The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-10
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1864.
mcCLELLAN's LETTER OF ACCEPT
ANOE.

But twenty-three unconditional peace men
in the Chicago Convention had the pluck to
avow their real sentiments. They all voted for
Mr.. SEYMOUR, of Connecticut, ~ their candi-
date for the Presidency. There were, how
ever, in that same Convention two hundred
and three unconditional peace men, who had
neither the courage nor the honesty to declare
and stand by their principles. They voted for
GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, and he was nomi-
mated. The platform had been previously
arranged so as to express anything and mean
nothing. This bit ofwork was so ingeniousy
done as to concliate men Of all shades Of
opinion, from the extreme peace proclivities
OF VALLANDIGuAM and the WooDs, to the
more discreet, but less ingenious, professions
of the men who were for war, ifpeace could
not be made without it.
General MCCLELLAN, 1t was supposed,
would either not accept the platform at all or
not accept it without qualification. He GER
tainly must have been considerably puzzled
to know how to act, and what to say. But he
has worried through the dilemma in which the
Convention placed him, and yesterday his let
ter accepting the nomination was the chief
topic of conversation and discussion among
the street and bar-room politicians. Opinions
as 10 the character of the document were very
much divided, and while we saw many Demo.
Gratis who entirely condemned it, we saw but
few who entirely approved oft.
The truth is, that MCCLELLAN has taken q
position that is too equivocal to suit any mar
of decided views and intrepid candor II,
alf ;, 20 istt, cD
purpose of negotiating peace, which is, NJ
doubt, quite agreeable to the ultra opponent,
of the war but he takes all the virtue out o
that confession of faith by declaring, just a
emphatically, that il the Rebels will not con.
sent to return to the Union with a proper
guarantee Of their constitutional rights, h,
gill exchange the sword for the olive branch
and whip them into submission.
Now, this assertion of determination t
coerce the Southern people to accept peac
on prescribed conditions, is highly offensive t
those amicable gentlemen of the Democrat
party who think there is no power in th
General Government to make war on a sovC
reign State or its people, for the purpose O
enforcing obedience to the national author
ties, or that If such power ever legally ex
listed, its exercise could accomplish no goo
result whatever.
Nevertheless, these honest malcontents will
we expect, be persuaded into voting 70
MCCLELLAN for the sake OF a party victory
which, if won, viii involve the early dispense
ton of an enormous amount Of Executiv
patronage, a large share of which will, N
boubt, be promised to the peace wing of tn
Democracy as a consideration for their ac
quiescence in the ticket and the resolutions
against which they arrayed themselves a
Chicago.
This jugglery, however, will hardly win
The people are in no humor to be cajoled ant
trifed with by political tricksters, at a mo
ment when the life of the nation is in imml
nent peril, and they win probably say that
both MCCLELLAN and Mr.. LINCOLN are 70
the war, they had better fight it straight ou
at once, instead of risking all they have game
in vile truces and temporizings.