The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-10-05

Reverdy johnson.
Our younger readers will permit us tt
inform them that the name of Reverdy
johnson was very closely associated
personally and politically, with that O.
Henry Clay. These two statesmen were
very intimate. Mr.. johnson has held many
Offices Of high trust, and at present is a
Senator in Congress from Maryland. He
was sen. to New Orleans to examine into
Gen. Butler's conduct, and shortly after
his report to the Government that General
was removed. He has acted generally with
the Administration, except as to its late
policy, and now has its confidence, but il
seems tie distinguished Senator has lost all
confidence in the administration. Mr..
Johnsonis regarded the best constitutional
lawyer since the death Of Webster. His
opinions are entitled to the gravest conside-
ration. '..@ ..'-e-
.'+ q F+ ~ From the New York Express
" The following able, patriotic, and intelli-
gent letter was addressed to the committee
Of arrangements for the meeting on the 17th
inst:
SARATOGA SPRINGS, Sept. 16, 1864.
"GENrLEMEN-Your invitation to the
meeting Of the democratic and Conservative
Organization Of your city just received in
this place, to ratify the recent Chicago
nomination, l would cheerfully accept if it
was in my power" ..1... .se
"ln the early days Of Mr.. Lincoln's ad
ministration, / lost almost all hope of q sue
cessful termination of the rebellion, whilst
he was at the head of the government and
this, the merest hope, is now wholly ex.
tinguished. His infirmi,y of purpose; his
unsteadiness in any policy; his once ex.
pressed dislike to radicalsm; his subsc
quent adoption Of its worse features; his
ignorant and mischievous interference with
our military campaign, his appointment,
often against advice, Of high military off,
GERS Of notorious incompetency his fire.
quent and nearly fatal changes Of command
ers his abandonment of the before uniform
practice Of his predecessors of cabinet con-
situations his permission of dishonoring
dissensions among its members, displaying
itself constantly, to his knowledge, before
others, and often, as it is known, in his
presence, in personal abuse of each other
his obstinate and reckless disregard of the
wishes of his political friends, communica.
ted to him on one occasion in the solemn
form of committee, representing, as he
was aware, nine-tcnths, if not every friend
he had in congress, and again, and recently
expressed, in terms not to be mistaken, in,
one Of the resolutions Of the convention
which nominated him for re- election; his
permitting military interference with elec
tons, virtually subjecting the ballot to the
control of the bayonct; his justifying ar
rests without specifications Of charges,
though over and over again demanded, and
long continued imprisonment and after re-
lease without trial or explanation; his tole
rating trial, by military commission, of
offences made cognizable exclusively, by
acts Of congress passed since the rebellion,
by the civil courts; and the virtual confis-
cation OF private property without even o
resort to any mode Of trial, and other mat,
tcrs Of like lllegality and outrage, too many
to detail in letter, whilst they demonstrate
his utter untitness for the presidency, give
no promise Of successful result of the
contest whilst he is the mander- in chief
of the army and navy, and intrusted by
the power he wields, with the shaping of
our peace and war policy. This must be
or, in my opinion, the country
will be ruined. ..,-- liza a.......
This fatal career can be and would be
stopped by the election Of almost any loyal
man in his stead, and the result is certain
II Geo. b. Mcclellan becomes the successor.
His perfect devotion to the union, and his
expressed determination to make its resto-
ration the 'one condition of peace'-the
purity of his character, his demonstrated
ability, and his military attainments-fur
nish guarantees, that in his hands the ex.
ecutive power, will not be abused, but be
directed in strict subordination to the con.
stitution, to the sole end of restoring the
union, which is our inheritance, and caus-
ing it again to shed its blessings over now
solely troubled and bleeding nation
Wild. insane, and reckless partisans may
assail him with every opprobrious epithet-
men who have tasted of that insane root,
the obtaining of high office at home or
abroad, may tell US, to the disgust of all
patriotic meh, tina: 1T is not too much to
say that it would be far better that Robert
Il. Lee should enter Washington at the
head OF his army, as its conQueror, than
that Geo. B. Mcclellan should enter it as
PRESIDENT ludcrously inconsistent and
even illogical premier, the half of whose
official papers and speeches answer the
other halt, may threaten treachery on the
part OF the administration, on the happen-
ing of Mr.. Lincoln's defeat in November,
by declaring himself unable, in that con.
titgency, to 'vouch for the safety of the
country against the rebels during the inter-
val which must elapse before the new
administration can constitutionally come
into power and the canvass may be con-
tinued as, with some honorable exceptions,
it has begun, by billingsgate, abuse and
calumnious charges against our candidates
and their friends yet from all these causes
We have nothing to fear. Success is in
our hands, if we are true to duty. Under
the protection Of Divine Providence we can
achieve for our country victory greater in
its results than any present military sue
cess. We can elect Mcclellan and Pendle-
ton in spite Of office holders, contractors,
aad administrative influence and power |:
and that done, in a short time thereafter
state after state will be found returning to
allegiance, until, at date not remote, the
union will be restored, fraternal affections
revived, and peace and plenty and happi-
ness, and national character and power, be
substituted for division, hatred, war, desti-
tuition, wretchedness, national dishonor and
comparative weakness.
With regard, your obedient servant, Ii
REvERDY JOHNSON.
SILENT.-Hon. Thomas Corwin is now
at home from the Mexican Court If he
returns, it will be equivalent to recogni
ton of Maximillian, will it not? BY the