Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-02-25
ECCLESIASTICAL POLICY OF THE WAR
DEPARTMENT.

None of our readers will have forgotten the re-
mark of Mr.. Senator SHERMAN, of Ohio, made
few days ago in the Senate, when he expressed the
deliberate opinion that it is absolutely impossible
for the Government to be carried on unless there
Is more information, harmony, aud acquiescence in
its various Department." And referring to this
same defect, Mr.. Senator JOHNSON, Of Maryland,
explained its origin by stating what he understood
(snd we may add that our understanding is the
same) to be the practice of the Administration in
the conduct Of affairs, under the usages established
by President Lincoln. The practice was said by
Mr.. johnson to be as follows
understand that the practice which has been adopted
by this Administration is, when the Secretary OF state
to effect any thing ia his Department ne comes ana
speaks to the President for himself and the hst knowledge
any other member of the Cabinet gets of what is going
i when ne sees it the ne ahs 80 ~
voice with the President If had would try to keep
him in path much sraiter than the he is pursuing
believe that he and his Cabinet doing what they I'M
derstand TO be for the best But suggest the mistake
arises the very fact of their not getting together and
decding for themselves joint counsel what the best
policy u be pursued
We allude to this matter again to-day for the
purpose of observing that the defect sgnalized by
Senator Sherman when he thus instanced the neces-
sity Of "more information, harmony, and acquies-
cence in the various Departments of the Govern
ment as being condition without which the Gov
eminent " could not be carried on" is one which
Affects not only the relations of the different
Departments with each other but extends also
sometimes TO the relations which should exist be-
tween the President and the head Of that Depart
ment which more than any other at the present
time is charged with the conduct OF affairs that
come home to the business and bosoms Of the
people" We allude of course to the War De-
partment
The reader will find in another part of to-day's
paper an interesting exposition Of the new policy
which has been recently adopted by Mr.. STANTON
for the military regulation of churches through
out the insurgent States, far as their territory
has been reclaimed by our arms. 1t will be seen
that the orders issued under this head are ad
dressed to the Generals commanding the depart
ments of the Missouri, the Tennessee and the Gulf
and all Generals and officers commanding armies,
detachments, and corps, and posts, and all officers
in the service of the United States in these
departments. And we yesterday gave the text
of an order under which, in the department
of General Butler, all places of public worship
in Norfolk and Portsmouth are placed under the
control of the provost marshals Of Norfolk and
Portsmouth, respectively, with instructions to
"see the pulpits properly filed by displaciDg,
when necessary, the present incumbents, and sub
shutting men of known loyalty and the same Sec
tartan denomination, either military civil, sub
al ~, EIa,o
The American Baptist Home Missionary Society
in the North have been authorized, we learn, to
take possession of all abandoned Baptist churches
10 the South, and to fill their pulpits with loyal
home missionaries of their persuasion. And it
will be seen that all houses Of worship belonging
to the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church, which
are without loyal minister who has been appoint
ed by loyal Bishop Of said church, have been
placed at the disposal Of the Rev. Bishop Ames,
Of the Northern M ethodist Episcopal Church. The
order proceeds to say that " Bishop Ames enjoys
the entire confidence of this Department, and no
doubt Ia entertained that all ministers who may be
appointed by him will be entirely loyal" Accord
inply all our commanders and their subordinstes
throughout the South care expected to give him
all aid, countenance and support practicable in the
execution OF his important mission" to which is
added
"You authorized and directed to furnish Bishop
Ames and his clerk with transportation and subsistence
when it be done without prejudice to the service and
will afford them courtesy, assistance and protection,
And this policy has not been adopted by the
Secretary of War without deliberation, for it pro-
fesses to take its motive from the following con-
sideration
at matter Of great Importance TO the Government
in it's efforts to restore tranquility to the community and
peace to the nation that Christian ministers should by
example and precep support and foster the loyal sent
ment Of the people"
In woyd, Mr.. Stanton has determined to take
military jurisdiction Of all churches in the South,
rs fast as they are brought within the power of
the Government, for the purpose Of rendering
them nurseries of loyalty as well as Of piety.
The motive is doubtless very laudable one, but
we cannot speak approvingy Of the means by
which he seeks to compass this desirable end
We fear that his functions as the metropolitan
military Bishop of all the churches 10 the South
will prove exceedingly cnerous, not to say vexatious
We think that he will find this right of military
advowsou environed with practical difficulties in