The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-03-30
We Know No Party, but the
Party of the Constitution. baa
From the Washington "New Nation" Abolition
Mr.. LincOln's Honesty and Ca.
DacitV. 81. IA ~

= =
9H pacttv. 49, ~
S. We all recollect that worthy citizen of
ATHENS who banished Aristides solely be-
cause it annoyed him to hear the epithet;
1.-THE just" constantly coupled with his
name. We have all been struck by this
strange specimen of political liberty. and by
the lack of judgment in its application. 1t
was not because this undue notoriety given
to the name of citizen Of the republic
might, after time, prove dangerous, nor
because the epithet of "just" was question
able, that the worthy citizen of Greece ban
ished Artisdes He would not even discuss
the matter; the epithet annoyed him, and
that was enough 20 ostracize its unfortu
nate bearer In this we see an excess of
liberty and a lack of political education {
Now, we are annoyed and irritated at
hearing the words of Abraham Lincoln and
honesty always coupled together; but being
more generous than the excellent Atheni-
Man citizen aforesaid. we propose, before
ostracising honest Abe from the White
House, to consider his right to the surname
Of "Honest." To call one man honest, out
of population ol thirty millions, is not so
much of compliment to him as sarcasm
upon all the rest Let US look into his hon.
es ty and capability After three yeas of
patient silence, we have right, and, it is
moreover our duty, Mr.. Lincoln, to exam
mo your acts and show them to the nation.
lou commenced by confding the fate of
our cause, the honor of our arms and the
ilves Of our sons, to men having no more
claim to such trust than host OF voters of
their command, whose support you coveted,
III order to advance the welfare of the ma
ton.
We have allowed you to further your
politics and personal interests, and to trans
form into heroes men whose inefficiency
has swallowed up thousand of lives and
millions Of treasure, so that you might be
able to dazzle the eyes of the people With
victories f..r mors apparent than real. We
have permi ted you to sacrifice tried patri
OTIS, whose popularity alarmed you, and
" hose energy disappointed your calcula-
stions
We have allowed you to deceive the peo.
pie; we have let you transform disgraceful
defeats into victories; and even we made
no outcry when you were reduced to beg
exonoration for acts which have eternally
.disgraced the honor of our arms. You have
been unable either to foresee or torestall
What has become of the nations
enthusiasm? What have you done with the
3mmense resources, unprecedented in hlsto-
~, that the nation has lavishly given you?
You ure now appaa.ln to con|cription,
and we will not enter into discussion OF
the principle itself hut we viii tell you
that YOU should have foreseen that the day
must come when you would need these men,
aud that you were to blame in not calling
,or them when the peoples enthusiasm was
:,rst aroused, and they certainly would not
have refused you You are to blame, IN
asmuch as, through your incapacity and per
,onal schemes, the necessity for such an
appeal has become question Of public safe
t. You are to blame for depriving us OF
rhe services of men whose popularity stim
dated that enthusiasm -
You have told the country that both the
rebellion and slavery were dead, you have
told the people that the forces OF the rebels
aere reduced By desertions, and that they
,ould not be recruited, fed nor clothed; and
Tet you are forced to act on the defensive,
being threatened at all points.
Whenever you have directed the action
OF our troops, they have been uniformly
unsuccessful, you have perpetually offered
az the wretched spectacles of splendid re-
sources and evcellent chances of success
sacrificed to ncapacity. The only success
w. Nhich you came near attaining, but the
Icr.Sdt of which we intend to take from you,
* ,'ne to the Incredible imaginstiveness
that YOU have displayed in describing facts.
Changes of base, mastery retreats, aud re-
have succeeded each other
with rapidity worthy of the greatest show
|nan of modern times. The immense vari.
|cty of circumstances is only equalled by the
hIenty Of the results. We have:
Shermaus $ reconnaissance
Smiths reconnaissance.
Thomas reconnaissance.
Nlpatricks reconnaissance.
Casters reconnaissance.
Seymour's reconnaissance.
IA Gillmore's reconnaissance.
The result is everywhere the same
Ridiculous and disastrous. The sole con-
ssion we Can make to your honesty, is
that you have improved upon the changes
Sof base of 1862; you destroy fewer soldiers
md burn less Of the nations property.
How is it that, after three years of in
victories, according to Halleck's
facetious expression. unprecedented in the
military history OF nations you are still
bordering how to preserve the national
capital and your base of operations
81 i it reward for success, for the achieve
sments of such results, that you new ask
Sthe nation to pass vote of confidence, aud
he elect YOU for another and perhaps anoth'
er term ? mo
In your inaugural address you gave q
very striking illustration of your peculiar
honesty by virtually pledging yourssa IN
accordance with the well knovn principles
the party which had elected you, not to
rve a secord term; you said this IN man,
Mer which none of--yourT supporters then
Misunderstood; but your words were avi-