Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-12-08

The country 10 Indebted 70 him for the new
Money Order system, for our better inter-
national postal arrangements, for the new
mail car system, lin vogue In the East and
Postmasters everywhere are his obliged
friends for the simplifcation of their for
mer interminable, vexatious and useless
entries. Much improvement as postal
matters still need, Mr.. Blair took more and
longer steps in the right direction than any
Of his predecessors.
Mr.. Stanton being behind hand with his
labors, on account Of his recent illness
the President simply states that fact as an
apology for the lack of any report from
him so far. Aud this brings US to what
with us all must ever be, while this war
continues, the interesting part of Presi.
DENTAL message-viI: the comments OF
the Executive on the general situation In
the field and the indications of our own,
public opinion as regards the war. Mr..
Lincoln does not attemptto conceal his graf.
ification over his re election. he thinks,
of course, like all men who have exPerien-
ced we'll at the hands of the people, well
Of their verdict. But In the true spirit Of
his speeches Just after the election, there
lie no offensive personal ingredient, even
the remotest, In all that he remarks. On
the contrary his tone lie subdued, modest
and becoming. Whatever the comments of
the President upon the results OF the late
elections may lack of conventional phraseol.
ogy, they are such as have greatly pop
ularized him as writer of State papers
and letters. What could be, for instance,
more expresively put than this allusion
to the present condition of Maryland.
"Important movements have occurred du
ring the year, to the effect of moulding So
ciety for durability in the Union. AL.
though short of complete success, It is
much in the right direction, that twelve
thousand citizens in each one of the States
of Arkansas and Louisiana have organized
local State Governments with free Con-
stitutious, and are earnestly struggling to
maintain aud administer them. The move.
ment in the same direction is more ex-
tensive, though less definite, in Missouri.
Kentucky and Tennessee should not be
overlooked; but Maryland presents the
example of complete success; and Mary
land is secure to liberty aud the Union for
all the future. The genius of rebellion
will no more claim Maryland. Like auo.
Their foul spirit, being driven out, 1t may
seek TO tear her, but it will WOO her no
more"
We like the way the President, in on
other place, singles out JEFF. Davis as the
leader of the rebellion, aud puts distinc-
ton between him and all his other cola
borers, Of all ranks and classes. While
the effect of such a distinction will be
CALLING 10 the extreme to Davis himself, it
will really be incendiary among not few
of his adherents, If published in the rebel
papers as printed this morning. We may
call such presentation of the case STRAIT
egg on the part of Mr.. Lincoln.
The closing paragraphs of the Message
contains. in our judgment, the most char
scteristic features of Mr.. Lincoln's mind
and temperament, and are also cou',l,sa
.-s-e POSuii~.Iy L.. mis- own native style,
To tens Of thousands of loyal hearts the
following words from the President will be
more welcome than all else in his mes
sage:
"In presenting the abandonment OF arm
ed resistance to the national authority on
the part Of the insurgents, as the only
indispensable condition to ending the war
on the part Of the government, retfact
nothing heretofore said as to slavery. l
repeat the declaration, made Q year ago,
that while l remain in my present position
shall not attempt to retract or modify
the emancipation proclamation, nor shall
l return to slavery any person who is free
by the terms of the proclamation or by any
| of the acts of Congress. Ii the people
| should BY whatever mode or means, make
it an executive duty to re ensIave such
persons, another, and not I, must be their
Instrument to perform it.
In stating single condition Of peace,
mean simply to say, that the war will cease
shall have ceased on the part of those who
began it,"
Thus ends the message. Our aim has
been in these remarks to enlist the atteu-
ton ofthe reader rather to the document
itself than to any substitute for it of our
own. We hope all will read it carefully.
1t is upon the willingness of the people to
cultivate a taste for grAver reading and
reflection than they have been accustomed
to in times past, that we must rely for that
enlightened courage and pertinacity of de-
termination that are to carry us through
this long aud difficult war.
| ---S - $-
THE specials" at Washington striking.
" exhibited their utter ignorance or else
their utter recklessness as to facts, when
they photographed Monday night that Mr..
Chase's friends had conceded that his chan
css for the Chief Justiceship were all up, aud
that it had ::bsen srragned that Davis or
somebody else was to be appointed. The