The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-09-30
A Word TO PatriOts..The Duties OF
the Hour.

our patriotic fellow citizens, who are &C
tuated in their politics by simple desire
to do their honest duty, and who are not
governed by considerations Of strictly
partisan character. You have got to vote.
1t is your wish to vote right. We do not
presume it is your intention to sstay away
from the polls. On the contrary we be-
ieve the very purity and honesty of your
motives furnish the strongest evidence
that you will perform the highest act of
American citizenship by depositing your
vote on the first Tuesday Of next Novem-
Der. The question with you is, "for
whom shall voter" You see your below
ed country torn by faction, and bleedlns
from the shocks of civil conflict. lou
see great rebellion at the South, and a
great determination at the North to crush
It. You see a persistent effort on the
our people, extending through three and
one half years of ultimate defeat and VIC
torv to save the Union and establish Con-
stitutional authority, and you see the eff
fort has failed. Not totally failed. But
failed to such lamentable degree, that
you, as an honest man, are forced to salts
fy your mind as to the causes for such linn
tied and uncertain results, after so vast
and lavish expenditure of blood and treas
ure. We propose to satisfy you as to
these causes. We claim that the fault
lies in the exasperating and unconstitu-
tional policy pursued by the Administra-
ton. We claim that If another policy
was adopted, better results would be Be-
cured. We ask you to assist us in obtain
ing this change of policy. We solicit your
sufrages for General MCCLELLAN, and
we respectfully ask your attention to the
d reasons we give for such a solicitation.
We all of us wisl. to save the Union. We
all of us admit that if a condition prece-
dent is to be made in negotiating for a
settlement of our difficulties, that condition
should be the unity of the States. We all
of us admit that if such condition is not
aoceded to, the war must continue for the
attainment of this object This is the Ian
guage of General MCCLELLAN upon all pub
lie occasions. This is bis language in his
noble letter accepting the nomination.
And this is the determination of the Amer
jean people. But We claim that war
that is being wsged for the sole and simple
spurpose of establishing constitutional au-
,thority over States in rebellion, should not
be diverted from such a purpose, and made
q var waged with the object of depriving
those States of Ftheir constitutional rights.
We wish for peace and Union. In order
Ito secure both, We desire to say to the
Sonth, lay down your arms and come back
to ns. If you do 80 We will see to it that
you have all your constitutional rights. If
Won do 30 We will zee to it that your
property is not oonfiscated, that your
persons are not molested, and that the
question of slavery shall be left where the
Consultation left it, with the people OF the
States. We claim that it is folly to snp
pose we can establish constitutional au-
thoritY, when we ourselves are violating it.
That we caanot expect the South to come
back under.s Constitution for which We
hare no respect. That, in short, We can
not expect peace when we make, az Mr..
LlHoo1N has done, the abandonment of
slavery" it's principle condition. 1t is
this policy which shuts the gates of peace,
exasperatss the South, concentrates their
strength, iutensiies their bitterness, and
spurs their determination. 1t is to this
policy Mr. LzEoo1s is hopelessly pledged
and committed. Jti wrong policy. 1t
ia unxise as well as.pnconstitutional. But
Mr.. Lsoo1N is pledged to It, and he can
not recede from 1t. We must therefore
.ecede from MIR. LINCOLN. He forces Us
TO do it. We must change our policy, and
10 order to do 70, we nrst elect General
,McO1u1An. By the election Of General
MCCLELLAN We are not to be understood
IS introducing a near line 0f policy We
do indeed secure o change Of policy, but
that change consists simply in return to
the original purpose for which the war was
wassd. We put ourselves back on the
constitutional platform. We revoke the
sweeping proclamations of Mr.. LINCOLN !;
we accompany the sword with the olive
branch, and by go doing We secure ia
1orable hearing from the people Of the
South. Mr.. l4MoaIN cannot secure such a
hearing, becapse approximations stand in
tic way. Revoke the proclamations and
our cause is gained. Abandon Mr..
L,xco5ss's policy, and We drive wedge
straight into the heart ofthe Confederacy.
We rsnA the people. asunder from the goc-
erup,ent. We weaken the power of the
" Richmond dynasty. In abort, we do what