New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-10-17
THE MEANING OF 1T.

For once, very general concord is cvinced
by the leading journals of the loyal States with
regard TO the moral and the meaning Of the
Popular Verdict embodied in the results of our
recent Elections. However discordan. their
uttcrances and inculcstions before the event,
the unanmiiy Of their subsequent e1posiiions is
striking Condensed into the icwest words, !,
is agreed by those journals that
/. These results do not constitute RspHttiea"
triumph, though ninety -nine-hundredths OF all
who ever were Republicans undoubtedly con-
tributcd TO achieve them. But the Republican
party, organized 10 resis, the extension OF
Slavery into Territories previously uncursed
with it, has, by the progress Of mighty events
become practically obsolete. Very few voted
for Curtin or Brough or Stone with any control.
ling reference to the distinctive Republican
dogma.
H. Nor do they proclaim those who united 20
produce them, in the primary sense of the term,
Aboli,ionist. No one doubts that the number Of
these has been rapidly and constantly increasing
ever since the Rebel batteries opened upon Major
Anderson's little force in Fort Sumter. We
presume majority Of the people Of the loyal
States, with all the hearty Cnionists OF the
Slave States, are By this time convinced that
either Slavery or the Union must die, and they
decidedly prefer that the Union shall live But
this was not what they voted in decrceing the
results Of the October Elections
Ill. Nor was this result an indorsemen, of
what are termed Arbitrary Arrests" We
infer that great majority Of the voters OF Ohio
consider Vallandigham a nuisance which they
are glad TO see abatcd, and much prefer that ho
should remain during the War in Canada or in
Dixie rather than have him back in their State.
But good many who voted against him and
rejoice over his defeat would have preferred, for
the sake Of the precedent, that he had been left
TO preach disloyalty to his hearts content, just
az T. II. Seymour, Fernando Wood, Brooks,
Burr, Schnabel, &C., &c, have been. They
consider every straight ont Rebel-sympathizing
speech benefit to the Union cause, and are re-
signed TO endure the din Of Treason for the sake
of the good that results from its naked exhibit
ton. II is false that Vallandigham was nomi-
mated because Of his arrest by Gen. Burnside;
his nomination had been agreed on long before
that. His arrest only silenced the vigorous re-
sistance that otherwise would have been made
to that nomination by loyal Democrats. They
could not have beaten him in the Democratic
Convention; they could make an example OF
him at the polls.
". Nor is this-what will in some quarters
be claimed for it--a general Endorsement OF the
Federal Administration. 1t is quite probable
that the People would have elected Mr. Lincoln,
or some leading member Of his Cabinet, had the
Presidency been at stake; they doubtless would
have done 50 rather than permit Vallandig-
ham to triumph over him. But this was not
the question they decided last Tuesday. Nor
did they intend to applaud and sustain the
conduct Of the War. On the contrary, many
Of them believed that it might have been prose-
cuted more wisely, more vigorously and more
effectively. Gen. Halleck may be the greatest
stratcgst that ever organized victory" but
they are not yet sure Of it, and did not mean to
express any opinion on that point.
V. But they did mean to say most emphat-
cally TO their fellow-ctizens, TO their Govern
ment, to the Government, and "the rest OF
mankind"-" THIS ATROCIoUs REBELLION MUST
BIZ PUT DOWN AND THE UNITY or TIKI REPUBLIC
RESTORED AND MAINTAINED" Tho result VI tho