The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-19
MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 10, 1854.
g IA rREE BALLnr ORAFnEE rIemr,

~
The party opposed to the Government Is
working itself up into a terrible temper 1t
processes TO be for peace for its own lovely
sake, aud yet seems TO be animated by the
most belligerent and even revolutionary spirit.
in order to secure an amicable arrangement Of
differences with the rebelliOus States, Il threl'
ems 10 turn everybody and everything topsy-
turvy In the North. These anti-war people in
our midst are maryellously violent and pugna-
cious. They would have the speediest possible
cessation Of hostilties as between the Govern
ment and the Rebels, and yet they talk most
hppanty about involving the whole Of this
section of the Union in civil cOnvulsion and
blood, unless they can have their own way OF
make their political opinions aud wishes pre-
dominant.
A common phrase just now with the De-
moeracy is, "A tree election or free fight"
They carried It as motto on their illumi-
mated banners and lanterns on last Saturday
evening, and it is paraded daily in the Demo-
cratic journals. "a free ballot or free iightl"
That Is stunning proclamation, truly. 1t
warns every man who will not stand out of
the way OF the "unteIrihed" to make his will
and prepare for his funeral. Supplemented
persons at home, and even intelligent stran-
gers from abroad, might think, in reading such
sentence, That affairs are fast getting to a
fearful crisis iu this country, and that the very
foundations of society are about to be up
hesved, and the pillars of civil order topped
In general ruin upon our heads
Surely, there is no such calamity impending
The fierce shibboleths of parties seldom mean
all they would seem to import. Mems pas
sions are often stronger than their reason
but their passions fortunately are short-lived,
while their temporarily dethroned reason
soon regains its temperate and salutary sway.
Besides, barking dogs are rarely ever biting
Wdogs. So is it with men. The really danger
pus conspirators against the peace OF State
IS Rse who make their threats in acts, not
3. Their designs are first betrayed in
Sec1itfon, not in windy braggadocia. The
hemes or the temper of the vaporers gene
billy exhale in "sound and fury, signifying
noehing."
But what, pray, does this manifesto about
Va free ballot or free fight" mean2 Is il
to be understood as importing that if the
Democrats do not carry the coming elections
they will assume that they were lot free, and
thereupon proceed to accomplish by force
what they shall have failed to attain by peace
able means? This would appear to be their
intention, or at least their threat since an
election, however it may result shoJld be
presumed to have been fair and equitable
until 1t is shown by judicial investigation to
have been otherwise. The mere tact that one
party Is unsuccessful will not warrant the con-
clusion that 1t was denied an equal chance in
the contest. The Democrats, however, are
becoming desperate; and perhaps in their fear
of being unable to carry their ends by votes,
they propose to spring an insurrection, and
smash up the Government they cannot legally
obtain control of.
There is no danger, however, that any such
insanity will possess a sufficient number OF
the Northern people to make it formidable
The Government will exercise no more inter
ference IN the elections than may be neces
sary TO secure their freedom and integrity
and that sort Of police will be impartial anC
for the benefit of every lawful voter, what
ever his politics And we now predict, tha
she uld the party opposed to the Administra
tion fail at the polls, they will buster for
little while about frauds, military despOtism
and all that, but quietly settle down and TAX
their disappointment with becoming sobriet.
az d deeorum.