Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-18
Mr.. LIncOIp,s Re.eIeetIOn.

Mr.. LincOIn's Reelection.
The Indianapolis Journal copies our
suggestion in favor of rejecting Mr..
Lincoln without the agency of Nation
al Nominating Convention, and com
ments upon it as fellows
" We do not know that it will be SO
easy as our friend seems to think to Sc
cure for Mr. Lincoln the unanimous en-
dorsement of the various Union State
Conventions, but if it should be,will it be
good enough to tell US just how much
more free from the trammels of party
nomination he would be if nominated by
some twenty local party conventions,
than if nominated by National party
convention The State Conventions
will be partisan TO the same extent, at
least, that they have always been, that is
they will represent the party organized to
support the Government, without regard
to minor differences of opinion, and a
National Convention can be nothing
more. If a nomination by the latter
would be weight in the race, why
would not the other 2 We can't see
any difference IF it were pos
sible to put man on the track
by such means, and under such circum-
stances as to divest,,him of all partizan
character, and place him before the pee
pie as representative of the loyal feel
ing alone, we have no doubt he would be
as much more stronger as loyal feeling
is more general than partizan feeling,
but it is not possible. Suppose Mr.. Lin
coin were accepted as the Union candi-
date, without any nomination but that of
the local conventions, would not the pa
pers, and organizations that supported
him be the same that had been all along
identified with the Union party2 Would
not those who opposed him be those who
had been always opposed to the war and
the Government? The line would run
as plainly along the old boundary as if it
had been drawn by National Conven-
ton and a platform a column long. The
eontending feelings and purposes elie-
tied ty the rebellion are now
solicited into parties, with out
lines and features known to all
men, aud till the cause of conflict is re-
moved, those features will remain un-
changed Whoever may be nominated,
and however they may be nominated,
one will represent one party and the 9TH
er the other. The time was, before par
ties had become fully defined and settled
on the war issue, that a nomination of
the style favored by the Journal might
have drawn to it large mass of unat-
tached strength, but that time is passed.
Parties are made. They stand up big,
obvious, irremovable, and they can't be
ignored, and won't be leyelled for mans
convenience. 1t is pity it is true, but
so it is. Mr.. Lincoln is, we think, the
only man who could secure anything like
an unanimous endorsement of the sepa-
rate State Union Conventions, but as
such an endorsement would plant him as
fully inside the lines of the Union party
as national nomination, we see nothing
to be gained by giving him one instead
of the other.
We may be in error in our estimate of
Mr. Lincoln's popularity and the desire
for his reelection, but we think not We
know of but solitary State that has ia
ken serious exception to Mr.. Lincoln's
policy, and that one finds fault only in
one particular. We refer to Missouri.
The people of all the other States, SO far
as an estimate of their views can be
formed from popular manifestations, are
enthusiastic for "Old Abe" TWAS upon
that assumption We based our sugges-
ton.
But the Journal can't see the differ
ence between having Mr.. Lincoln en-
dorsed by the various State Conventions,
as they assemble for the nonsination of
State officers, and having him nominated
by National Convention called specif-
eally for that purpose It strikes us
there IS material difference. The State
Conventions wiz not nominate-they will |
endorse q man regarded as al
ready nominated. Their action will par
take more of ratification than nomi-
nation.
Besides, We see some little difficulty
attending the calling together of Union
National Convention. Who is autbor;z
ed to issue the call Who is to decide
upon the number and qualifications of
the delegates !? The Republican Nation
al Committee appointed by the Chicago
Convention are authorized to issue a call
for Republican Convention only. 1t is
true they may invite loyal men of all
parties to participate with them in the
selection of candidates, but the invitation
will be to Republican Convention
notwithstanding; and that is precisely
the difficulty we wish to avoid.
The Union organization of TODAY in
all the loyal States, is altogether differ
ent from any political party that existed |
in the campaign of 1860 It is not Re
publican, it is not Democratic. 1t is
patriotic. 1t is composed of men who.