Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-09-22
RUTLAND HERALD.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1864
Democratic Principles.

Metropolitan organ OF the "oi'Ve orauoh
,r,r" der 'racy, was in ecstacy over
the ,srcas rrhcil - OF pubic poiicy
embodied l.. lie platform there con-
structed. The platform it brought to
the fron. ,nd placed Mcclellan compar-
atively +. sue tc', ground, not that II
loved M, ,".t,,,, but the platform
more. 1t sa,u.
although no one will question our
perfect love for George b. Mcclellan,
our faith in his character; our conf
dence in his unsullied honor; our trust
In the greatness of his intellect" etc,
etc. 'yet, Notwithstanding all this, we
would prefer to go before the people, not
. alone upon the personal qualities OF our
noble candidate, 5nt rather upon those great
,rireiplss Of public policy announced al Chtea-
90. of vhich he is no,o the recognized exponent,
and uith vksk no Nvd or act of his hte IS "a
conflict"
McClellan's letter Of acceptance APP
pcared in a few days. 1t wos somewhat
though verv mildly Gin conflict with
the platform on which he was nomi-
mated, and bolt was threatened by a
portion of the party. Whereupon the
Wo,Td cries out in ecstacy number two,
Thank God for a purified, regenerated,
disenthralled Democratic party. Thank
God that every burden is lifted from its
back" What was the chief "burden"7
1t could only be the "great principles
of public policy announced at Chicago
Immediately after the convention, Nc
Clellan was proclaimed the recognized
exponent OF these great principles
with which no word or act of his life
was in conflict" sow, "thank God" the
party Is freed from their burden and the
burden of their supporters, "Now you
see it and now you don't see it."
To come down to the democracy of
Vermont The Rutland Courier says
1--WE hear men sneering about the
"Chicago platform" that never read it,.
The only platform Gen. Mcclellan is
bound by, is his letter of acceptance,
which can be found on the outside of
this paper
Let us see. The authorized represen-
tatives OF the so-Called democracy" of
all the Northern States assembled at
Chicago to determine and promulgate
the principles upon which that party
were 10 conduct the presidential cam
paign. The democratic candidate for
governor of Vermont, and the editor OF
the Rutland Courier, the chief cook and
bottle washer respectively Of the Yer
mont Democracy, were delegates to that
Convention. The first as member of
the committee on resolutions helps
frame the platform and the second
votes for it. Mcclellan and Pendleton
are put Oh the platform and the conven-
ton adjourns. After several days, Nc
Clellan writes his letter Of acceptance,
wherein he attempts a little private
platform building of his own. The ed
itor of the Courier instead of taking
this as an outrage upon the platform
which As voted for, and which was con-
stracted by the delegates of the whole
,.gmocratic party, succumbs and says
chat Little Mac" is not bound by the
platform he was nominated on at all
which is decidedly new democratic
principle"
What does tall meant 1t means sim
ply that in the storm Of civil war which
has threatened to engulf the Union, tbs
party has been floating about, hithel
and thither, without compass or rudder
"a kat tu al Ii nar I,.,
meath the overwhelming waves of popu
lar indignation, 1t clutches at one straw
and another in the vain hope to keep it
self above water. The Chicago Conven
ton was postponed to the last practica
BILE moment to form its platform, not ii
accordance with any guiding principle
which is the same yesterday, to-day and
tomorrow, but merely with reference to
what might be the then existing militia
nv aud political situation. When tn,
time came, the members thought the,
discovered q prevailing dependency il
the public mind with reference to th
war. This, unfortunately for them, for
tunately for the country, led them intc
an open expression of their true senti
ments in the construction ola cowardly
reasonable, peace-and-surrender plat
form. The "peace" planks of this plat
form, we are assured by the New Yorl
News, the organ ofthe "peace" democracy
and consequently good authority, wert
submitted to Mcclellan some time priol
TO the Convention and approved by him
Hardly was the work Of the Convention
completed, when came the news Of grea
Union victories which knocked theil
platform to pieces and left not plank
for "Little Mac" to fl0at on. Mcclellan
as q last resort OF his managers, come:
out with dish-water war letter, and
the New York World hastens to thank
God -oc 4 -rnerated and dis
enthralled democratic party" and the
Courier says Mcclellan is not bound to
~;pE with tho .Iatform its editor fpp