Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-26

sullen lips of his enemies, aeknowledg-
ment of his wisdom. 1t is no wonder
that what was once approval is now en-
thusiasm. Friends persuaded and foes
threatened Mr.. Lincoln in vain; he, and
he alone, is responsible to the people,
and in doing what his judgment declared
to be right, he has conquered all. he
has trodden the path of duty so firmly
that it has become the path of glory.
We affirm that the popularity which has
steadily grown up amidst misfortunss
and Misrepresentation, envy and indig-
nation, which the whole history of the
war has strengthened, which victory has
sealed, is not the popularity of year,
but of lifetime. 1t cannot be destroyed
by the defeat, it can hardly be increased
by the triumph of our arms 1t is abb
solute now, and independent of the for
tunes of war, resting upon the virtue Of
a great man, and the permanence of
noble principle. This is the popularity
of Abraham Lincoln, and by whom has
worthier fame been RoH2
This is our tribute to the man who
will. in all probability, remain President
of the United States 1t is not eulogy,
but statement; and, to stamp it as i'm
partial, we do not hesitate to declare
I that it is not to Mr.. Lincoln that we owe
the triumph of the Republic, though We
know that through his fidelity it has been
won. We have triumphed by princi-
pie, felt by the people, defined by their
representatives, and enforced by the
Government Mr.. Linc6ln's personal
virtues are many and great, but his high
est merits that he is true to his prin-
siple By this he holds the hearts Of his
countrymcn; by this he has won his su-
premacy. His5strongest. appeal to the
people in the Presidential canvass viii
be as thezdefender of principle, and to
such an appeal only will they answer
Woe to the man who should dare to in
suit the nation by asking It's trust upon
the lower grounds of personal merit, or
plead even his past services as the chief
reason for his future employment Our
best President is he who best represents
our principles, and were Mr.. Lincoln to
forget these, even he would find his i'm.
mense popularity too weak to save him.
He would be thrown off by the people as
an impeachment to National success. No
one man is greater than the cause; none
of Us are toe valuable to sacrifice; we
are all.nothings compared with the free
dom We are Sighting for. Mr.. Lincoln
has labored7night and day for his eoun-
try; he has suffered as no other man
has suffered, yet there have been greater
sacrifices than his Men have given up
happiness, love and life for their couh-
try, and many .nameless soldier now
lies in ansunknown grave who gave more
to liberty than any of those who live.
Let ms not forget this, nor degrade the
dignity =ofour cause, by resting it on the
false basis of the value of man. Ground
it upon principle; !; give it to tho people
as something holy in itself, which owes
no lustre to the reflected glory of a
leader, and could lose nothing by the
shame of an apostate.
We dare not insult Mr.. Lincoln, by
presenting him for reelection, with the
inferior appeal to the splender of his
popularity or the nobility of his services.
We would not lower him by presuming
that he would dare to come before the
people with such claims as these, while
greater claims exist VS. honor him as
he is > patriot, we trust him as he is a
statesman, but We shall sustain him as
the man who upholds principle No
matter what else he were, were he less
than this, he should not have our sup
port, but our opposition. We have our
ikings and ayersions, it is true, but our
principles ara dearest, and in this time of
all times, we should give our hand even
to our private foe, were we sure he were
the public friend. i
We have said thus much to emphasize
the plain declaration that Abraham Lin
coin is, judged by the light of day, the
man of mentor Americans We deny
him the sole credit of the national tri-
umph, because We honor him too truly
to fatter him. Higher praise we could not
give than to say that his merits are so
great that, even for party purposes, they
do not need exaggeration. Nor does he
need praise, for he has no friend more
quick to criticise his acts, to measure his
abilities, to glory in his success, than
the people From them has come the
most eloquent approval of his Admins
tration, and, that being so, it is super
4 fous for even Mr.. Seward to say "he is
right" impertinent for Mr. Seymour to
say she is wrong Administration,
Union, Freedom, Slavery, all are in the
hands of the people to be saved or de.
atroyed as they will, and their President
cannot be made for them. No one man
or set of men have nominated Mr.. Lin.
coin, and though the powerful influence
/. of strong leaders may again greatly
help to raise him to the Presidency, with
the approval of the people, there is nc
= authority that can elect him against theil
will. This. was not always so, but th.
President-maker no longer exists, for b.
died in. the death of Party.-PhilGdel
phia Press 5osAo