Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-12-02
The victory, and How 10 Improve Il. 8

| We doubt if in any one of President Lincoln's
memorable utteraces, there is anything more
indicative of a superior mind than in that brief
speech addressed by him, yesterday morning, TO
an appreciative, but most unreasonable audi
ence at the White House. 1t seems that the
ardor of some of his Washington supporters call
ed him from his room at two o'clock in the
morning, to tell him in set phrase, what we have
no doubt he knew very well before, that he had
been reelected President Of the United States.
Mr.. Lincoln replied to his friends, thanking
them geniaI1y for the particular mark Of devo-
ton they had shown by calling on him, but
adding at the same time, that che al.cdyS regret
ted totrtunlph ouer anybody.
| The vast intelligent body of electors
who recorded their votes for Mr. Lincoln on
Tuesday, think precisely as Mr.. Lincoln thinks,
that, unless this election is triumph of princi-
pie, of right, of loyal honor, and not mere tri-
unph Of party, tits no victory at all Nay, it
| is the opening of reign of faction, which viii
parallel in itsdangers and disasters the terrible
! experience which sectionalism and secession
have brought upon the revOlted States The
victory of Tuesday derives its prime significance
and its sole merits from the fact that It does not
involve the supremacy of one party over an
other, but that it marks the triumph of the low
al opinion of the nation over faction. The
! returns already received show that apart from
nOrant and debased class of the foreign popula-
tion, McClellan's strength in IS64-as far as the
North was concerned-lay mainly where the
strength of John @. Breckenridge Law in in 1860.
To the support of both candidates MANY SINCERE
and good citizens may have come, from lifelong
party association. But even these, the best
and purest of McClellan's voters, must not com
plain if they are ranked for the time as section
alists, unless their formal declaration of party
faith was carefully prepared lie.
Mr.. Lincoln s refusal to regard the contest as
g struggle for mere party supremacy, presents
an open highway for many who have been de-
luded into supporting the sectional and disunion
candidate to return to their allegiance-not
their allegiance to particular party leaders-but
to that sense Of obligation which they owe 70 the
country. 1t cannot have been a pleasing asso-
eiation for the good and sound men of the DEM
ocratic party to find themselves, even for these
few weeks of hot conflict, in the company of
men who regarded and regard now, every ma
tional victory won by our armies as a calamity,
and who were prone to heap Obloquy upon the
illustrious dead ofthe national army, BY pro-
claiming their labOrs a crime, and their suffer-
iDgs and death sacrifice in the cause of inius-
tice, oppression, and wrong. When the very
life of the nation is at stake, it can be no hour
for ,prelonging party-ights among honest citi-
gems, beyond the boundary which marks the is
sue of the contest. 1t victory rests with the
supporters of the Administration, that victory
can be made mOst perfect by disclaiming every
disposition TO turn it into any sectional channel,
and by heartily, frankly, aud in good faith, in
viting the cooperation of loyal men of all class
es in securing the triumph which has yet to be
won over armed treason, before the country is
once more restored TO Union and to peace..N.
Y. Times, NOV. 10.