Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-09-01
The Demoerntie PIatform.

The Democratic Platform.
The most Difficult work which lay before
the Denoc ratio National CouventiOo was
the construction of a platform. From the
first it had been obvio US that there would
be little struggling about candidates. The
srtful management of the Mcclellan lead
ers, their lavish use of money, their skill
fll enginee ring of popular Mcclellan DEM
onstrations, the msnipulations Of the hu-
msn puppet whom they had chosen for a
standard bearer, had settled the fact
that the Grave-digger would receive the
nomination. But the real work of the
Convention lay in the construction of
platform. That convention was made up
of men holding squarely and distinctly
contradictory views on the subject of the
Wharf.-The grsat pending issue before the
country. One faction insisted that the
war must be prosecuted to the subiugation
of treason-the other demanded that peace
should be Immediately secured. Howto re-
concile these conflicting views--hoK to con-
struct platform which Guthriesnd Vallsn-
dighamcould agree in reporting and which
Dix and Harris, Dean Richmond and Fer
nando Wood, George B, Mcclellan and
Alexander Long could agree in supporting,
was the problem which the Convention
had to solve
That the resultant oftwo equal OppQsing
forces Is zero, is proposition as true in pol
itics as it is in dynanics. The resultant Of
the strife between War and Peace, in the
shape Of the platform which Guthrie re-
ported, and which Sam. Cox Hlibustered
through the Convention, as as near
ly nothing as is well possible
The Convention has done the Wisest thing
it could; and finding it impossible TO re-
ooncile both factions, have adopted plat
form SO contradictory, confused, and indef
mite on the great issue of Peace and War
that it means nothing, and may be inter
preted to mean anything.
The results of their labors we printed II
yesterday mornings telegraph. The frst
resolution is the stock Democratic deolara
tion Of fidelity to the Union. The second
contains what is meant to be the most sig
niacsnt plank in the platform, |
declaration .of the failure of war
and the necessity of armistice anC
peace, but Is SO hesitatingly, cautiously hnt
qusliRedly expressed that it loses all fore,
and power. The next resolution charges
the Administration with interfering witt
the elections in the border States, anC
threatens -iolent resistance if the polls bt
not left open to all-loyal or secessionists
The fourth attacks the Administration witt
the usual Copperhead arguments, 90 often
and 50 triunphsntly answered The fifth
startles US by charging on the Admins
traton the abuse of our soldiers who are
prisoners in rebel hands,an offence that We
really fancied was committed by the
Democratic administration of JEFF
Davis. The closing resolution, bid fol
soldiers votes, declares the affection of the
Democratic party for the srmy-a declara-
tion that sounds curiously when we re-
member how persistently and unanimously
that party has opposed any measures to
allow the army to exercise the elective
franchise.
The platform is ia weak one. It is short
and yet so full of blunders that the Democ-
raey may congratulate themselves that is
no longer. It contains little OF nothing
new. Its sole unifying thought is intense
hostility to the present Administration and
intense desire to succeed to the position
which that Administration holds. That
object may hold together the contradictory,
and explosive compound labelled "The
Democratic Party We look, however
for great dissensions and disturbances
therein. The result d the campaign will
decide