The New York herald., 1863-02-20

the State OF Connecticut, will be called upon t
record their verdicts upon the conduct Of tn,
war by the present administration. These two
States never held elections In which more i'm
portant issues were involved. During the days
OF the old federal party, and still later under
the old whis party, New Hampshire and Con
nectcut were among the most liberal of the
New England States; and, although recently
they have gone off after strange gods we hope
they are not yet so firmly welded to the ebony
idol Of abolitionism as to be Indifferent to the
! converting influences Of the present political
revival. The enthusiasm caused by the visit Of
General Mcclellan to New England seems like
CLEAN Of light in the East, announcing
we trust, the dawn Of a new and brighter
day Whether this be so or not the coming
elections must decide. We desire, therefore,
thai the people shall go to the polls after a
careful and earnest consideration OF the whole
subject; that the elections shall be fairly and
impartially conducted, and that the results may
be neither doubtful nor Improbable.
When our civil war began, with the rebel
attack upon Fort Sumter, the people rallied
unanimously in support Of the government, and
administration. There were no parties at that
time. Patriotism conquered partisan feeling,
and President Lincoln found his most willing
and able allies among his political oppo-
nents. Gradually, however. the war for the
Union began to be transformed into a war
Or tho Stan hv a. Hrsf
tiously, and then more and more boldly,
the administration advanced upon this
dangerous, downward course. The instincts of
the people reyolted at this change in the object
of the war. At first they demonstrated, then
protested, and then began to regard the progress
Of the conflict with an apathy amounting almost
to indifference and disgust. The administration
felt, rs it could not avoid feeling, this loss Of
public confidence and support, but instead of
concilating it. endeavored to cocroe the people.
The issue Of the emancipation proclamation and
the removal of General Mcclellan were the
then we have done nothing, gained nothing, ac-
complished nothing, which can at all counter
balance our numerous irritating, though in
decisive. losses by land and by sea- and now the
radical faction of the party in power is pusll-
lauimonsly clamoring for I" the best attainable
peace Such is, in brief, the history Of the
conduct Of the war by the present
administration. The details Of the sad and
shameful story Of radical fansticism, malignity
and disasters are not unknown to the
people of New Hampshire and Con
nectiout. One after another the great Central
States, from the Bay OF New York to the Rocky
Mountains, have emphatically condemned the
incompetence, incapacity and mismansgsment
Of the War, Navy aud Treasury departments.
Secretary Stewards admirable administration
of the Department OF State has alone been en-
dorsed by the people. Ohio has repudiated
Secretary Chase. and Pennsylvania has disown-
ed Secretary Stanton. viii Connecticut ap-
pisad and sustain Secretary Welles Are the
people Of the New England States less intelli-
gent and conservative than those OF the great
Central States Is the negro to be preferred
to the Union New Hampshire and Connect
cut will answer these questions at the approach
ing elections.
~ WVutu pS AutuS SiObt suIu5siCo w tud cOU-
mon sense Of President Lincoln not to believe
that he knows his Cabinet TO be incompetent and
his administration failure. We are certain that
he viii proceed to reconstruct his Cabinet and
redeem his failures il the people will but afford
him. another opportunity. fle has consented
thus far to the radical abolition policy under
most severe pressure from the radicals in and
out of Congress. He was threatened that unless
he yielded to the radicals demands they would
deprive tie government of its necessary sup
plies. Having = majority in the Congress
which is now. fortunately, near its close, the
radicals could have put this threat into exccu.
tion. In our opinion the President should have
deded them and appealed to the country for
support. In his opinion, however il was better
to submit to circumstances, and allow time to
repair all evils. When this Congress adjourns
on the 4th of March next the President will be
liberated from his bondage to the aboltionists
Already, as coming events cast their
shadows before, we hear daily rumors that
Cabinet changes are contemplated, and that
Mcclellan is to be recalled. We should not be
surprised If these conservative measures fol-
lowed closely upon the adjournment of the pre-
sent Congress Ii so. the elections in New
Hampshire aud Connecticut will set the seal OF
public appreciation upon this reformation ol
the administration. II not, then the elections
in New Hampshire and Connecticut may in.
augurate the reformation, as the President may
wait perhaps in order to be sure from the re-
suit Of these elections that there is no change
in the sentiments of the people, as expressed
in October and November last. In either event
how tremendously important the spring cleo
tions will be. They may enable the President
to alter his policy in time to save the Union
but not in time to save the republican party
or they may delude him into q still
further continuance in . course fatal tc
himself and the country. Let the peo
pie OF New Hampshire and Connecticut
stand by the Union and the constitution. Let
them ha tecsiyed neither by tha radical nevrO.