Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-09-05
President LIneoIn,s Letter,

which met on Thursday last The lette
is characteristic of the President in ever!
respect, and is in every way peculiarly hi
own. Like all his productions it is re-
markabIe, not less for the goodness AND
greatness of heart which it displays, than
tor the clearness and terseness of argu-
ment which it eviuces. This letter has
been looked for many days, ever since its
forthcoming was known, with interest by
the country, in order to see what ground
the President held in his mind in refer
ence to the supposed altered phase of the
National situation" Some supposed
that the recent victories of our arms,
together with the reported peace move
ments in the South, and the we'll
known peace movements in the North,
might be operating on the President
to induce some some sort of change of
programme in reference to the position
heretofore assumed by him on the slavery
question. Those who anticipated or desir-
ed any such change will not be gratifed.
Those who did not, will be highly gratified.
The President stands firm, just as his life
long character for infexible integrity war
ranted he would stand. he does not
choose to play fast and loose with events.
He discloses but one line of action, and
that is fearless and progressive adherence
to principle. No better Vindication of his
character was ever made than this letter,
and it will go to history as one of the evil
dences of his incorruptible and immovable
love of the right, and his ability to discern
it and maintain it even amidst all the dis
fractions of these foreboding times.
Loyal men, the country over, cannot do
better than study with their hearts, and
not with their heads only, the portion of
the Presidents letter in reference to the
Proclamation. To doubtful and hesitating
Union men, still entertaining prejudices
against his proclamation, as we'll as to
those who are not his friends, he addresses
these moving words:
You say that you will not fight to free
the negroes. Some of them seem willing
to fight for you; but no matter-fght you,
then, exclusively to save the Union.
issued the proclamation on purpose to aid
you in saving the Union. When you shall
have conquered all resistance to the Union
ii shall urge you to continue fighting, il
will be an apt time then for you to declare
that you will not fight to free negroes.
l thought that in your struggle for tn
Union, to whatever extent the negro shoul
cease helping the enemy, TO that extent
weakens the .emy in his resistance
you. Do you tuInk diferently2 though
that whatever negroes could be got to d
as soldiers, leaves just SO much less fC
white soldiers to do in saving the UnioI
Does it appear otherwise to you? BIT
negroes, like other people, act upon me
tiTes. Why should they do anything f
us if we will do nothing for them2 If the
stake their lives for us they must
prompted by the strongest motive, eve
the promise of freedom, and the promis
being made must be kept.
These are the words in the President
letter which will excite paramount after
ton. In them, as in a nutshell, is his sell
offered vindicatiOn of his proclamation
They cannot but impress all loyal men. {
course they will have no effect upon thoE
who are disloyal. In his simple remind,
that he is using negroes in this war, NJ
for their good primarily or per sc, but fC
the good of white men, fer the salvatio
of the Union, there is a placation of a
reasonable prejudice, that must. have gre
weight. There are those who would t
present the Presid ent as fanatic, who
the neglect of the sacred interests eommi
ted to his charge; to the neglect of viii
men, he has gone off into wild efforts
UIopianize the negroes. This is the arg
ment of the disloyal around us aud with
they ply the minds of the ignorant and
excite their prejudices. But SO far fro
their argument being true the very col
trary is the case. While the Presider
as he himself says, wishes "thi
all men could be Free" yet, as he hin
self still further says to those who {
not share in his wish, 'I have Meth
adopted or proposed any measure whiS
is not consistent with your view, provide
you are for the Union" Mr.. Lincoln thu
disoIoses second time in this letter VIII
he disclosed in his celebrated Greeley lie
ter; viz: that what he has done in rell
ton to slavery he has done with a view
saving the Union, and as necessary, in b
judgment, to save that Unien, and hen
no loyal man can rightfully, SO far as pri
cipIe is concerned, take issue with him
what he has done, however much he ms
on grounds of expedieucy, since it vi
done for the sake of the Union.
When Mr.. Lincoln adheres to his pro'
Iamation as fnalisy on the slavery que
ton, he but does that which is inexorabl
logical and necessary. Tomake his proc
lamation of any value to the Onion caus
st had to pledge. in words. that the slave