Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-04
objects of inc Camnairn.

a strength OF from 2l0,uOO 10 ouO,UOO men TOT
some years to come. if the war should continue
that long.
objects of the Campaign.
The spring campaign now opening. and already
considerably advanced, ought TO be a final and
effective But there does not seem to be any
prospect of such a result. Thus far it has been
attended with great loss and mOstunifOrm fail
ure, and the reason seems to be manifest. In
stead of campaign against the rebels, it has
been, apparently, a campaign for the Presidency
The lives that have been sacrificed, the millions
of treasure that have been expended, seem to
have been devoted, not 10 crushing the rebellion,
not to re-establishing the Union bur to securing
votes for the coming convention aud the Presi-
Dental election. Soldiers. who ought to be in
the field, have been pouring home by thousands,
carefully selected and pledged to vote the Ad-
ministration ticket. Other thousands will soon
be picked and sent home to other elections, and
so the spring campaign will go
The horrible waste of life in Florida is virtu
ally confessed to have been on an electioneering
expedition. n o partisan of the Administration
has vet had the boldness To attempt an explana-
ton of any military benefits to be derived from
the expedition. The campaign of Sherman into
Mississippi is "A great failure. with vast expense
and loss, and no one explain what was its
object, unless it was also designed to establish n
base for electoneering operations. The latest
news from New Orleans indicates that the attack
on Mobile failed because Gen. Banks was too
busy about that farce which has been STYLED
election in New Orleans. 1t was thought more
important to secure the arrangements for the
electoral vote of Louisiana this fall than to
operate with the navy in the attack on rebel
city. Hence another great waste of expense. Ii
seems that the Administration will succeed this
fail in producing several electoral from the
Southern States. 1t will only require few men
to cast the great electoral vote of Virginia Ii
would not be surprising 10 see the Presidential
election claimed on the votes of these bogus
elections, held at Southern military posts. New
Orleans is little else than military post OF
course each vote in the electoral college thus OBJ
tlined will cost the country. on average, seve-
raj millions of dollars and several hundred lives.
This is solemn truth 1t is indeed somewhat
expensive style Of winning an election, but
style at which the radical mind does not feel any
cOmpunctions of conscience
In view Of what has occurred, we may judge
Of what is likely to occur 1t is more than prob
able that the entire spring and summer campaign
will be directed toward the perpetuation of the
Republican dynasty, instead of toward the crush
ing of the rebellion. Everything indicates that
this has been the object, thus far, of the various
military movements or failures to move. IL NAV
be reckoned certain that whenever soldiers
can be effectualv used for voting tnev will not
be employed in fighting. Whenever and wher-
ever Stat election occurs, there will be SUD-
den coincidence of several thousand furloughs,
regiments going home to recruit etc, etc
The radical party is counting daily upon the
effect of military operations upon the nomna-
tOns and elections Some of the radical papers
already express views against Mr.. Lincoln, and
we have lying before several such papers, in
which we find printed in plain language, the re-
gret of the writer's that the Republican Conven-
tion has been appointed at early day, be-
cause these writers say that they expect defeats
/ in the field and want the advantage OF these de
/ feais against Mr. Lincoln We give an example
correspondent OF the Anti-Slvery Standard
| thus writes:
The radicals say that bad spring campaign
will finish Mr. LincOln's chances tor the nOmina-
tion, but they seem to forget that it is next to
| impossible that the spring campaign will come
to end by the 7th of June, and by that time
/ the Republican Convention will have met at
Biltmore 1t would, perhaps, have been better
| it the day for the Convention had been fixed in
August or September, but the day is fixed in
June, and the military fortunes of the summer
can have no effect upon the Convention though
they may decide the election. During the last
few DAYS and weeks the Government has made
very little progress in the work of subduing the
enemy. General Sherman has got back TO the
place from which he started General Smith has
accomplished nothing in his attempted cavalry
raid and Fitzpatrick has only succeeded in losipg 9
three good Coonels and one hundred nnd fits
men The Florida failure is in everybody s
mouth. This is what some men call bad be
ginning, but very likely il is the prelude to a
good ending"
Writers of this class of course, belong to the
Chase and Fremont factions They are not
''copperheads''-f they deserve no such hon
orable name They are the same men who said
in 1868. ga victory by Mcclellan in Maryland
will set us back six months;" and who are now
coming every form of falsehood against that
General
The question becomes a serious one, how far
the year 1864 is likely to contribute to the safety
of the American Republic. The war now enter
ing ON its fourth year is not likely to make any
great advance until the succession to power is
determined. We have had spring of terrible
waste and awful disregard of public trust. Who
can have confidence in a summer introduced by
such spring? Florida, Mobile, Mississippi
Charleston-all the expeditions abandoned as
failures, and who can assign reason except it
be because of the desire to control electoral votes
this fall? What will be the next waste. what the
next expense of blood and treasure in the polit
ica! campaign before the country? Let it be
plainly understood that the charges against Mr.
, Lincoln are not made bv the opposition party
The New York Times some time since stated
frankly and boldly that Mr.. Lincoln made use o.
his Cabinet 10 dispose of ais Tirals for the Presi-
dency." pronounced him utterly incompetent
TO the great task devolyed on him, and added
hitherto Mr. LiaeOln has giUeR us no eonstitu
tiOnat administration" The truth of these
charges no one in the ranks of the radical party
has seen 6t to deny; and the accusation that h,
is using the army as he used his Cabinet. il
freely made by men of lis own party.-[N. Y
Jour of Com LH