The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-02-17


and they say-"no man is perfect; but no
man, under such terrible circumstances,
could do better than Uncle Abe" If
General, the veriest idol of the hour, is
relieved or supended in the very height
of his heydey, instantly the excitement is
subdued by the reflection that,-''Uncle
Abe knows what he is about. 1t will turn
out TO be all right. Such magnetism of
character as this under the circumstan
ces Of the case, extending so universally,
and upon, comparatively, so short an ac-
quaintaince with the masses, is unparal
leled Men have won the universal awe,
or confidence, or wonder, or admiration,
and their partizans have been willing to
follow them to the death, or to die by
them; but the commanding spirits Of this
sort have either been far off distractions,
localities to certain extent; or military
leaders in the blaze of renown and
success, whose enthusiasts among their
cotemporaries were of the military cast,
and whose historical panegyrists have
been most attracted by tn. romance of
their career. But this household character
is exceedingly rare and most rare indeed
is it that such character has been won
in the midst Of the distress and afiiiction
of people by the man charged, at
such time, with the heaviest reponsi
bilities in the public affairs. Here and
there, standing out like grand mountains,
we find such names, at long intervals,
rooted in history; names whose claims
to the affection and regard of their own
times rested purely and simply on the
foundation of moral character; whose
deep hold of their fellow men was unaid-
ed by any mere excitement, (such as
brilliantparts in Oratory, Craftsmanship,
or Generalship produce over the minds
and imaginations of men, yet leave their
hearts untouched. In our own land,
WASHINGTON was such a man: And
ABRAHAM LINCOLN is another. To sum
up this attempted sketch of this wonder
full magnetism which belongs to the char
acter Of Mr.. Lincoln, we say, (and it is
no exageration whatever) that he has be-
come to be regarded as the veritable, in
carnate .'UNCLE SAM"
We have now reached a point, where
we desire to say something about what is
called the OPPOSITION PARTY, and their
doings and sayings. So far as are know
that is the only party In n partizan
sense, the supporters of the administra-
ton do not deserve to be called party !,
certainly they do not covet such desig
nation. Administration men are simply
and purely Union men who are in favor of
all energetic and lawful measures to put
down wicked revolt, and to establish a
healthy peace and sound union. The
Union men, whose candidate Mr. LIN
coin, as we hope. will be, intend no half
measures. They do not mean that any
sore, or cancerous spot shall be quacked
over by w Mt may be called peace, only
to break out gain more furiously and IA
tally. Far too much precious blood has
already crimsoned the turf and soaked
the roots of the green grass to admit of
such paltering. The Union men mean to
restore the Union in such a form that it
shall be a Union. Not separate and dis
tinct communities, the one Puritan, the
other Cavalier: the one democratic, the
other aristocratic; but sound Ameri-
can Union, irradiated by the Democratic
| idea. The time to talk about slayery has
gone by. The South chose 10 abolish
it, despite warning, despite amnesty, de
pite every inducement which could be
held out alike to their interest and to their
duty. Among the other despoiled eff
| fects of war, and following only and pre-
cisely the law of War, Slavery is practi-
cally abolished the social and political
effects of which will be- that the negroes
m st be paid as freedmen TO labor on the
plantations where, hitherto, they have
been owned. To this complexion the ne
cessities and the common sense of the
/ South must come at last Then. the en-
tire matter before tn country is War for
/ tie Union until the rebels submit Now. in
/ this country, on such an issue, there can
be but one loyal party. This is clear
enough Without. therefore arrogatinS
to the Administrations supporters an ex-
elusive claim to loyalty, let us. modestly
and briefly examine little into the sort
of material of which the Opposition is
composed;-we mean the vast prepond-
Grating element of the Opposition: and
I then let us proceed tojudge how far such
materials should be trusted by wise
| people as their instrument in such work
! as is this of putting down the rebellion
and. also. of establishing a sound. health
full. permanent peace.
We have but one way to Judge of men,
and that is. by their acts. We have no
way of determining the future. but by
the past Guided by such light, let US
look little at the Opposition.
The ballots are Vet hardly counted
which were deposited for the traitor Val