The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-02-10

more respected than ever. The clever
artist is right enough-he who represen-
ted the British lion as converted to a cat,
gently purring at the knees OF Uncle
Sam. While this is true of Englvnd, we
behold France rushing TO aid in the affec
tionate ceremony; and Russia is more
than cordial. How changed a picture is
this from that presented of these rela-
tons afew months ago. Compared with
these grand, these sublime historic facts,
what are the paltry objections Of cavil-
lers? They are grains of dirt com
pared with the glories of the sun. AT
best, and at most, they are the merest
carping. The honest among these OBJ
jectors present the spectacle of men stri-
wing TO hug the impalpabie shade Of the
shadow of things departed; as if such
shades of shadows were the live, bound
ing, practical veins, arteries and muscles
by which they are surrounded, instead Of
being-as they are-ideas which are dead
and were buried 80 far as the giant
strides of progress which we have lately
made are concerned) centuries ago
These gentlemen modestly ask that time
and events shall go back, to please them;
that we shall have another Deluge before
we may reach the haven of the Millen
MUM In all periods of convulsion, the
world has seen just such men-honest,
able, excellent men. And the existence
of such a class is one of the wise dispense
tons Of Providence; for they are the in
struments which operate as brakes on
the impetuous wheels of those great rev.
olutions in society which the Almighty is
constantly putting in motion. We speak
now of honest men; of men for whom
we shall have great use in that calmer pc
riod which is not very remote.
There is another class: that of venal,
selfish, ambitious, professional objectors;
talented, specious, cunning, indefatiga-
bic knaves in politics; that class whose
tricks have draped the land in woe, and
whose only hush money is office and its
spoils With such men and with some
of their sayings in the public ear, We
next propose to deal, briefly.
| one Oh Tie uaTSeS VI tiie Cl.ASS VI
men, above referred to, against Mr.. LIN
CoLS is that of Inconsistency. They as
sert (as the phrases go) that he has been
now RADICAL and then conserrotiue. But
this objection at once falls to the ground
and breaks to pieces when his simple,
grand letter to Horace Greely is remem
bered Mr.. LINCOLN has moved soiM
Erents He has sought no so called con
sistency at the expense OF his country.
<He has subordinated self to patriotism.
He has gone on self poised course to sare
the country This has been his polar star.
On the one hand he has not been unduly
stimulated by the hot, impulsive zeal of
one class of the friends the country, nor
on the other hand, has he been chilled
or made timid by the well meaning but
over cautious Now, this kind of con-
duct cannot and will not be understood
by the narrow and selfish minds Of mere
zealots and purtizans. Mr.. LINCOLN has
known no party but the country. He has
distributed his patronage, he has given
appointment and preferment as best he
knew how, with all the lights before him
to guide in an undertaking so delicate
and stupenduous as this has been, con-
nected with the vast machinery which
this war has, so suddenly, started into be-
ing. And he who objects to Mr.. LINCOLN
on the score of patronage, is, at most and
best, either very shallow, or hasty, or
a very selfish and mean man. Mr. LIN
colin, we repeat, has known no party but
the country and when the history Of this
war shall be written by the calm, slow
pen''of the grave, philoso phic Muse, this
war for the preservation of America, the
fact which shall shine the brightest, as
inscribed upon the deathless and glorious
monument which he has reared, will be
that he knew no party but his country.
In this respect his record will stand with
that of CINcINNATUs and of WASHING
TON
He has also been called slo,c and kesita-
tang. Some people would have men alb
solute Godf To such carpers wild and
fantastic in their sayings and thinkings.
sober reason and truth appeal in vain.
In all times Of excitement. Wisdom and
Caution bave been nicknamed Sloth and
Indecision; and in no case has this fact
been more marked than twas in the ca
reer of Gen. WASHINGTON. Any man who
can and who will think. will see at once
that it was for Mr.. Buchanan to have as
sumed the Jacksonian, and for Mr.. LIN
COLIN to have adopted the Fabain, the
Welingtonian, the Washingtonian pol
icy. And vet. notwithstanding, look at
the gigantic strides which we have taken
in this war; and then tell us,-all facts
and circumstances duly considered
what man in all history has moved fas-
ter? The truth is. Mr. LINCOLN strides
on SO far before such critics that they
can't see him; for the reason that he
! ductndlss in the distance In itsaff CON-