Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-09-28
WHAT OF THE NIGHT ?

we snail re-eiect ABRAHAM LlNCOLN
President of the United States. Of this
there is little doubt, and we make the state
ment not as prediction but as the deliber-
ate Judgment suggested by all the signs "a
round us At ihe same time We must say to
our friends that they are not altogether act
ing as if they understood the vast import
ance of this campaign. There are two ele-
ments that enter into every canvass-enthu-
siasm and purpose. The attraction in all
multitudes that brings men together is a
great power. and shrewd managers create
and nurse it by poetry and pageantry. Dee
per than this is the feeling of right and wrong,
of truth and falsehood, that men calmly feel
A party with purpose Is more apt to be
successful than party with enthusiasm.
But no party can show purpose unless by
enthusiasm How is it with the friends of
the Union?
We have cause that surpasses any in
volved in the campaigns of our political his
tory. We have shown our devotion to that
cause by three years of consuming, desolat-
ing war. We have advanced in our contest
for its triumph against every danger and de-
feat, and now We have reached that high
agony of effort that always precedes triumph.
Heretofore the battle has been with our bro
theirs in the feld-armed men whose mis-
sion is life and death. Providence now
brings it home to u.s. The political cam
paign is more important than the military
paign, and must be fought at home. The
enemy has arranged platform whose genius
is cowardly submission to rebellion. The
most available man that could be found, the
only noted soldier who seems to be willing to
forget the cause he fought for, is the candi-
date, and around him we see gathered
mighty, resolute vindictiye party.
So far as the enthusiasm of this campaign
is concerned, the friends of Gen. Mcclellan
are more active than the friends of Mr. Lin
coin. They have assumed the offensive. and
they fight with malignant audacity. With
them 1t is a great stake. We do not allude
to the mere appetite of politicians for office;
the longing of hungry men who must get
bread or starye That element is strong in
every opposition. They know that if they
are successful these years of war will all be
in vain. All the blood that has been shed
all the money that has been spent-all the
sacrifices tha. have been made with an al
most sanity feeling of self fdenial-will be as
nothing The fruits of these wars will be
in the hands of men whose grasp is death.
They ask power to undo all that we have
given the lives of our sons to accomplish.
They ask power that they may go back from
death and debt They ask the country to
say that. having given so much for liberty
and liability, slavery and infamy shall be a
gain placed in power.
On this the issue is joined. We must fight
our battle with more earnestness than we
have shown. Advance the whole line and
open every gun upon the enemy! 1t is not
enough that we can elect Abraham Lincoln
we must elect him by such majority that
the world will feel that we are in earnest.
We must carry every State of the Union.
We must utterly rout and crush this Cop
perhead party, that intervention will no lon
ger be mentioned in the councils of the Tu
illeries, and the Richmond conspirators will
no longer rest their hopes upon the success
of their Northern allies. This must be done,
and tie people must do a! We are tired
waiting for leaders We are tired resting
upon our arms while those who should lead
us on are quarrelling over council board.
Let us make our own organizations IN our
own way. Not many days remain. What
we must do we must do at once. In every
county and township let the people meet to
gether end counsel one with the other. DO
not let us spend the precious hours cooing
sweet songs of hope and looking at the
floating clouds like the sleepy mariners of
the lotus land This is no time for rest or
apathy The country demands every citizen
to give his genius to its service, and he who
lags. or pouts, or strools behind, is as mich
the enemy of the cause as the active antag
cyhist in the front. Friefds, let us do our
duty now. and our children will bless us for
the sacrifice. e.-PhHa Press.