Year: 1863

Publishers may be soothei into apathy and
Congress hare an excuse for inaction. But
there Is nothing in the past history Of the pre-
sent Congress which leads us to hope that its
Obvious duty in this matter vii be discharged
We have seen no anxiety in any OF the friends
OF the Administrator for the advancement Of
learning, the spread of information, the free
dissemination Of political opinions. On the
contrary, it has signaIizsd itself principally by
allowing 10 inquiries into the arbitrary arrests
Of editors. the suppression Of newspapers. the
abolition Of freedom Of opinion ard speech
We have yet 10 learn that such Congress.
devoted 10 the daily discussion Of financial "a
garies which. already put in practice, sweep
Us on with acceerating steps toward the abyss
Of national insolvency, aDd Jet teach the ban
derers no,hing-a Congress given over to the
impraetieable theories Of a spurious philan-
thropy and bastard patriotism by which law
Is divorced from Hberty-is likely to give its
sober, prompt application to the disiresses Of
any class among its constitaency-eyen though
the consequence Of that distress be stop 10
the spread Of useful and necessary information
among the whole people.


The best argument against the assertion Of
the radicals. who seek to blind the people and
themselves by asserting that slavery is the
cause Of the war, Is to be found in the excel
lent message Of Gov Parker, Of New Jersey
He says: 50 Yes, it Is the cause Of the war,
as gold is the cause Of robbery and murder
With the same propriety ii might be said that
commerce was the cause Of our last war with
Great Britain, and that commerce should be
abolished because the impressment Of American
seamen led to the collision


The circumstances which led to the resigna-
ton Of Gen Burnside and the appointment Of
Hooker is related by Washington correspon-
dent as follows: " The story about the Presi-
dents m;teas is actually true. On learning.
some days after it occurred, the real truth
about the affair at Fredericksburg on the 9th
December, the President declared, in language
more forcble than elegant. that he was now
going to throw away the mittens, and hence
forth, looking seowlingly at lIaleck and
StantoD) to conduct the war himself And
to show you, gentlemen, that | am in earnest
said the PRESIDENT III begin with General
Burnside. And going az once TO the telegraph
instrument, Mr.. Lincoln teIegraphed to that
officer Make no movement whatever without
first consulting me. A. Lincoln Now it hap
pened that just at that time Burnside had made
all his preparations for his third attempt Cd
Fredericksburg. He intended to send strong
force of cavalry and light artillery twenty
miles up the Rappahannock. They were then
to cross that stream and the RapIdan, march
on Gordonsville, and destroy the railroad there,
so as to cut the enemy's communication with
the south and west. Il was bold project
Burnsides idea was that Gen. Lee, alarmed for
the safety Of his communications, would detach
from Fredericksburg such a strong force to
protect Gordonsville that our army could then
attack Fredericksburg in front with hope Of
success. Possibly the plan might have sue
ceeded But. just as the cavalry got in mo
ton, this telegraphic dispatch arrived from
Mr.. Lincoln. Il was positive order from the
Commander in Chief and Burnside was com
PEELED to countermand his orders, give up his
expedition, and come up to Washington for
explanations. When NJ. Lincoln knew what
he had done, and how fine raid he had spoil
ed be was considerably vexed, as may well be
supposed, and begged Burnside to return at
once and carry out his idea. Bat it was too
late. Somehow or other the plan leaked out
the enemy had got wind of it, and, had our
artillery and cavalry once got south of the
river, they would have fallen into trap and
never would have got back


The Administration still seeks to amuse and
deceive the country by authorizing statements
to be published to the effect that great things
may soon be expected from Gen. Foster in
North Carolina. There was no reason to
believe any such statements. The promises
which were made by the Administration to
Gen. Foster, when he was here some weeks ago,
have not been fulfilled nor can they be with
out breaking up the Army of the Potomac
The country has foHdly hoped that there was
some plan in pursuance of which Gen. Foster
was to advance on Richmond from the South
while Burnsne advanced on it from the North
There is no such plan. Even if Gen Foster
accompli-hes what be was sent to DO, and
will not state what that Is, for | believe the
enemy have not OWNED it, it will have DO effect
whatever upon the progress or advancement of
the war, nor will it weaken the enemy either
at Richmond or Fredericksburg.


Are not our disasters the result Of the lack
Of brains in the management of the affairs of
the nation. The slaughter at Fredericksburg
was pronounced by the Executive to be an ac-
cident. Ordinary generalshIp and foresight
should provide against such accidents. This