Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-06
From the Atlantic Monthly.l ]

why mrs Lincoln should be Reelected
As there should be no change made IN
the political character Of the Government,
so there should be none in the men VINO
compose e. To place power in new hands,
at a time like the present, would be as un-
wise A IL would be to raise new army
for the purpose Of fighting the numerous,
well.trained and zeslous force which the
rebels have organized with the intention
OF making a desperate effort TO re.estsb-
lish their affairs. There is no reason for
supposing that change would give US
wiser or better men, and it is certain that
they would be inexperienced men,
should they all be as many Solo
mons or Solons. As we are situated, it is
men Of experience that we re-
quire to administer the Government; sni
out Of the present Administration it is
impossible to find men Of the kind Of ex-
perience that is needed ct this crisis OF
the nations career. The errors into which
we fell in the early days Of the contest
were the effect Of want Of experience and
Il would be but to provide for their repeti-
tion, were we to call new Administrator
into existence. The people understand
this, and hence the very general expression
Of opinion in favor Of the reelection OF
President Lincoln, whose training through
four most terrible yesrs-yesrs such ss no
other President ever rknew-willh have quail
fled him to carry on the Government dur
ing second term to the satisfaction Of sll
unsel6sh men. Mr.. Incoln's honesty IS
beyond question, and we need an honest
man ct the head Of thu nation now more
than ever.
HAT the rebels object to him is recon
mendstion in the eyes Of loyal men. The
substitution Of q new man would not dis
pose them to submission, and they would
expect to profit from that inevitable
change Of policy which would follow
from q change Of men. As to the
"one term principle" We never held
it in much regard; and we are less
disposed to approve it now than we
should have been had peace been main
tanned. We're the President elected for SIX
or eight years, it might be wise to amend
the Constitution SO ss to prevent the re-
election Of any man but while the pres
ent arrangement shall exist, it would not
be wise to insist upon 8 complete change
Of Government every four years. To hold
out the Presidency as prize to be strug-
gled for by new men at every national
election is 10 increase the troubles Of the
country. Among the causes Of the civil
war the ambition to be=made President
must be reokoned. Every politician has
carried term at the White House in his
portfolio, as every French eonscript car
ries q Marshaps baton in his knapsack; /;
and the disappointments Of so many aspi-
rants sWelled the numbeRef the disatect-
ed to the proportions Of al army, counting
all who expected office as the consequence
Of this mans or that mans elevation TO
the Presidency. We're there no other rea-
son for desiring the reelection Of Presi-
dent Lincoln, the fact that it would be
the first step toward return to the rule
that obtained during the first nalf century
Of our national existence under the exist
ing Constitution should suffice to make us
all advocates Of his nomination for sec.
ond term.
That the Baltimore Convention will
rect next month, and that it will place
! people as 3 candidate TtfFRthe AMERICAN
are facts now IS fully established as any
thing we'll can be that depends upon the
future, and that he will be elected admits
Of DO doubt. The popular voice design
ates him as the man Of the time and the
occasion, and the action Of the Conven-
ton will be nothing beyond formal pro
cess, that shall give regular expression to
q public sentiment which is too strong to
be denied, and which will be found OF ir-
resistible force.