Daily Intelligencer

Concerning people who are Arrested.

Brooke County, Va., Aug 5.
Editors Intelligencer:

I am not a counsellor to any one, much less to those who hold the highest offices of State and wield the destiny of our nation, and I hope also that I am not a fault-finder. No, it is after much hesitation that I have concluded to write a brief sketch to which you may reply if you see proper, through your columns, as I think the subject is at present one of considerable interest to the public, and it has not been mentioned in any of the papers I have read, and truly they are the great medium through which all political movements are discussed freely, rendering us more thoroughly cognisant with the affairs of the nation than any other people in the world.

But that of which I would particularly speak is the policy of sending those persons who refuse to take the oath of allegiance to the United States across the Federal lines. Will it not considerably reinforce the enemy? Is it not just what many of them wish? Why not keep them prisoners till they lose the data of events in their particular localities, and redeem our loyal men who fall into their hands with them? Please expatiate.

Yours,
M.

The above communication is from a very intelligent lady reader, residing near Bethany, in Brooke county.

We do not propose to "expatiate" at any length upon it. To our minds there is nothing clearer than the policy of sending all rebels who will not take the oath beyond the lines. There is precisely where they ought to go. We wish that all the enemies of the Union were there, oath or no oath. It would be a happy thing for the country. We should then have only to face our foes and we would not be exposed to stabs and plots behind us. The true policy would be to send just as many disloyal persons beyond the lines as possible. We place very little estimate upon the oaths which they take or the bonds which they give—Neither would avail us a pin in the case of an invasion. They only avail us as we have the power to enforce quiet and subjection, and this we could do without either oath or bond. Can our friend point to a single person who has been changed by their oath or bonds? We dare say he cannot. Our observation is that they are if anything changed for the worse. They certainly do not love us any more but are simply made sullen and bitter, and no doubt talk and scheme and hope and contrive secretly just as much as ever.

The plan of Jeff. Davis is the plan. He gave every Union man just so many days to leave the Southern Confederacy. All who remained after that time, did so on the understanding that they were to aid and abet the cause of secession, pay its taxes, bear arms if necessary, swear allegiance if called on, and give the conspiracy their whole support. We are perfectly willing to see every one who behaves himself or herself as good citizens, who neither talks or plots secession, remain and enjoy protection. But the very moment they manifest disloyalty or refuse to bear the burdens of loyalty, they ought to be served with an order to leave. A policy of this sort would soon stop all hurrahing for Jeff. Davis by drunk men or sober ones, on our streets. Much as secessionists talk about their Southern rights and their land of Dixie, they have no desire to leave their present comfortable quarters to take their chances in the issue of the rebellion.