Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-01-21

From the Daily of Jan. 20.
Abraham l.incOl o.

Washington Daily Chronicle, OF Janua-
ry l4th, which has been alluded to by
the press generally, as an important and
significant one. 1t affords further indi-
cation of the present unmistakable drift
Of popular opinion upon the subject dis
cussed. Wherever expressions have been
made, east or west, they have been the
same, We have already noticed the ac-
tion of the New Hampshire state con-
vention, of the Pennsylvania Legislature,
the proposed simultaneous action of the
legislatures of other states, east and
west, expressions of opinion by the press,
etc.,--all to the same effect. The move
ment seems, so far, to be unanimous
The only possible objection that can be
urged against it is, perhaps, that it is
somewhat premature but, however de-
sirous we might be that president max
ing should be deferred vet longer, that
the united energies of the friends of the
| government might be devoted to finish
ing the suppression of the rebellion, the
year has come in which president must
be nominated and elected, and this ac-
tion in favor of Mr. Lincoln seems to be
| of that spontaneous and irresistible
character which politicians cannot con-
troll if they would. The people are TAX
ing the thing into their own hands, and
political managers" must follow the
| current. -.t... s..r
The following is the Chronicles, arti-
Gle, and it will well repay perusal:-
We have just entered upon the Presi-
| dental Year. The time has come for us
! to discuss the re nomination and re-elec-
| tion of successor to Mr. Lincoln, and
in few months we shall be in the midst
Of presidential campaign, with all it's
excitements and responsibilities. We
should be happy during this war to aban-
don all political discussion, to Go moth
| ing but prosecute the war to the end
! But this cannot be. The Constitution
| provides that every four years Chief
| Magistrate shall be elected. The time is
| at hand, and we must determine with as
much kindness and prudence as possible
| who shall be the choice of the friends of
| the Union. The prevailing sentiment
among the people is one of confidence in
Abraham Lincoln and his Administra-
tion. No Chief Magistrate has been so
severely tried, and yet no Chief Magis-
| trate has administered our government
with SO much success and popularity
| The American dwells with pride and sat
! isfaction upon the Administration of
| Washington and Jackson and yet with
! all our veneration for these men, and our
| appreciation of the services that made
| their country great and their names i'm
| mortal, we can see in Abraham Lincoln
| the qualities that will make his name as
| dear He has shown the devotion and
| the pure minded patriotism of Washing
ton, the energy and honesty of Jackson
| When he pronounced Emancipation he
| spoke as the former would have spoken.
When he declared in his last message
that he would never abandon Enamel
| patton, he spoke with the spirit of the
statesman who crushed monopoly and
notification. He has been a progressive
man. The Presidency came to him as it
were special Providence, as though
Infinite Wisdom saw in the plain, neigh
! borly lawyer of Illinois, living in his
| quiet country home, the honesty, the
sagacity, the far-reaching shrewdness,
the rare power of living above the pres
! ent, and looking upon the State with the
| impartial eye of the statesman, who
could save the country. Mr. Lincoln ac-
cepted the high and awful trust, deter
mined to do what was right and proper;
to be bold when boldness was necessary,
| and cautions when caution was deman-
ded. This has been his career He has
! moved in the right path from the begin
ming. Some have chided him for being
too fast; Others for being too slow but
all must see that he has kept pace with
the country, neither rising with its ex-
ultation, nor sinking with its depression,
but steadily, calmly, constantly, directly
moving on in the path of progress and
liberty. 1t has been his singular felici-
! ty-a felicity that we see now when we
make this retrospect, although we may
not have seen it before-to speak the
right word at the right time, just as the
country was ready to say amen. This
rare gift, which God refused to rulers
who have left splendid names, to those
who ruined nations but founded empires,
which was refused to Cromwell and Bo-
naparte, and given to Washington and
William of Orange, has been bestowed
upon Abraham Lincoln. History may
speak of him as great man, certainly
as just, good, wise man, but to us he
is the Man of the Hour. Therefore, al
though in the closing months of his Ad-
ministration, he is trusted with de-
gree of unanimity that can scarcely be
realized. There are great differences of
opinions among loyal men. We differ
on every question. Some of Us believe in
immediate emancipation; others in grad
ual emancipation. Some of us believe
that secession made the States Terrific
ries, and that the government should
| become strong and centralized. Others
think that the supremacy of the States
can neither be tainted nor DESTROYED by
treason, and that their rights cannot be
changed by war. Thus we differ-and
/, often with bitterness. But, notwith-
standing this, there is one universal be-
lief in the capacity and prudence of Pres,
ident Lincoln, and the general success of
his Administration. As we have said, he