, 1863-10-30
THE MISSOURI QUESTION.
Extrnct from an Editorial in the st.
louis Democrat on the Fres1Qent'S
Reply TO the Delegation.

We have published the Presidents reply to
the Missouri radical delegation-hls letter Of
instruction TO Gen. Schodeld, the address
Of Hon. c. D. Drake, and now give, to COM
rlste the record, the criticism Of the Missou-
ri radical organ On the reply:
The tecret OF the Presidents policy, in
thus dodgipg the Issues which the delegation
presented, has been reiated By himself and
In his own Characteristic Way-hy enecdose.
A1ludipg to the method he had taken 10 dis
posing Of the Missouri queation-so says tho
Correspondent Of an Eastern paper-he re-.
marked that he had adopted the plan learned
when = farmer boy engaged In plowing.
When he came across stumps too deep and
too tough to be torn up, and too wet to burn,
he p1oTed round them. The Presidents re-
ply, ali the way through, shows evidence Of
were IIesented by the radicals Of Missouri
and Raj sas indicative Of misrule in this de-
partment too stubborn to be denied or salts
hcto1il1 explained, he simply passed round
tlem: Why, + policy had & not sasa diesatsd aas;d
that since schoacld's assumption Of the
command matters have constantly
e. own worse and worse n this Department.
Why did he not explain the persecnt1ons to
w1fch radical Union men hare been subjected,
without legal trial, md the thoueand and one
an1oyarces they hsye experienced since Scho-
fields arrival, and which were never known
before? Why did he not assign reason FIR
investing Governor Gamble, the radicals bill
military commander? Why did he not ac-
count for the appointment, to l1craIfvs
and responsible Federal positions, Ct seces-
] Bionists, not ore, but many, In the State of
| Missouri. who we're at the OUTSET In sympa-
| thy, If not in arms, With the rebellion, TO the
! studied exclusion OF men who had not only
| been at all times unconditionally Union, but
| lad supported him as = candidate Tor the
| Presidency, and have supported his feedom
proclamation and all his measures Of general
policy since? Why have his political enemies
questicDs the delegation asked. These ques-
lions the country u to-day asking. These
questions history will ask.
The explanation Of the Pzesident's action is
not, re ARE satisfied, In his desires, but In his
policy. The Radicals ask nothing disloyal.
General vas Solicited, the appointment Of
another Just as loyal ard competent WAS 3d.
lfeite1. There waa uothi:g in this which the
President should have refused, provided his
compliance would have satisfied the loyal
sentiment Of the nation, and settled one Of
Ict because the demand was unjust or unrea-
t eorable, hut because IN immense influence
was deeply Interested in retaining thinsss a.
they are. The Radicals were not The only
parties appealing TO tie President. GoyernoE
Gsulb1e appeared before him in bitter denun-
ntfons Of the Radicals, and demanded pfotec-
tfon fiom the President against them. HiS
de1ua1d d WAS absurd, but It answered the puf-
pose Of an Offset. Mr. Rollins, In the name
Of the Missouri shareholders. OF which hs III
one OF tie largest, 1fleHiee appeared before
him In maledlctIons upon the Radicals; and
how many ct the B!airs and their CO workers,
Who are axious that the Radical sentiment Of
the country shall receive no encouragen .eut,
were employed in like manner, we know not.
Thus was the Preefdent placed between tNo
tires, and beaieged ard thu3 t'tormentcd," as
his words have described 1t, he did what
might hare been expected OF q person Of hts
compromising dispceftior-nothlrg- It serves
Is another illustration OF the Inclination-
which some one describes as the result of the
Presidents e1ncation-ssto strike balances" ."
The situation Of Missouri Is disgrace to
the nation, and q disgrace to the President
! IS much 60 as Was Kansas under Pierce or
| Buchanan, to whose case 1t bears a striking
reeemblaIce. Bnt nevertbelesB, the Radical
Union men Of Missouri, who have suffered
50 much already for their devotion to the
Government from rebels can still bear
more sffitction for the sake Of the same, even
though it comes from . different source.
They are not without sympathy, nor do they
suffer alone. In bufeting them the President
has struck the Radical heart Of the nation.
They will remember, too, that while they
tnaY euffer wrong, the principle Of their cauae
ia not retarded, and in Its certain ultimate
triumph Is their sure dcliVeEance.