Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-18
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1854.
A POLITICAL PHOTOGRAPH.

publican journal, taxes US 10 TASK ior Gaining the
protest of Messrs. Wade and Davis a (" Republican
Manifesto" In giving place to that document
in its own columns, the Times accompanies it with
the expression of an opinion to the effect that
Messrs Wade and Davis "seek the defeat.of Mr..
Lincoln in the pending canvass, and as necessary
consequence, the election of his Democratic oppo-
nent, whoever he may prove to be" The motive
OF their imputed opposition to Mr.. Lincoln is found
by the Times in the alleged fact that bis Admins
tration should he be reelected does not promise to
be sufficiently extreme for their purposes. Our con-
temporary says:
His nvs sions OF Cong ess0na rghts-hs usurpations
of Executive power-woud not disturb them they were
pracised their behalf and for the urherance OF their
schemes."
And, as sustaining this view, the Times gives
the following portraiture of the theory OF the war,
which, as it understands, has commended itself to
the approval of these gentlemen, and which, as
they have previously uttered no complaint against
the Administration, We must presume to be the
theory on which the has latterly been conducted
by the Administration The Times says:
"No two men in the nation have been more camorous
for vigorous prosecution of the war-none more intoe-
rant of every no atered heeitaed IN the crusade
eTfeTU1ndlt0n
proclaimed than hey No measure has been 100 extreme
no policy too violent mode OF warfare too savage Tor
their tastes They hare led the in The hind race Of
radicalsm and bGrbarism into which they haze seductd
many public Of judgments and catmer passions
than themselves They have secuted the idea whenever
it has been presented any form Of closing the war until
not only should slavery he abolished, but until The people
of The Southern States should hare been redured 10 The
dition of helpless and hopeless passals Of ae Central Coz
ernment They now Issue manifesto OF when the1vi
dent intent to put the Government into the hands Of
rty nd he the
sdent who will end the war by compromise Of every
contested question out Of which has if not by the
concession Of Independence OF the rebel States
"We do not accuse them of Inconsistency in thus act
log We do beieve them guilty OF it, On the contra
~, regard their present demonstration 80 supply and
strictly in keeping with their course from the beginning
There has probably been time since the commenced
when they ,ooud rather hare conceded independence 10
tic aue than consent to the resumption Of their place
in Union the rene,ocd enjoyment OF iher rights u
der the Federal Constitution. They have sought stetdy
aud consistently their conquest sabugation and eSterm
nation as States order that they might found upon them
neto empire based upon their ideas and to be Tmed
bp their counses 1hey hare sustained the mot as
means of restoring the Union, but TO free the saUes seize
the lands crush the spirit destroy ne rights and btot out
6re1er the political freedom Of the people tnhdbing the
Southern States long the war promised to give them
these results, long they were for its prosecution"
1t is instructive to know what our Admnistrav
ton contemporary candidly thinks of the radical
I" policy into which the Administration has
drifted, under "pressure," in the conduct of
the war. When it tells as that none have
been more intolerant than Me,srs Wade and
Davis of every one who faltered or hesitated in
the crusade Of hatred and determination which
they have ceaseles,ly proclaimed" it paints to
our view the character of the tendencies under
which new line of direction was impressed on
the war in the year 1862. And when it tells US
that Messrs. Wade and Davis I" led the can IN the
blind race of radicdlsm and bari arism into
which they have seduced many public men of wiser
judgments and calmer passions than themselves"
it is easy to infer what the Times thinks
of those who have brought up the rear In
this i" blind race of radcalism and barbarism"
The President has recently made it apparent that,
however slow he may have been in taking position,
he now, in one respect at least, stands abreast with
the most advanced "radicalsm," insomuch that he
will not even receive or consider any proposition
looking to peace or Union unless it be accompanied
with "tbe abandonment of slavery" The Tines
has already intmated what it thinks Of this Pre,i-
Dental rescript prescribing the abandonment OF
slavery" as a sine qua of receiving or consider
ing any propositions looking to.a restoration of
peace uplOu, GspeClaily phO
IL rebukes Messrs Wade and Davis men who
would rather concede "the independence Of the
Slave States than consent to their resumption of
their place in the Union and the renewed enjoy
ment of their rights under the Federal Constitution"
The President has expressed no opinion upon
this comparative view of the matter, but by the
rcquistion he includes among his terms and con-
ditons of peace he makes it impossible for the
Southern States "to resume their place an the
Union" or to enter on "the renea0ed enjoyment Of
their rights under The Federal Constiu ION" A.,
therefore, there be any thing exceptionable in the
policy of Messrs. Wade and Davis under this head
the remarks of the Times are equally applicable to
the policy of Mr.. Lincoln for so far forth the policy
ofthe latter isidentca with the policy of the former
III it be source of just rcproach to Messrs. Wade
and Davis, as the Times considers it, that "they
have sustained the war not means of restoring
the Union but to free the slaves" what shall be
said of the Presidents determination to receive and
consider no proposition embracing peace and the
integrity of the whole Union unless it also en-
brace, athe abandonment Of slavery 7"
We will do the President the justice to say that
mo do not beiieve he willi DIV assumed the posture