The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Fayetteville, N.C.) 1864-186?, 1864-03-29
OF THE WAR IN THE
NORTH

POPULARITY OF THE WAR IN THE
NORTH.
The New York Times has the following for-
chile IT marks upon ,he war aud Kindred SUBJ
jects:
W. have only to contemplate the simple
and naked facts, that with q population three
times that of the States at war with as, and
a nShting population propOrtlonately much
iarser-with bounties proffereJ, such never
tempted cnpidity, in any war bcfore-,re are
compelled to secure foreigners from tn cir homes
to.fght oar BATTLES for pay, and are driven to
the still more degrading necessity of commit
ting the honor of our flag ard the vindication
and free. Not the relentless grasp of a most
merciless and unconstitutional csnscriptiOn,
nor the seduction Of bounties large enough to
make poor mans fortune, can now drag Or
enticc American citizens, except in numbers
absolutely Insignificant, to fight the battles
OF this war. i: is i,ls,ent, as we'll as Idle
and ahsurd' to talk of the popularity of any
war that can command no warmer support
than this, from a hrAre and impulsive people
I the hearts of tie people We're in the war,
they themselves would he IN the field to fight
to the death. II they sincerely believed it to
be war iii which they ought to offer f;len-
selves as sacrifice, they would crowd to the
very horns Of the altar, without threat or
hribc. That they shrink from the contest-that
they will devote all the little earningspf their
lives to purchase exenaption-that they can
not lie tempted or forced into the ranks, while
there is any eScapc-ali things tell the story.
The people do not feel any longer that the
war is their war. They may support it for a
little while because the government is waging
it and the flag is waved over it. Some Of them
may be Wiling it should continue, because
it pays themselves or their friends large pro-
fits, or keeps up their influence, or advances
their party, or hatters their vanity graft
fies their rancor. But the great current Of
public feeling and opinion runs in it's favor no
longer 1t has now no hol, on public en-
thusiasm. Its popularity is dead!
If the Administration really believes that
all this is false-if it is persuaded that the
popularity of the war continues, let it ai,an-
and oakc the experiment Of volunteer enlist
ments for ~ single week. That brief space
Of time would suffice for the entire solution
Of the problem. If such all experiment, how
ever, be deemed too hazardous, let Mr.. Lin
coin and his couneslor, make still simpler
one.. Let them tell tue people the tru,A for
a single month, it the thing be possible, if
not let tIlcm endcavor to j" it for tortnig ght.4
Let MIR. Chase s i've US the real amount Of the
for it's payment Let him inform US of the
amount of taxes which We must endure to
avert the shame Of reputation, now without
increasing the debt single dollar. Instead
OF see saving between greenb"chs and bonds,
which appears TO he the substance of his finan-
cial policy, and concoctrg policy schemes
for iobbing in gold or Wall street, let him
trust the people, if he dare, with the facts
from which they may know their own SOW
-01x Il
meet the issue, { CO to face Let MI Sew
ard try if he write one solitary despatch
without some intentional pe,vc.>ion OF tac
truth, ard c"ntinc himself t" to the legitimate
nnrtes n},gfe f fi....s esgEssponlenss abro.d
pan tment with ctlp trap AMI mi>rrprrsen a
ton for home consumption and dcccpt on Let
Mr Stanton, instead of flooding the country
with false tn,:ietins from irresponsible or tic-
litlou$ sottrces: nndcrva!uing the sire 9Th
and resources Of. the cI.emy, txa.geratl"g
their wants and suffe: ings, multi ply ing their
rcyerscs and our triumphS, give himself up,
for SO brief space to the di>scm:n;ni-
ton of the truth, which the people are cnti-
tied TO have i'll regard to a stru gglc for which
they are taxcl to the utmost in treasure and
al,nd. With what face can lle assert the
war to be the peoples War; when after ll;,v-
ing caused the press to team with tclcsrarls,
announcing the almost universal and entlIti-
siastic rc-enli>tment of the veterans Of tie
army, he has caused President to refuse
to give the House of Representatives any in
formation the subject, on the ground that
it would bc "prcju|iciai t" the l,ndtic in-
terest % II the Administration will not ven
turc to pursue the plain, straight forward
cou, Indicate, let it cease t" rae OF its
war policy us rooted IN the cohtl'le:icc OF the
people.
If the people uphold it, why conceal from
the people Eat tncy uphold ? Or, is it that
the war can bc maintained in its pretended
popularity, only 50 long the people
kept from k,,cX rrS what 1T IS a:iu what it
promises.
! We ase rejoiced to sec that these consider
ations and others akin to them are opening
so many lo.1, blinded eyes. The people have
begun TO think tor themselves, at last, and
! there can bc but one result Of their SO doing
! it they VIII but Spc.k out, f IrlcSsy, what
they think. The ~ll' cannot bear probing.
in its causes, its conduct, its pu' poses or it's
prospects. /. cannot survive the touch of
free thought a.d free >pt ech. The friends ot
peace hc:ct Jtorc, have lack ed holiness and
confidence in Themselves and their cause De-
Serted at the outset hy those in whom they
trust. AS readers, it is scar ely to be wond-
Icled that they should have dcspaircd. and
have permitted themselves t" be builicJ out
+, OI InC EXPRESSION VI luSlT ~OnFlctlbll-E
aim ST out Of these nvictions themselves.
But these times have ci':nhyel. I The tide is
now setting in the right drax'ion, an they
must take it at the H,od. The p. opl" mus
mot aw III! for mcn to lead them now lluuani
ity, civilization, the blessed teachings OF Chris
tianity are leaders enough. 'Fie renegade OF
to-day will be only to- happy to return rs
} the ca,,se of eenea dtveol.c its grand pro
PORTIONS and its strength Let then every
man who waprs peace, cry Peace! Let there
be dissuiS"-nn catering for populari: y
a. for this influence or inat-no putting %,
; of the devils livery. The Cause can an,l vii
take care If itself and it's advocates, if. the,
are not afraid to proclaim their allegiance t,
it. Let no man be fooled or frightened hy
the suggestion, TIA. he is BOUND TO Support
the G"vei n.nent,' or that, by crying out fo
peace. he is embarrassing. the GoFcrn
mcnt.'
i Every citizer who has to uphold the gov
..rrment Wi h his money AMI his blood, has
fhe right, nay is bound iii ea.y, to infiucnc
its policy. by the puis: e~i'res>io', Of his hot,
est opn.ons. ii6 is bound t" obey the laws
but not TO smother OF belle his convictions