The New York herald., 1863-10-13

ourtn or Woodward With the success o
the former we have no apprehensions tha
honest Abe Linccln will declare the functions
Oh the federal constitution suspended and /
permanent hereditary despotism established
upon ne basis OF negro equality. Nor do w'
lear tha', should Judge Woodward be elected
h's success will be followed by an armed reyo
iu'ionary movement in the North against tht
administration at Washington. beginning in
pennsylvania. On the contrary, Judge Wood
ward stands upon conservative war platform
which, separated from the secondary partisan
issues of the day, Is substantially the platform
! 6f Governor Curtin. o'sol 20 thh
What is to be done with the negro what Is
to be done with the mountain of public debt
which has grown up out Of the war and what
with this mountain OF paper money and by
what methods and devices are the seeded
States to be restored to the Unioni are interest
ing and important questions; but before we
can reach them, or any of them, for practical
purposes, We must put down the armed forces
OF the rebellion. The prosecution Of the war
is the great work and the all-absorbpg duty
before US until we shall have crushed these
rebel armies. President Lincoln. as the con-
stitutional head of the government for the
time being, Is prosecuting this work. and must
be sustained by the loyal States in the great
essentials of men and money. or the govern
ment is at an end and the country falls to
pieces The masses OF the people of both par.
ties, in Pennsylvania and throughout the North,
fully understand these things, in spite of all
the perversions, misrepresentation and false
issues presented by the miserable plotting poll
ticians of the day. The great body of the
Northern people know that Mr.. Lincoln's ad.
ministration has proved itself weak, temporiz-
ing. blundering and inefficient from the outset
to the present time; but they know. too, that.
while it must be supported and strengthened in
all needful measures against the armies of the
rebellion. the year 1864 will bring about the
proper occasion for q decisive popular judg
ment upon all that has been done by this ad
mnistration, and upon all that IL has failed
to do. sl.li
As the only practical question, then. of any
moment involved in this days election in
Pennsylvania is the vigorous prosecution of the
war, and as there is no very material difference
upon this question between the platform of
Governor Curtin and that of Judge Wood
ward, we have no fears that the constitution
will be destroyed or that the country will be
ruined by either the election of the one or the
other. On the contrary. whatever may be the
result, we shall accept IL, as the fact will only
warrant US in accepting it. as the voice of the
people of "a loyal State in favor Of an energetic
prosecution Of the war as the only road that Is
offered US for peace. II &his view, whiie uhe
defeat of Curtin will be rcbuke to the admin
istration, his reelection can hardly be con-
.strued into compliment, tho great issue being
the necessity Of pushing on the war. and not
the merits or demerits Of the administration.
That issue is held in reserve for the Presiden-
tial campaign. ..........,,,-,
With regard to Ohio, we presume that Val.
landigham will be defeated. A different rc.
suit, under the circumstance, will be some.
what surprising to all concerned, after the
late elections in Maine and California We ex.
pect to announce tomorrow morning the re-
salt in both Ohio and Pennsylvania; and, with
these elections out of the way.w We shall expect,
in any event, more vigorous prosecutiouof
the war.