Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-23
From the New York Journal Of Commerce.
Who Shall He sse!

The question. who shall be the next President
Of the United States begins to press on Nil minds
IL i in fact the grand question OF the winter.
Military movements will be suspended for some
months, and political movements will occupy the
attention OF the people. Congress will be ut
work on legislation. and the country will work
ut tue great privilege and duty OF the citizen. the
discussion OF public measures, and the determi
nation Of the future public policy.
II II were possible 10 throw aside entirely all
party prejudice and partisan feeling. and look
coolly and calmly on the Presidential question,
Il would certainly do every man good to spend AN
hour cor two in such an exercise. II would be
well to ask what sort of Il man shall he be. ratn-
er than who shall he beI What shall be his
principles. his style vi ability There are some
points ON which all men will agree who have the
nations interest at heart There are others on
which they all ought To agree. but about which
there is doubtless some difference Of opinion.
He ought 20 be new ui,n. By this we mean
that lie ought not to be any una that has been
mixed up in Washington politics. plumber and in.
irigues, who has been debauched and destroyed
by those influences which surround office holders
al the Capitol III men looked on the character
OF these whom they select for rulers. 10 be IN
trusted with their gravest interests, as carefully
as they look on the character of clerks they enl-
ploy in their offices. or the men 20 waom they
lend muney or trust their fortunes, they would
choose rulers elsewhere than among the men who
have made politics at the national capital their
trade for years. IL II OF no use now 10 tell Us
that want men of experience. We want men
OF honesty and ability, aud there is not man OF
that measure in America whose experience during
the past three years has not Just we'll fitted
him for the Presidency a. that OF any person now
AZ Washington. The grand desderatum is a man
who is wholly out of the ring which exists at
Washington to-day. very much as one existed. a
few weeks ago, In New York city politics II
would DO a fatal error to elect next fall, any
man now involved in tho in,rigues OF that ring.
II would be "a terrible error 90 place power, for
four years To- come. in the hands OF any man
whose interest II IL to draw tho veil OF Secresy
over the history OF the present Administration,
to continue its contracts, and tn garry out Us
measures without question. No. let the next
President bc a new mau
lilo should bo man OF youth and vigor oI
mind. Ho will De called on to direct the pacih
cation OF the people and the restoration To pros
perty of this nillicted nation. We cannot emerge
from tho terrible scenes surrounding us without
CONFUSION we'll nigh equal TO that which at
tended our entrance into them. IL has been q
comparatively easy matter Tor President TO per
form nouinally the functions Of his Office during
the war. IL will bc ten fold. hundred fold
harder to perform them at ia close, Why hest
tate to express the exac, truth which Is IN every
mans secret thoughts. that neither the President
nor his Administration has fought this wary II
has fought itself We have drifteI. drfted
driited from battle To hattie, from experiment Il
experiment. from accident 20 accident Tn,
army OF the people has boen in the field. aud the
politicians At Washington have had no more con
ception. three or six months ahead what woulc
h, or could be the state OF affairs than they have
hid ol the condition oi affairs IN the next cen
tury war can 20 on foe years Ia this way
Hut 10 lead war once begun 10 successful close
demands strength aud vgor OF intellect, clea
appreciation OF military matters, aud mini
awake TO every possible emergency and iw 70
quitements \ great man, strong man,
Young lnsu. all these should be the character
i.tics oi tho leader OF the American people wht
/. TO rescue NJ from the present calamitics.
lie should know how to lead armies and tC
achieve peace rs the grand OBJECT OF war Il
there any one who has tailed To mourn the igno
rance OF military affairs at Washingtong IL h'
would but have the wisdom not 10 interfere II
military affairs. but To leave them entirely u
soldiers, then indeed u might not be necessar'
that he should himself understand var But ",
are now To choose a man who Is To bc command
CT IN chief OF the American army and IN u war o
magnitude unsurpassed IN the whole history o
nations We are hot vet NJ the end of thatwa
IL stretches Tar away IN the iature Shall VI
allow u Co proceed ~ heretofore. with constan
changes of Generals. and changes of plans. an'
over,hrowng of campaigns by The interference o
civilians, aud the terrible continuation OF foil
through which IL has been rolling alongf Mr.
Lincoln chooses his Generals We chose him
He il the appontee OF the people. II they hat
expected that he was to he commandor-ln-chie
in great VAR. II u hacly probable that the
would have fixed on him the man But not
the future u toersbly visible. lt u future Il
war Nor u Il by any means certain that tn
civil war will end In perfect peace when II doe
eud Foreign complications. into which this Al
ministration has allowed vs. To drift. remain un
settled The mailed tread OF French armis
shakes the continent Who can foresee the futur
of unhappy A mericai Let vs. choose Presi
dent with our eyes open tn the grand wars whic
his administration must in all human probabillI
direct
Let him be n man Of refined Christian bear
The whole country ought to unite In this desire
Where il the conscience Of the men, who oos'
their civilization. who will ~ morrow appear
their pews ~ Christian worshppers. who vet dis
regard this grand requirement, In the character Z
their political leaders and make no distinction !
voting between profsne. inhdel men. ana me
Who believe Ia responsibility 70 God and IN ~
ing up 70 tha, responsibility. Let no one misiak
us We DO not mean TO ming'e religion Wit
politics. nor to make the question OF churc
membership a question Of votes Bot We s.
and challenge contradiction tina. II IA most i'm
po5tans question IN choosing President oil IN
United States--wheiher he j. man over Who's
lie the refining effects OF Caristssn educaiio
and associations have shoi their influences IL
good We have been sufficiently often called I
fasting aud IA thanksgiving les the nation, 10 ieS
that the hand OF God Is Ia the whoe matter OF ou
fate. IL IL be duty-and who doubts ity-
nj
hand. u Il certainly most desirable that our n
coenitioa should be something more than met
form,lities and spasmodic demonstrations. III
more than all this. this var must be brought to
successful end, IL at all. by the use OF such mean
the highest civilization and Christianity d
mand. We canno, csc. pc that truth. Men ma
, endesvor 10 win success by barbNism, by RI
Eel -. -. ~. .afl