Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-10-21
LincoIn nj Home.


1t is some qualification to people to oc-
casionally catch glimpse of the private and
unstudied opinions and intentions of rul-
er who has subverted public liberty and
reyolutionized system of government. 1t
is the qualification of a curiosity similar to
that which made the Romans anxious to
look into the face of NERO, or the people of
Paris to gaze in wonder upon the features
of RoBEspIERRE. In the record of the inter-
view between the Tennessee patriots and
ABRAHAM LINCOLN which we give to-day,
the people have the opportunity of seeing
words and demeanor some clue to the mo-
tiyes by which he is actuated in his extra
ordinary career. In the petulant and an
CRY expressions which escaped him in the
presence of these loyal and honest men, we
see the internal spring by which all his ac-
tions and his intentions are regulated-the
secret and artfully concealed motive which
has governed his administration. Therein
we see the morbid selfishness and the ma
tive timidity of the man who rules the
AmCliCdu PCOplO Wioh pO"Nh Va %
Cesar, but the suspicious cowardice of
BoMBA.
These citizens from Tennessee petition
ABRAHAM LINCOLN for a redress of griev-
.ances-they appeal to him for relief from
the tyrannical and oppressive edicts of one
of his servants-but the President of the
United States sees nothing in their appeal
but an artful political dodge to entrap him
into something which will injure his politi-
cal prospects. He is afraid that in this sim
epetition of loyal and patriotic people
there turks some secret sham by which his
election may be detrimentallY affected.
His mind never rises above the recollection
that GEO. B. MCCLELLAN is running against
him for President; and the recollection
gals him like the sting of conscience. He
answers, petulanlty, and like man con-
scious of doing mean thing, that he can
not consider the merits of their petition,
but he will not give GEORGE B.
MCCLELLAN an advantage by allow
ing the people of Tennessee to vote
for him. Is it possible that there can
remain one intelligent person in this coun-
try prepared to deny that ABRAHAM LIN
colin has determined to use all the power
OF his Office, legally or illegally, rightly or
wrongly, to secure his own reelection? Is
it possible that one honest man can read
the record of this interview without feeling
the conviction that the Executive Office is
filled by man lost to all sense of the dig
nifty, the honor, the responsibility or the
duties of the position?
ANDREW JOHNSON, of Tennessee, the sa-
trap and the associate of the President, has
issued decree, DISTINGUISHING every citizen
of Tennessee who does not vote for LINCOLN,
JOHNSON and Abolitionism. The people of
Tennessee petition the President to annul
this manifestly improper and despotic edict.
LINCOLN is the judge, and he is an inter-
ested party; his position is a delicate one
even If JoHNsoN's edict was of a doubt
full character. But instead of decently
and earnestly considering this grave and
solemn appeal, the President falls into a
passion, abandons all sense of dignity, ig-
nofes every feature of the case except the
ono concerning his selfish interest as par
tisan candidate, and petulantly refuses to
take any action In the matter calculated to
give his opponent vote In Tennessee. A
more conspicuous and shameless instance Of
ruler prostituting his Office, law, justice,
the Constitution and his own record, was
never witnessed in any country or in any
siage. Itestablishes beyond controversy the
fhct ihas President LINCOLN Is governed by
no other motives than those Of the pot
house demagogue--a sordld selfshness, ig-
noble ambition, personal gala and vulgar
risnorance.