Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-04-07
A BAcK.HANDED ATTACK.

principle" and calls on him to consult his own
reputation and the interests of his party by ct once
withdrawing his name from the canvass prelimi-
nary to the assembling of the Republican Conven-
tion in Baltimore. Mo ss
Failing in this appeal to the Presidents spirit
Of remuneration, it has more recently betaken itself
to the work Of urging postponement of the time
for the meeting Of the Convention, being assured
that any delay Of this kind would be likely to
enure to the disadvantage of President Lincoln, or
would at least embrace larger chapter of socdents
that could be turned to his disoredit. To this
eff ct it says: ZEE
"There 10 not rebel either side of the Potomac who
does not feel that the Presidential is full Of pro-
mise to their cause From Jef Davis down, they hope
that something may turn up in that that will
enure to their advantage and that Its result will strongly
oondace to their success. They eagerly anticipate and
impatenty await the time when of the loyal States
shall be more intent beating each other at the polls
than on beating them in the field and they calculate that
when our Presidential campaign shall have fairly opened
our campaigns ipst them will have nearly spent their
force We deeu ibis exaggerated but spprehsnd that
It is not utterly devoid Of foundation Hence we would
have one fair and full trial Of strength with the re-
9elon before embarking in fresh Presidential contest
Under this conviction both publicly and priyatsy urged
possible day. hsa
l
with our views Would it be advisable to postpone
the meeting to a later dsy7
We answer: That depends entirely on the view with
which that posponement sought and accordedthe sp
rt in which the for the Presidential
to be conducted.
Our general idea Of the matter is ths-thst, until the
choice OF Union candidates for President and Vice Pres
dent shall have been defnitively made field is entirely
0pen and eoery Unionis perfect liberty propose and
adToede any Unonist soho may be his individual prefer
One desires the denomination of the present noun
bents another would renomnate the President but not
the Vice Presdent third would renominate the latter
but not the former; fourth would present new cand
dates for both positions. Each Unonst, then is invited
and encouraged to the of his choice and to
mend their nomination by adducng such facts and argu
ments as to him shall seem cogent and effective with
tact understanding that we all and do nothing that
shall preclude hearty and effective support Of whatever
ticket shall ultimately be presented All who choose
ing spoken and been heard the Convention assemblies
sha deem beat and then we all turn 10 and elect the
sckst Saeh is idea Of the ,oay ,ohieh this matter
should De dealt ,oa And this is TO be the accepted
1s think postponement Of the Conoention to august if
not the LIST Of September, einenty desirable and morally
certain to prone bensfcent"
Now, this is q candid and open opposition to the
denomination of Mr.. Lincoln And when we con-
slider the very uncomplimentary manner in which
it is known the President has spoken of " the
Greeley faction" and Of his purpose at some con-
venient season "to break with them," we are not
at all surprised that good political manager as
Mr.. Greeley should be anxious to take time by the
forelock and to get the start of the President in
this matter of breaking" This is all fair in
politics. 1t is part Of "the game" and when
played openly, is one in which "every Unionist is
at perfect liberty" to engage, in behalf Of "any
Unionist who may be his individual preference"
But when the Tribune undertakes to assail Mr.
Lincoln, the ttular commander-in-chief of all our
forces, over the head Of Didales, the Persian, Of
Nicias, the Greek, and of Vegetius, the Roman
writer on military Institutes, we submit that it
abuses the privileges of candid and loyal oppo-
stion. If it really thinks that Mr.. Lincoln does
not know as much about the art of war rs was
known BY the sncients two thousand years ago, let
it say SO frankly, and not nsinuate its charges by
indirection.
1t is known that we recently showed the an
tiquity of the usages which prevail in the matter
of subsisting armies-how Xerxes and Hannibal
and Didales, and 1imotheus and Nicias managed
this branch of war. Our observations were pure
ly historical, and in no sense directed to the
disparagement of the present Administration by
way OF lnsututlDg IN lnVlulOuS comparison 20 Its
disadvantage. But the opportunity of suggesting
such an odious use of our memoranda is deemed
by the Tribune too good to be lost. Accordingly
we read in its number of last Saturday as follows
we are glad to observe that that enterprsng journal
the National Integencer does not to be bebpdhsnd
in furnishing it's quota of valasbe and timely intelligence
for the benefit Of the country and the instruction Of s Gen.
eraS at this interesting moment, when the spring
pagn 10 about to open From the leading editorial in
recent number Of that paper it quite clear that pay
thing and raons another 10 the Of Ddaes and
Timotheus and that Aristotle n Second Book Of his
Economies, removes all doubt upon that point The
Greek army Pans also glad to be assured was
followed by great conveys of provisions the Of which
bel nged and other campfoowers and that
these provisions generally the Greek armies
veyed by beasts Of burdenhints which the War Depart
ment should Immediately make note of We believe that
in armies the bread for the soldiers generally
baked but If there s any hesitation at adopting that
and precedent lie needed, the Department will like
to know that recently the time OF the Sician Expe
dton Ncius not only estimated for necessary stores Of
wheat and barley, but actually provided the requisite
number of bakers 10 those grains into bread SO
important indeed for the subsistence of armies is food
considered by the DtegeDcer that quotes chapter aud
from Vageus, who wrote in the time Of the Empe
Vaentnian-supposed to be the second Emperor of
that nameo prove that detachments not only OF infant
ry but Of cavalry alo used for the protection Of
supply trsins
the G0Denmen after these timely hints shall hold
that rafions Of consequence shat fail 10 distinguish
them from pay; shall ROT propide proper stores Of -four