New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-09-17
RIDING Two rLOKNEs.
Tie Dai'y hers. two days ago, declared. {

Chicago Convention that the Peace Platform.
adopted by that Convention, was presented.
two months ago. TO Gen. Mcclellan. {" and was
by him approved both in its letter and in it,
spirit" Nobody pretends now. however,. that
his letter does not repudiate that Platform.
The Torh thanks God for il. and such OF the
Peace Democrats a. assume H. have any pm
cipIeS arc preparing to rcpudato HIM and to
nominate another candidate.
Ii matters little whoihor Gen. Mcclellan WAC
persuaded by bis friends thus to break faith with
the peace men. or whether the news oil tho cap
rure of Atlanta convinced him that nc had no
chance before the people a. q peace candidate.
The fact remains that he held that "circum.
stances altered cases." anu that he violated his
pledge to one party that lac might please tho
other. Whether the lall OF Atlanta had any i'll.
Huence upon his mind. it certainly had upon the
minds of such Democrats as believed that the
defca, Of tbs party YVES foreeone conclusion II
they went to tho country with Il proposition TO
las down our arms at The very moment when 1t
was clear that vigorous prosecution OF tie war.
for little while longer, was sure 70 secure tho
suppression OF the Rebellion. Such men natural
Is accept Gen. McCle.lan's letter a. timely
del;yerance from a political blunder of their own
making. They were in dilemma from which
they could not he extricated without Some loss.
TO adhere to the platform was evidently 10 lose
everything, though they might still poll re-
spectacle minority of votes. To abandon il.
however much they might trust to tho cohesion
OF party--not trusted TO in vain in the caso of
such men a. Fernando Wood, who ANNOUNCES
that'he shall support McClellan--is TO lose the
votes Of the honest peace mon. The question
was 10 he solved only by the doctrine Of chances,
end the chances seemed to DO that Mcclellan on
a war letter stood better than Mcclellan with
white feather in his soldiers cap.
We assume that there arc among the Demo-
Gratis many men who do not believe in an igno.
minious peace with Rebels, who have filed the
land with mourning. and have laid our bost and
brayest in bloody graves. But Gcn. Mcclellan.
if, AS The Ncics asserts, he ever agreed 10 ac-
cept the Chicago Platform, is not one Of these.
His position 10 one OF eGpediency, simply. not Of
principle or la,Totism; his appeal il for votes,
not for the honor Of the Nation. Iio Las cheated
one party; ho may cheat the other. Expedi-
eucy has made him War man; expcdency
may make him Peace man. In tho calcula-
ton OF chances some possible clements Of tie
situation seem to have been left out in the
ciphering Of these Willy politicians. We are
a people given, unfortunately. to dependency.
The hope of carrying the election for tho Chica-
90 nominees was based, month ago. upon the
despairing temper of the people. Who knows
how it Will be a month henc,i War has diverse
aspects; the enthusiasm for victories won to-
dag may he checked tomorrow BY temporary
reycrses; tho hope Of u speedy end cherished by
to-day's success may sink into disappointment,
next month at tho slow progress Of events.
Before November, Gen. McClellan's haste 10 de-
liver his friends from one dilemma may turn
out only to have plunged them into another.
They may with that his letter had never boon
written, and the honest Democrats who believe
in him now may find Themselves cheated, in
their turn, by assurances held out to the faint
hearted, the weary, and the Responding, that
he means, after all. 70 stand on the Chicago Plat
form, and that, once in power. his fBt duty Will
be to listen TO- and grant any terms of peace
that the Rebels may choose TO demand. This
riding two horses is ,icklsh business, and those
who get up behind tho General on his war
steed may find themselves kicked OF in his
awkward attempts 70 shift 10 the other animal.
As ne mounted the Democratic gclding when
that seemed likely to be the winner and only
because 1t seemed 10, he may try TO mount the
marc when she, in her tum. promises better
speed. A man. governed by no higher motive
than to commend himself to the wayering TEN.
per of party hungry for power should never
be trusted By the honorable aud thoughtful men
Of that party, who, however dear they may hold
their allegiance 70 it, are bound by ties y thou.
sand times stronger to their country. Nor is oil
this mere speculation; We knOIr there are Demo
Gratis in this city, high aioretime in the pGrtys
confidence, and who have never been tainted by
that Peace delusion. which only means Dis
union, who sre not taken in, and do lot moan
20 be, by the Mcclellan War Letter They will
support for President the man who, unmoved
By tho dependency that creeps periodically
over portion Of tho popular mind, but strong
in the determination and zeal that animates the
great majority Of the people, they know will
bring the war TO al honorable c0lclugiou aud
secure for Us a permanent peace.