Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-11-16
ELEVENTH HOUR MEN"

The Sacramento Bee has the following
article upon eleventh hour men," which
we endorse to a certain extent. 1t says:
1t is stated that Thomas J. Fiudlay, ex-
State Treasurer, and Eugene Casserly, both
of whom affiliated with the Copperheads up
to the day of election, have avowed their de-
termination to give to the war and Lincoln's
Administration, a cordial support. Cas-
Serly, we believe, came round day or two
before the election. OF course, even at the
eleventh hour, and fifty-nine minutes there
after, we are pleased to see men Of character
and influence array themselves on the side Of
the Union, but it would have added more to
their reputation had the gentlemen named
above expressed themselves, as they are said
to have done, at an earlier day. Both OF
| these gentlemen are deeply versed in the
laws and political history of the country
they are intelligent, and know and compre-
bend the position Of political parties at the
present time. Being such, they well knew
the influences and men who controlled the
Chicago Convention, and had their intelli-
gence been quickened by the promptings Of
true patriotism, they would have understood
that the moment Mcclellan accepted the
nomination OF that Convention, that moment
he became an ally and the hope of rebels in
arms against the Government OF the United
States. Yet up to the last hour these gen.
| tlemen made use Of their intelligence and
influence to induce others who were more
honest, perhaps, but less blessed with know
ledge and intellect, to cast their votes in
such manner as to afford aid to the rebel
lion. Nothing can palliate the conduct of
| those gentlemen in this respect. They made
use Of their greater abilities to tempt others
| 20 their own destruction, and then at the last
| moment, when it was too late to warn those
| they had misled, they themselves forsook the
path they had urged others to pursue.
Notwithstanding these damaging facts we
welcome these gentlemen to the Union ranks,
for we do believe there is, to some extent,
honesty in their composition. We cannot
extend to them that hearty welcome we
would have done a month ago, before the
battle had been fought and the first great
victory won; yet we do welcome them, and
will welcome all others who may repent of
the error Of their ways and enter the ranks
of our country's friends, because their ad-
herence TO the Union cause also tends to
strengthen it by weakening the cause of its
enemies.
The political campaign Just over, in our
estimation, differed from all that preceded it
in this, that it was a struggle for principle
and nationality, and not mere scramble for
spoils, at least so far as the Union party was
concerned. A portion of our opponents
were actuated by principle-the principle of
rebellion the balance were actuated BY a
desire to possess the spoils Of office or by
motives Of revenge for fancied political
sights. Though triumphant at the polls the
cause of the Union still needs supporters.
Every desertion from the ranks Of the enemy
adds to the strength of that cause. Though
we would have preferred that such deserters
had come to US in time for their votes and
influence to De felt at the ballot-box, it is
better that they come now, even after the
smoke and burden of the first battle has
passed, than that they should not come at all.
We endorse the remarks Of the Bee,
only so far as they are censorious upon
the class of persons referred to. We do
not welcome them back" for the simple
reason that their coming back or staying
where they were is matter of not the
most rihing consequence, neither bene-
hcial nor detrimental to the interests of
the nation. They remained in the ranks
OF the enemy, doing all the damage in
tner power; casting the whole weight of
.nef influence, whatever it might be, for
tnat enemy and for the destruction of the
Union and only left them when the
ranks OF that enemy were shattered and
oseLthr1wn by the concentrated might
OF the Union forces. "Welcome then,
back |" There would have been as much
propnety in making an ovation and
GROWING with a laurel wreath, Benedict
Arnold, had ne returned to the United
States after the acknowledgment of the
Independence of the United States. That
traitor would have hardly dared face the
chances of d gibbet; and these eleventh
hour men" may esteem themselves well
treated, if Union men henceforth pass
them in silence and suffer the memory of
theii treason to sink into oblivion. That
IS the "welcome back" that 700 extend
hem.