Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-11-05
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
IS IT A TINE TO KEEP SILENCE I

The Boston Daily Advertiser, In It's NUMBER u
the 9th instant, briefly alludes to the obJecti'ns
we thought proper to alege against the pohcy OF
blinking certain questions of vital moment as 10
which different members of the Republican party
are known to entertain different opinions This,
our contemporary assures us, was what the late
Worcester Convention in Massachusetts, sought to
do with regard to the points at issue between dis
tinguished supporters of the Administration, like
Postmaster General Blair on the hand, and
Mr.. Senator Sumner on the other. The Advertiser
now adds:
ave note the comments of the National Inteigencer
upon support of the Massachusetts resolutions We
do not think that patriots generally can fairly complain Of
the policy Of extending hearty support to the Admins
traon and Of postponng for the present the discussion
of the which divide opnioa IL seems TO
that individuals may very properly engage IN the dis
cussion of these questions while 1t by no means heces
sary party take sides with regard to them-espe
ciay for party who like the Republicans IN Massachu-
sets especially invoked in their call the cooperation even
of outsiders who agreed with them 10 "lihngLess 70
stand by the Government in crushing thoroughly wick
ed rebellion The Worcester resolutions seem 10 us SUI
ciently definite since they unequvocay pledge support
to the Administration and declare approval OF It's
With regard to the expression of individual opinion upon
the questions to which reference made while We by no
means agree to the doctrine of State suicide ana while
do believe that the Union ia IN theory yet uhbroRen
and that all the struggle make the theory fact
still think that the discussion Of these questions prema-
ure, and have than occasion stated ex-
plictly our reasons for this belief.
If there is any one point upon which the Ad-
ministration has distinct and avowed policy it is
the very matter as to which the Advertiser pro-
poses to practise prudent retcence. 1t cannot
be, therefore, that any conceaments of thought
are required for the purposes of those who desire
to sustain the policy deliberately adopted and con-
sisteny pursued by the President in his treatment
of the so-called Seeded States Mr.. Lincoln's po-
sition has been made SO unequivocal on this topic
that no Convention which acknowledges as
paramount obligation at this crisis the duty OF sup
porting the Administration, need labor under any
apprehension lest haply it may be found 10 oppo-
sition to the President if it should make public
declaration in afrmance of views similar to those
which the Advertiser says IL holds is matter OF
Hindiyidual opinion" but not of party faith
We wish it to be clearly perceived that the 81
lence practised on these questions Is silence
practised not in the interest Of the Admnlstrs-
ton, but in Difference to those who are endeavoring
to nnovate on its established rules of proceeding,
and on its uniform declarations of fundamental
policy as regards the treatment of the so-called
Seeded States.
As single illustration of the importance at
tached in Washington to this question which our
Boston contemporary would "postpone," we may
cite the fact recently brought to our notice IN the
Army and Navy Journal, that in the examination
of candidate for the post Of Brigadier General of
negro troops, the Examining Board, Of which
Major Gen. Casey is the president, Pr2pounded,
among other questions, the following: Haze the
States an rebellion rights under the ConstttHtonF
By the la,os of nations hoU do stand related to
the States in rebellion ?"
We do not know how much importance The Board,
in estimating the military merits of an officer,
would give to a wrong answer in the case Of this
question; but the fact that they put such cues
tions to men who aspire to command our forces
sufficiently shows that our military authorities do
not concur with the Daily Advertiser in the view
which it takes as to the duty of those who would
"extend hearty support to the Administrator"
by postponing for the present" the discussion of
this topic. We of course assume that the Board
of which Gen. Casey is president DESIRE in the ap-
pointment Of new officers, to keep the army as
pure as possible from the intrusion of officers who
hold views on this point identical with those of Mr.
Solicitor Whiting or Mr.. Senator Sumner, known
to be, guoad hoe, in opposition to the military as
well as civil policy of the President At least, it
is to be supposed that, other things being equal
officer whose views on these questions conceded
with those Of the President would receive pre-
ference over one who gave in his adhesion to
the views denounced by Postmaster General
Blair, when speaking in defence of the Presi-
dents policy. And if officers of the army are
expected not only to have well considered views,
but to avow them on these civil questions-lying,
one would suppose, outside of their peculiar pro-
fessona specialties--it is certainly not too much
to say that political Convention of protested
friends Of the President assembled for the express
purpose, among other things, of putting forth
body Of doctrine, could have sufficient reason
for evadiDg distinct definition of its position.
Such an evasion, if suspiciously scanned, would
indeed seem only to prove that the parties to it
are not very strong in their own convictions or
else that they entertain prudent doubts as to the
constancy of the President in maintaining his
stand, and would fam seek to avoid entangling
committals
THE MASSACHUSETTS, PLATFORM