, 1864-11-05
THE AMERICAN UNION.
Something for Irishnen to
Read.

[Ftom the Dab!in 1rishmaD. the Leading Catholic
paper.1
THE UNION.
Heretofore our efforts in connection With
TIE American question have been directed
toward the su:ta'nment Of the Northern
cauee; but With party politics In the North
We have not interiefed- II We depart from
this course now, It 10 because ne feel con-
vfnced that in the triumph Of party in the
forthcoming election viii be found the surest
guarantee Of the triumph Of the Union It
ia an unfortunate thing that at such q crisis
party contest should BE- forced upon the
country. But such being the case it becomes
the duty Of lrishmen here as well as In America
to conelder how and In what manner its Issue,
one way OF the ether, is calculated to effect
the Union cause Four years ago Abraham
Lincoln was constitut1onally elected to the
high office Of President OF the United States,
and II will be 1ecol1ected that had 1t not been
for the precautionary measures taken by
Gen. Scott to defeat at that time the designs
that Lincoln never would have reached tho
White House alive. Organized gAngs Of
nurde1ous conspilators lay In wait for him
as he passed through Baltimore en- rpuk to
Washington, and he, the freely elected Of
the people, required the protection Of horse,
foot and artillery during the delivery Of bis
Inaugural Address. HIS oath Of Office, the
oath which be subscribed Oh taking possss
slon Of the Pr sidentiaI chair, bfrds him to
hold fnvip1Rte the Union Of the States, How
has he fulfilled the trust? Has he ever con.
deeceueed mtanly to palter With rebellion,
or to subserve the intereats Of party lost
sight OF lhe supreme Cause OF the nation ?
NeyeEI.he has done bis duty honestly, ably,
and efficiently, ard were his publlcmareer to
teIniba1e tomorrow, not Warrington hin-
self would better deserve the gratitude Of his
country.
Lincoln was not elected as an Abolition
President, nor has he Waged an Abolition
war; bis principle Is, that slavery should not
be extended, and has used the negroes, not
for the purpose Of wreakiog vengeance upon
their Wretched masters, but Of restoring the
integrity Of the nation. With consumate
ability he has carried on for fonr years war
uuequalIed for Its magnitude, and has done
so without Intrenchlng upon the Constltu-
tioD. We question If his bitterest opponent
had not the fullest constitutional sanction
The only fault, in that regard, which can be
asc1lbea to him in q too 1enient exercise of
the war power with which the Constitution
inyeste him. The English press chargea him
with '.deepotism," but in what does it con-
dcnts, and. Telegraph a1d Handdrd cores
pondents TO abuse the hospitality Of the Re-
public, By slandering its President and
conBplring with native traitors to accomplish
It's overthrow. In what does 1t consist? In
permitting newspapers to be published In
New York and other Northern cities, whose
avored ohjectIs to compass the destruction,
not merely Of Lincoln and his Government,
but Of the United States as nation, "Des-
potIsm !" Take this one fact-thAt the war
has been carried on for four years; with vary
ing fortunes, ard that, Notwithstanding the
encouragement the South ha8 received from
dis1oya1 men in the Northern Stats, no life
has fallen beneath the civil power! It Is a
thing unparalleled In history. Under M1n11ar
ecaffolds would reek with humangore. Lives,
innume1able l7ee, have been lost, but they
bare b1en lost In war ho1orably waged for a
just and noble object.
The opposition to Ltncoln's reelection is
unwise, uDpatriotic, and untustidable. It Is
the rolce Of party Btrffe should be still, and
the sole object OF all good aitlzsns should be
to eaye the nation's lite. It is unpat1iotic,
becauee in snch crisis as thus personal am-
bitlon, personal interest, the THIRST for hon.
ors and emo}uments should all give way to
an absorbing love for the country, and de-
termination at every hazard to maintain her
in her lawful supremacy, and In herrighteous
and benefcent power. 1t is uu1ustifsble,
because Lincoln's position has been sur
rounded with difficulties and an1ietfes, and
pe1ils the most stupentousi and the least
return which the people can make to him Tor
all the insults that have been heaped upon
By the English press for all the outrages to
which he has been subjected, for all his un-
tiring, patient, arduous 1ahors for his coun-
try, Is to leave him in rndisturbed possession
of the Presidential chair until he SHALL be In
a position to hand over to his successor the
scept1e OF the Union restored, and Consti-
tutlon Yindfcated-
There is no event which could happen
would go much tend to the restoration of
peace as tue unopposed return OF ,Mr. Lin
coin. England would understand II, and be
civil; her friend, the South, would under
stand 1t, and see the folly of continuing
useless and criminal resistance Assuming,
however, that this wretrhed party conflict
cnuuot now be avoided, We must only hope
that Mr. Lincoln. viii be reelected By such
an overwhelming majority, IS viii convince
the world that tie men Of the fotth-natiTe
and adopted citfzens-are determined to en-
sure for their country q lasting peace based
upon the Union and Freedom.