Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-05-05

facts, and not upon rumors nor bald
assertions. When the President is per-
suaded that the cause is injured by any
of his advisers, and that public opinion
demands their removal, we are very
sure they will be removed. But dumb
dissatisfaction is of no use. Why should
few men go to Washington and pri-
vately decry any secretary to the Pres
identp The public have q right to
know, at such time as this, why any
great change is made in high public
officers, and therefore the discussion
should be as open as possible. The
treatment of General Butler was for
merly one of the chief charges against
what was called the influence of Mr..
Seward. Well, Mr.. Seward remains, and
General Butler declares himself to be
entirely satisfied with his present treat
ment We are not defending Mr.. Sew
ard nor denouncing him; but our friends
ought to bear in mind that it is very
easy to overestimate the influence of an
obnoxious person.
Now in the matter of the call to the
Convention. 1t is surprising that any
man who has carefully read it, should
call it narrow, partisan, or exclusive
1t is as comprehensive as patriotism,
and as little tainted by party spirit In
deed we do not understand how better
call could have been issued. 1t is adj
dressed to "all qualified voters who de-
sire the unconditional maintenance OF
the Union, the supremacy of the Con
stitution, and the complete suppression
of the existing rebellion, wiM the cause
thereof, by vigorous war, and aHapt and
efficient means" Such voters are re-
quested to elect delegates. Is this not
platform upon which every loyal
Union man can stand, Generals Butler
and Dix, Mr.. Dickinson and Senator
johnson equally with Generals Ere
| mont and Banks, Mr.. Weed and Sena
| tor Sumner? How could it be simpler
? broader, better?
Every man who desires to see equa
3 popular rights established in all thu
| States, and the final overthrow of thu
Y oligarchical spirit which generated th'
9 rebellion, and is perpetual insurrec
y ton against our national peace and free
, dom, is invited to take part in the elec
r tions to the Convention by the yer.
{ terms of the call, "the complete sup
, preston of the cause o
the rebellion. Its complete suppress
e sion is its total destruction by the es
tablishing of equal rights. To chang
G the form of the cali to I" all who are il
L favor Of the people against an aristoc
r racy" does not change its nature, no
l. make it broader or stronger. 1t is al
d ready. addressed to those very person
v and to none other. 1t certainly is nc
a addressed to gentlemen like the Sey
t. mours, Vallandigham, the Woods, Long
= and Harris, nor to Jefferson Davis an
d his Confederates. But to every loya
q Union man who wishes to establish
d peace upon equal liberty it is addresses
v with directness that he can not avoid
:, And how is it party call? 1t is is
@ sued, indeed by the Chicago Committee
n but that is necessity of the case
c That Committee is the recognized rep
y resentative of great mass Of voters
a and speaks by their authority. And b.
d that authority party platform is repr
= dated altogether. Had few gentle
e men of the several late political organ
izations combined in call, it woul
have had the force of their personal il
fluence, but it could not have been S
s weighty as if they had been by conser
J. of the voters, their representatives
It And it is obvious that at this time th
e fact of the late party ties of the Con
J. mittee is of no Importance whatever,
l. view of the entire absence of partisa
8 character in their call. They propos
IS nothing but the salvation of the coul
J. try by every necessary means, specif.
l. ing the destruction Of slavery as one
81 them. Can this, in candor, be stigm
N tized as party call or narrow call ?
% Is there loyal citizen any where in Il
l. country, whatever his party antec
Z, dents, who may not heartily and who'll
ID respond to it3 And is it not the du'
70 of all men who wish as little divisie
Or as possible among the true enemies
n the rebellion to refrain from hypercri
al icism upon the terms of call whi'
e. was intended and is framed to inclut
De every earnest and unconditional Unit
O. man in the country
The Union men are unquestionab