Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-21

quiyoealIy in favor Of peace, without =
strong belief not unaeeompanied by sat-
isfaetory testimony. The omissions in
the Indianapolis platform indicate the
difference between the convictions of the
masses, and the ambitions Of certain OF
its leaders The resolutions were not
drawn By the masses, bat for them, By
those who wanted the poor advantage of
an squivoeal position in respect TO the
war How much they viii gain by it IS
q question which may, With entire safety
be left to the future to decide.
Party politicians who have discovered
in themselves eminent fitness for official
position, we may say, nerer learn any
tning from what is going on around them.
They ara apt TO loose sight entirely Of
the difference between those times when
the people have and when they have not
Fixed opinions. There are times when
the party leader should, for his own sake
forget to trim, shuttle, or prsvarieate
There are times when the masses cannot
be led away from the true issue By
shswy rhetoric, empty generalities, or
factieus indignation upon minor points
And If there syer was time when party
leaders should drop their propensity TO
carry water on both shoulders, that time
is now. The people waat exponents, not
prestidigitAtors. They are not in con-
dition to be manipulated. The Indian
apoIis resolutions will deceive no one
but those whe wish to Be deceived We
could, without any difficulty, put our en-
ger upon the very point where the policy
that bsgot them originated, and lay bare
all the motives which prevailed to bring
the limping platform into existence
Cunning may have covered up the tracks
OF the authorship, but there IS no con
eealing the odof, and the scent may be
| followed, though the marks are invisible.
One would havs thonghtthat the events
Of this summer campaign, the impovsr-
isked condition of the country, the bank.
raptsy to which the National finances
are reduced, the general discomfort with
the war which everywhere prevails, the
peril which overhangs society and threat
ems TO set its elements at war with each
other, the impending further demand for
lives to be expended in the slaughter
fields il tbs South, the awful sum Of
human suffering, guilt and demoralixa-
ton which We hAye already realized--if
there were no conditions Of principle
involvsd-would have been sufficient TO
deter politicians claiming to be OF the
Democratic school, for placing them
selves in 3 position Of even implied ap-
rroval Of war and its further prosee1-
ton. That they have not done so is
proof how little the Office seeker ID capa-
bic Of proiting By that which IS not only
within, bat occupies the whole Geld Of his
physical vision.
| There is no issue in this eountrr but
the issue Of peace and war. The sus-
pension Of the haJeas corpus, the inya.
sion Of the rights Of citizens, the war
against opinion and the press. end the
creation Of local military sovsreignties
in tranquil sections, are great crimes,
undoubtedly, but they sink to utter in
significance in comparison VITA that in
6nitely greater crime which includes
them all, and which threatens, ere long,
10 remove from these acts their special
character, By Involving all in general
destruction.
IL some aspeet-though we do not see
/ 1.-THE indianapolis platform exhibits,
NE do not doubs, great cunning n its
authorship; and tie aot impossible that
its authors value themselves highly upon
their skill in its construction. But these
are times when there is no demand for
/ cunning There is needed less strategy
aud more manhood. We mar admire,
when there is nothing particular At stake,
the adroitness with which a party gen.
tleman can balance himself between two
positions, bat nov the men are wanted
who can stand firmly and squarely upon
one. These are times Of real peril The
man who cannot see this is fool, and
from his folly unfit to be trusted be
who, seeing il, still continues to triae,
mar be more than fool, bat less than a
mas. The Ronan Repzblic did not
come to an end simply because Caesar
was ambitious, bat because the poll
tieisHs were selfseeking, corrupt, and
cowardly, and The libers 81 Of the Amer
lean people win not be overthrown bg
sforce, so long as they who represent sAe
people are true to their trust, take pains
to know the right, aud knowing, main
tain it against the seduction Of private
interest as we'll as the maehinations ol
power.