Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-07-07
PARTISAN INCARCERATION.


We have always been in the habit Of looking to
the North American Review for the reflection of
ideas which appeal to the intelligence and candor
of the public. Its views of political affairs under
former editors have always been positive and
definite, but they were stated without exaggsraton
and without partisan vehemence. Its present
conductors, we regret to observe, prescribe to
themselves different rule of conduct, and address
different class Of readers. They have impressed
on the Review character for partisauship which
does not require respect for even the appearance
of accuracy in a statement that appeals to our
rent political hatreds. For instance, in the July
number just received, in an article on the Ma
tional Currency" we read follows:
"A Union victory on battle field or at the polls de-
presses the price Of gold; rebel victory in the South
at Northern election sends II up Jefferson Davis,
the Southern armies, Generals Lorgstreet and Lee,
and the Northern Democrats the bulls OF the & Ia
market; Lincoln, Chase, Grant, Sherman and Meade,
brave troops and the loyal and patriotic men Of tbs
North are the bears Gold will fall as they rise power
and the legatender notes. if skllfuly managed by the
Treasury, the great war draws to successful Close
will increase in valae and when it ends be at par every
where, and like the notes of the Bank of the United
States sometimes and in some places, above par"
Every body knows that there is no foundation
for this statement, so far as it aHirms that " a
Union victory at the polls depresses the price of
gold" or that " rebel victory" in "Northern
election" causes n rise in the price Of gold By a
Union victory at the polls" the writer means a
Republican triumph, and by " rebel victory" a
success of the party opposed to the Administra-
ton. And yet, with the blind faulty of the par
tisan, he establishes connection of cause and
effect, where every reader is able to penetrate its
faacy; for every body knows that at the last
elections which have been held in the country
the Republican party has prevailed, even in States
previously Democratic, by majorities the most
overwhelming and unprecedented, and as it is
certain that the price of gold has subsequently
gone up with accelerated velocity, the truth
of the writer's statement be substantiated
only on the superstition that the Administration
party is the party whose triumph has had the effect
of q" rebel victory" And then, if the review
ers analysis of the monetary situation be exhaus-
tive or sound as far as it goes, when he says that
legal-tender notes will increase in value as the
war draws to successful close" it follows that,
according to bis logic, the prospect of "a success
full close of the war" is growing constantly less
and less for gold, instead of "ncreasing in value"
Is measured by Treasury notes. has been steadily
declining for the last lew months. But, a, we are
sure the author does not intend to say ell this it
is charitable to suppose that he meant only to show
how recklessly partisan can use words to convey
to the passions meaning which they contradict
to the reason of every reader Wshope the North
American Review will leave monopoly of this
style to the professional partisan press. Besides,
something more of yivacity is pardoned to the
haste of daily journalism, than to the deliberaon
of periodical which speaks only four times
year We arc the more embroidered to make this
suggestion to the leading quarterly of our country
because we are pleased to find in another article of
the current number some judicious reflections on
grave questions of public concern, to which we
shall call the attention of our readers at early
day.