The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1863-02-14

The question is often asked. who is
to blame for the failure of our efforts
to pat down treason?
We answer, the President. We do
not wish by this to be understood as
charging the Executive with disloyal
motives; we believe tina, he has the
good of the country at heart as much
as any man in it. But his policy has
been such as to cripple the energies OF
the nation and paralyze the movements
of the army and navy.
He retains in his Cabinet men in
whom the whole nation has lost conf
dsnce. He admits to his private coun-
ellis some one-or more-who bstrays
all the plans for the operations of
campaign by land or expedition by sea;
and in nine cases out of ten, the rebels
in Richmond know the intended move
ments of our armies and vessels of war
before the generals in command of the
troops. and the Captains at sea. ge; tle
information.
Il may be enquired how is this to be
helped :? Well. it can be done easy
enough. Let only the General-in- Chief
and the Secretaries of War and the
NAVY know what is determined; then
il the rebels find out the plans, one of
these three persons is guilty; if after
the plans are communicated TO the
generals in the field or the commanders
on the waters the word is carried, then
t,ese ars''guilty. If after the army or
navy is in motion the rebels get infor-
nation, it will be too late for them to
profit much by the intelligence.
In this way the immense leak which
has harmed US from the beginning may
be stopped or found-and if found then
it can be stopped. surely.
But the President has no mind oI
his own. This is plainly visible in hi,
letter TO Mcclellan in reference to the
Peninsular campaign. He suffered the
general TO do as he pleased. against hi
own judgment, when he should hav'
commanded and the other obeyed.
While we believe in the integrity o
Mr.. Lincoln. and shall give our earnes
support to all efficient measures Of hi
administration for tine suppression c
the rebellion. as we have done from tn
beginning, We nevertheless arraign his
before the American people on the 70
lowing charges:
He has retained men in Office an
in command who we're VIGOROUSLY d.
6ciens in ability. or patriotism. or boil
He has kept men in his Cabinet vi
do not give to any vigorous war me-
sures of his administration q heart
suppor'.
He now has men in his Cabinet
whom the loyal people have no cont
dence.
He has had no we'll defined line
policy to which all things should wor
but has drifted along too much as Il
wind blowed this way or that.
His kindness of heart has led hil
to be tender to the commanders wi
ought to be removed, at the expense
the lives Of the soldiers, and the peri
ing Of the interests Of the nation-mi
placed Kindness to the few, which WI
cruelty to the many.
He has removed able and acti,
commanders in whom the armies und'
them and the people at large had col
fidence
He removed Butler from New o
leans when his administration OF Il
Department OF the Gulf was muc
more able than his own of the natio
He is not the Commander in Chi
in fact, but only in name, and his o
ders are too often but requests-rop'
of sand-when they should be stern I
the DEGREES of fate.
He lacks that decisive frmness whic
commands respect and enforces OBJ
sdience.
While we thus name the defects an
mistakes of the President, we have fai,
that he will improve. His heart
right, and that is one of the most esser
tial qualifications 10 these times
treachery.
Ii be will cast out the semi-trnitoI
from his Cabinet. from commands
the army and navy; j; he will cea.
to heed the clamor of cabals, and es
pecially to be governed by the We
Point feciicn in military matters. l
will yet succeed.
We pray that he may lad in Il
right way. for the hopes Of the na.io