Year: 1862

mate in the censures which, stree the


sta election, they have cast on the ma


tlont administration for not having pros


ecuted the war with more ygor and sue


cess. We can well understand the pro-


voeatlons Of their position. They have


just been defeated in a struggle in which


the bahing character of .he war and its


inadequate results have been remorse-


essly welded TO their disadvantage.-


The opposition organs and speakers


sought to fix every species Of odium upon


The administration just as pertinaciously


as il we were in time of profound


peace. They pointed to the increase of


expenditures, the frauds in contracts. the


unfortunate arrests, the immense outlay


OF money and of life, the arrangement of
The currency and the increase of taxes,
and contrasting these with the unsatis-


factory results achieved, they charged


the whole upon the republican party


But it any prominent republican authori-
ty crticises the administration in these
respects, instead Of receiving credit for
good motives or independence of party
control, it was instantly cited as proving
the truth of all these democratic charges.


The defenders of the administration were
therefore shut up to silence or to an in
discriminate and ineffective Iaudation of
the government, or else they ran the risk


OF having their candid views misrfp pre-


Sened, to their own injury and to that of
the administration.


1t is no wonder, therefore, that they
seize the first relief from this embarrass.
ment, now that the election is over, to
express themselves plainly and in detail
on the great mistake which the admins
tTatlon has made in failing to prosecute
the war more vigorously. This is fair
topic Of discussion with n reasonable
bounds. But we think when it comes TO
be considered passionately, and aside
from all irritation, it will have any other
effect than to call for censure upon pres
ldent Lincoln, or to impair the reputation
OF his republican supporters. 1t will be
| seen-it party bearings cannot be kept


out of view-that ever since the present


complaints have prevailed, the head of


the war department has been a democrat;


there never has been republican gem


alin-chief; and of the generals COM


mandng in the field, rcarly nine tenths
have been OF other than republican poll


ties. Now, if the president alone had
= been most resolutely bent upon vigor-
) ols prosecution Of the war, how much
could be have accomplished without the


hearty cooperation of the officers we


have named We do not say he has not


had it-but we do say it is evident that


the responsibility and also the credit of
he war management are to be equitably


divided, and neither charged over to the


president alone But iE fact the demo-
Gratis have put the president in this pre-


dicament: if he was suspected Of hurry
ing his generals in the field, the hue and
| cry was at once raised that the civil au-
thorities were "ntermeddliDg with and
spelling the plans of the army officers
but if the generals were allowed to take
their own course and time, then it was
reserved for an electioneering artifce to
charge the administration with deliber-
ately "protracting the war;" The demo-
cratic organs claimed it as their peculiar
credit that Mey never joined in any "on
to Richmond" cries, that they never dis.
paraged strategy" and never attempted
to stimulate the administration-and now
they turn right about and condemn it for
not needing the advice which they have
been condemning in others ell the time
previous.


The administration can no more satisfy
these men than it can our national foes
in England. Even where they pretend
to extra hherality, it is, as we have seen,
only a snare laid up for more effective
use in the future. Whether their voice
has hitherto had any weight with the ad-
we cannot say-but we GER
tanly trust that it viii be disregarded in
the future. Let the president, if ha
wishes any suggestions, look to his friends.
Let hm-snce he is to be blamed any
on this war with the utmost
vigor and tenacity. The records of the
last seventeen months will demonstrate
that when the war has been going on
well, everything has been well-business,
he public feeling,the national confidence;
On the other hand, when the war has lag
yed, then depression spread like a noxious
-apor through all circles, and traitors
,ame out and gathered strength. Push
IN the war. II is the panacea for all ex-
sting evils of state-the talisman that
Inlocks all the problems Of the future.
Let the administration do that and our
oldiers will soon be at home again TO
light the popular elections, or they will
ight themselves, for the collapse of the
e5ellion under this policy Impossible
lnder any oiber) will gloriously enlighten
he nation aud place the name of Lin
.oIn beside that of Washinoton - RaSto.