The New York herald., 1864-10-22
The PresidenLtai Contest - the Weak
Potnts IN Both sides.

rohats IN Both sides.
AT crisis like this which should have
brought out, as the candidates of the rival par
ties tor the Presidency, soldiers or statesmen
distinguished tor their successes, we have moth
ing better before US from which to make an
election than military and political failures.
This Is q singular fact; but we have another
equally remarkable, in this, that the people
are required to choose, not upon the positive,
but upon the negative merits of the admits
tration and the party seeking to supplant It.
The question Is, not which party presents the
superior claims of craftsmanship, but which is
the less Objectionable in its ticket and policy
as it stands before the country!
10 the things done and in the things at
tempted by President Lincoln and the party
in powes, we have bad lamentable budget
Of blundes since the beginning Of the war.
In departing from that simple and satisfactory
Union war policy which was proclaimed in the
outset by the executive aud by Congress, and
in yielding to the revolutionary demands Of the
radical abolition war faction, the administFa-
ton exposed itself to flank movement, which,
under skilful and sagacious opposition leaders,
would have secured its overthrow. This was
plainly manifest In the Northern State
elections Of 1862. But In 1868 the splendid
victories of Grant and other Union generals in
the West, and Of the heroic old Army Of the
Potomac a. Gettysburg, satisfied the country
as to the prosecution of the war; while the de-
rarture Of the democracy from their vigorous
war policy Of 1862, to tho treacherous jack.o'
lanterns of peace-atany price, shocked the
patriotic instincts OF tho people, and the result
was universal popular reaction in favor of
the administration in the elections Of 1868.
But these elections, after all, were rather a
rebuke Of the copperhead peace faction than
an endorsement OF Mr.. Lincoln Wo know
this from the extensive disaffectons developed
in his own camp in 1SG4-defectons which
still threatened the dissolution of bis party
down TO the wrctched fcsco of the shent-per-
shent Chicago Convention. There was discord
in the Cabinet; in both houses Of Congress
Mr. Lincoln had lost the confidence Of ma
jority of the republican members and large
and influential organs of the party were ar
rayed against him. And the radical abolition
trumpeters, in and out Of Congress who had
led him astray-such as Wade, Winter Davis,
Pomeroy, Chase, Greeley, Bryant and Wendell
Phillips-were among the first to desert him.
But N spite Of all these opposing and intrigu-
ing elements Mr.. Lincoln was unanimously
nominated at Baltimore for reelection. This
was SO very str ange that it was not surprising
that these elements Of discomfort still existed,
and still intrigued for change down to August
Belmont's fasco at Chicago on the verge of
September.
This brief review, touching tho adminIstra-
tion, will suffice to expose the inexpIcable
stupidity Of the managers OF the democratic
party, from the autumn elections Of 1862 down
to the present day. Had this party held fast
to that vigorous war platform, upon which
they reached the inside track in 1862, they
would have held 1t and gained in strength from
that day tOthis. Or had the leaders of the
party even at Chicago, consulting the defec-
tions and dissensons in the republican
camp, adopted q strong war and Union plat
form. with . consistent and uGquestiouable
Union war ticket, there can be little doubt that
instead OF losing. they would have carried all
these late elections, from Maine to Indiana
inclusive. But tho unparalleled stupidity OF the
democrats in sdhering to their copperhead.
peace-atauy-price leaders, has overbalauced
oil the blunders Of the administration, and very
nearly united all the late discordant elements
on that side Of the house, in spite Of themselves
and their readiness for any movement promis-
ing wholesome change.
What is to be done the perplexed de-
mocracy may we'll inquire. The short interval
Of sixteen days remains between us and the
Presidential election. The late election re-
suits, especially in Indiana and Ohio, disclose
the fatal weakness in the democratic pro-
gramme. 1t lies in its peace-atany. price Chi
cago platform and its affiliations. How is this
evil now 10 be remedied? This is question
which Mr.. Belmont is the man to answer.
Rightly and promptly considered and acted
upon, he may yet accomplish wonderful things
in strengthening and uniting the masses Of the
democracy and other conservatives, East and
West, upon General Mcclellan. But there Is
no time to be lost; for the tide is evidently
setting in the opposite direction, though still it
may be turned.