Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-01-18
From the New York Times.
The Next Presidency.

AHC NSAL FESBIu0nCYs
Any exciting discussion at this time con-
cerning the nomination to be made by the
Union paEtyEfor theruext Presidency is to
be deprecated. The war demands concen-
trated attention, and the most harmonious
spirit Yet'We hail with satisfaction such
spontaneous expressions of preference as
are now emanating from State Legislatures.
Union OonveDtions, and other bodies rep.
resentative of the loyal people. We hail
themsprecisely because they are tokens that
there will be9no exciting discussiou-that
there will be general recognition that
public interests require the continuance of
MIR. Lincoln Ot the head of affairs.
Undoubtedly there are other true men
we believe many-who would have the
ability to carry this war successfully
through. No sensible person will cay, at
this stage. of the rebellion that the fate of
the country depends upon the life or the
denomination Of Abraham Lincoln. Per-
,haps the time has been when this was the
case. Perhaps bis singular combination of
prudence with boldness, of great steadi.
ness of mind with great power of adapta-
tlon to circumstances, was something Pc
culiar to himself, and had just that charac.
ter which aloue could save the Republic in
the terrible danger5sWhich have beset it,
character, his remarkable .faculty-uever
eqaled ia any other President since The
tirst-of inspiring every one with a sense
thathe is thoroughly honest and trust
worthy man, has been the only one thing
that prevented faction from obtaining q
fatal ascendency at the crisisof the war
The peopie were willing. to trust Abraham
Lincoln with an amount Of power thew
would have hardly confided to any other
man. The TRADES of demagogGes against
him as grasping usurper, u selfish tyrant
subverter of free government, we're felt to
be not simply false, but utterly absurd. 1t
may be that this absolute confidence, such
as no otherman could have inspired, Wasthat
which secured, as nothing else could have
done, freedom Of executive action, an
independence of factious opposition, that
alone saved the country. But these criti.
cal periods have passed. The rebellion
has spent its main force, and hencefarward
can only languish. Faction has done it's
worst, and is dangerous no longer. Though
it may be that under any other President
the Republic would have perished last year,
or the year previous, not even his greatest
Rdmirer will say that its tate, now or here
after, is dependent on his official life.
Yet we rejoice in these sigus that the
popular heart is set upon his renomina-
ton. We don't say that such reuomina-
tion is due to him fnr his transcendant
services. No public ofice-not even the
lowest-is due to any man least of all
the Presidency of the United States. He
who does his utmost for the Republic sim.
ply does his duty. He puts the Republic
under noindebtedness -to-bim. Service to
it is like service to our Maker-it earns
nothing; it,furnishes claim to nothing; it
is the discharge of an obligation, not the
creation of one. All this talk about this
or that man having claim 10 office be-
longs only to the very lowest order of DO
liticdl morality-to that school which has
no such word as duty in its vocabulary.
and which attaches price to every hu-
man action. Abraham Lincoln cannot but
be conscious that he has "done the State
some service !" but he would be the last
man to lay claim to a denomination on
that ground or any other. The matter is
in no degree personal. The public advau-
tnge is the sole consideration. Aud this
advantage, beyond all consideration. .fnyors
the denomination.
Though it is perfectly true that tho
crisisof struggle is past, and that it can
not be said that any particular man is any
longer q necessity to the national cause, the
time of effort is by no means over. Diff
cult campaigns have yet to be made; but
there are greater difficulties yet of civil
character to be solved, Itis now virtually
settled that the Republic is to live but it
is yet to be determined whether its resto.
ration to good order, aud security, and
sound prosperity will be rapid, or whether
1t will linger for years on years. This
will depend mainly upon the spirit
and wisdom of the Government at
Washington. To it's spirit we must
look for the healing of the national
wounds which the war will leave, and the
revival all through the land of common
sentiment of patriotism, which shall con-
sign the past to oblivion, and open the
way for the very broadcast nationality
On its wisdom we must rely for the smooth
and safe transition of the reclaimed terri
tory from military rule to its normal civil.
condition: and for the devisiug and apply
ing of the measures of more social bear.
ing, made necessary by the emancipation of
millions of slaves, IfLne Government fails
to meet these great qnestfous-
toit by its success in the war-in the right
spirit and, with the right understanding.
this generation, North and South, while
and black will pay for TIN untold misery.
tits because the people appreciate that
such consequences. 8Fe7at stake that they
Icy loHAIJ N!auAtesS IL purpose to continue
President 1Lincoln in Office for another
term They fud iu his past success over
the greatest difficulties their best securitv
thatihe Will!6e equal'to any which the fu :
ture may present. The country has many
SERVANTS both Din: military and civil fifsl
who, have acquitted themselves most no.
bly,; and who, it is probable, could ftly
meet every duty. of the Presidency Yet
this is, by no mems certain. "A mans
adaptation to an official place cannot be
perfectly known until it is practically test
ed Least TllIa Of all to a placer requiring such d
z a 1iAf j
y4ElHa n s4HTH Hob