
civil and military arm at the North is at ono
seized upon by these schemers for party triumph
a. the ballot box, is distorted, caricatured, painte
iu the most hideous and revolving colors, and the
held up to the peop'e as a bugbear to frighte
them from supper ting the Administration. Th
people are not urged, by these unpatriotic pol
ticians, to make haste in the work of suppressiu
treason now, lest the blunders of the Admir-
;s,r,,;o, s,ould som make il forever too late b,