The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-07-17
Ttrms:-..Sl.0U per- Smum.


cause the politicians and wirc-workers
knew that he never would be available 20
them after election; there was Too much
downright honesty and fearlessness about
him to suit their purposes. Had he have
been nominated and elected we should
have been spared tho shame and hunilin-
tion resting upon us this day. Under him
the indirect removal of Walker, the pee
ulation of Toucey, and treason of Floyd,
wo'd never have been consummated. Peace
wo'd have been within our bortlers,and or
Ger and government in all their henehcence
and majesty would have reigned at this
hour from Maine to California. 1t was
an evil day for us, my countrymen, when
he was sacrificed by politicians and the
cOwardice Of that party which he had so
long and ably defended and of which no
was prominently the ornament and lead
or. | say cowardice, for we wero afrhld1
to run him because of the clamor and
prejudice existing against him. we were
afraid 10 face that clnmor and prejudice;
afraid TO go before the people with the no.
blest champion of the right Of self gov
ernment that has lived in our day and
generation. He is dead now--may God
forgive us-and that we may be able TO
forgive ourselves; may never, never the
bitter lesson we have learned be forgot
ten.
Our present executive was an available
candidate, not because the prime movers
of political thachinefy supposed there was
a want of integrity and firmtiess Ii Mr..
Lincoln, that would make him available
after election. / do not charge this, and
do not believe it; but Mr.. Lincoln was
comparatively new man before the coun-
try, known only as the competitor Of
Douglas in the memorable contest of '59.
He had no long and prominent record
from which extracts could be made, fur
nishing ground and basis for opposition.
On the contrary, his recent contest with
Dougas was creditable to his capacity as
n debatcr, and the closeness of the strug-
gle gave hope that in the then dissatisf-
ed state Of the country under Mr.. Bu-
chanan's administration, he could carry
Illinois against the Little Giant. Besides
the personal malice of Horace Greeley
against the statesman-and heaven knows
there are few left entitled to the name
who was undoubtedly the choice of two
thirds of tho republican party, proved
more than enough to defeat the man
whose sagacity and eloquence had plan
ned and procured the success of that po-
litical organization that degraded him
from the head of the staff and placed him
in the ranks on the eve of victorious
battle. The hatred of Greeley demand
ed sacrifice, and William II. Seward
was chosen rs the victim. 1t was ono Of
the beauties Of The convention system, rs
carried to the highest stage of perfection in
our government by those wire-workers
and politicians who first began to practice
the science that they might obtain share
of executive patronage. Had no been
nominated and elected we should proba-
bly, have been spared the calamities
now upon us; for the conservative dispo-
sition shown by him in the Senate as bo-
ing willing 10 net with Doug las and Crit
tenden, would have led to n compromise
that would have preserved the honor and
dignity of the nation, and restored conf
dence and harmony.
Partizan strife has had much TO do in
producing the present trouble. In every
truly republican government, parties must
exist. They are inseparably connected
with republican institutions, but the Bit
terness and virulence that have character
lied our elections since 1854, are n shame
and reproach 10 us rs nation. Instead
of appeals TO the cool and dispassion-
ate judgement of the people, and can
did reasoning upon tile issues presented
to them for consideration, the material is
sues have been, to a great extent, disre-
garded, and inhammatory appeals to feel
ing, passion and prejudice have taken the
place of argument. The country has
been cursed with demagogucs striving af
ter office-blatant demagogues, ignorant,
uuprinciplcd and malicious; men who
had no moro conception of statesman
ship and the duties OF the office they were
striving after, than they had of tho mys-
teries whereof God would not have thcm
know. They have perambulated the
country---they have swarmed like the lice
of Egypt-they have occupied the stump
in cities and the desk in village school
houses. We have met them in The high
ways and byways. No place so populous,
no settlement so remote that they have
not searched ovory nook and corner, that
they have not retailed their venom, their
falsehood and their bilingsgatc; men Of
strong lungs arc they, and men Of stal-
wart frame, full Of sound and fury signi-
flying nothing, with great multiplicity
of words, and marvellous dearth of ideas,
together with most plentiful lacking OF
wit, they have a large collection Of anec-
dotos and smattering of poetry-Ghey will
tell pathetic story and weep---they will
tell funny story and laugh. These are
their stock in trade, and il is disgrace TO
us as intelligent citizens that they can
do so larOe n husiness On so small a ear,;