Year: 1863

no man ever questions its wisdom and ne
cessity, though the result be to place in the
hands Of one man, at his will or caprice
alone, the lives and limbs Of whole brigades
and divisions Of men, and to expose them
to all the hazards Of the fear, rashness or
incompetency Of the General in command.


When country is engaged in q war Of
large proportions, with powerful and


dangerous foe, and especially il the field


Of contest be its own soil, and the hostile
forces are made up Of Its OWL citizens,


madly engaged in civil strife, the same i'm


perative reasons which enforce in the army


unhesitating and unquestioning obedience


to superior command, also demand Of the


citizen loyal submission to the measures


Of the Government, and willing and


hearty support and carrying out Of Its ex


pressed policy In the army, no delay, OF


mutmuring, or questioning, is tolerated fol
an instant, under penalty Of death; and
all true men, ont Of the army, will, under
penalty Of their own self-reproach and the
condemnation Of all the loyal, refrain from
all look or suspicion Of the least distrust
OF the Administration, and back up all its
efforts with the most vigorous and persist
ent support.


It is trne TINT this is free country, and
civil law differs from martial law, so that
men Of little judgment and poor patriotism
can rep1oach and denounce the Admins
tration; heap scorn and ridicule on its
measures or its men; hold back and grum-
bic and sulk in giving their unwilling sup
port, and so act and speak as in many
ways to do terrible mischief and damage,
and make themselves objects of the just
indignation and contempt Of all loyal men.
Men may do all this without being shot,
but they none the less deserve to be shot;
for whatever may be their professions, or
however honest their purposes, they are in
fact lending aid and help to the foe, en-
ba1rassing and weakening the Government,
protracting and embittering the war, and
thus increasing misery and desolation,
b1oodshed and loss Of life. No man who
has any proper sense Of the results of his
conduct, and knows what he is about, will
fail to hesitate long before he charges the
Administration in the midst Of a desperate
civil war, with imbeci1ity, folly. rashncss,
or with any other than the best purposes
and plans. Every loyal man will set
watch at the door Of his lips, that no rash
word Of blame, no hasty expression Of re-
preach or contempt may escape. Hewho,
when patriotic, true and earnest men,
overwhelmed with the perple1ing cares
and heavy burdens Of Office. at such a time
as this, are lending all their energies to the
mighty task Of overcoming insurrection
and saving the country, goes about spread
ing distrust, or contempt, sneering, jeering
and zidiculing, hooting at their policy, and
belittling and disparaging them, is pursu-
ing a course Of crime and guilt, perhaps
even more mischieyous and nefarious than
rebels with armsin their rhands.


All men who are still in their right
minds, must know that the only power or
authority that can be looked to for the sal
Walton Of the country Ill 4u1s 1vu, VI its,
danger, is the present Administration. 1t
is equally clear, that the Administration
can only perform the work which 1t 1s ex-
pectcd to do, by being heartily and con-
stantly sustained and reinforced by the peo-
PIE With such willing and vigorous sup
port, there can be no doubt as to the ability
of the Government, and Its final and COM
plete success; without it, We may as well
abandon the conflict, the Union, the coun-
Try, and all hope at once. That men whose
feelings all 60 with the rebel side, whose
hearts are all in the South, and who pray
and long for the success Of treason, and
help it all they can or dare, should insinu-
ate weakness and dishonesty in the Presi
dent or his Cabinet, sneer at their ability,
laugh attheir failures, be merry over their
disappointments, and find no words but
those Of scorn and hate for those in author
ity;is to be expected. But no truly 10y
al man, will ever utter any word Of blame,
complaint, or dissatisfaction, without well
weighing its effect, and being sure that it
will work no harm. For words are things;
and just now not titly uttered, they may
be things deadly as rebel ball or steel, fatal
to many brave fellow, and more damag-
ing to the force aud authority of the Coy
eminent than the preaching battery, OF the
sappfng and mining corps. The Adminis
tration is worthy Of all cur support, it de-
serves our highest esteem, and our entire
confidence. The end, We doubt, not will
Tindicate and justify all its purposes and &C.
ton, let US not, in our rimpatience andigno-
rance, do that which cannot Fail to weaken
ts force; defeat its purposes, and be sure to
reeo1l upon ourselves in increased shame
and disaster.