The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-12
rmE ConINa ELncrIoNs

few hours.
THE COMING ELECTIONS
We are near enough to the approaching cleo
tons for our citizens to begin thinking seriously
Of what they are TO decide, and what part they
will take in them. In an elective government
everything depends upon the patriotism of the
people. They are sovereign; they possess a
supreme control over the laws and their ad.
ministration in having the choice of those who
make and execute the laws. With this power
u devolyed, of course, a corresponding respon-
slbility. If republics have in former times
been unstable and short-llved; If inconstancy
In their social and civil fortunes has invariably
marked their career, and they have made a
rapid progress from prosperity to decay and
dissolution, 1t was because the people, be-
coming Indifferent and faithless to their own
liberties, permitted them to be perverted by
demagogues or usurped by tyrants. A free
State is never in more real danger than when
=, rs citizens neglect to avert those evils and
perils which threaten its constitution.
II Ii against this indifference to the public
welfare, In times of excitement and rashness
like the present. that we would warn the com
munity. Weak or bad men may get at the
head OF affairs, legislators may enact injudi-
cious laws, judges may err In their decisions
or prostitute their functions, and every officer
of the State, from the humblest to the highest
may manifest unworthiness for his particular
place, yet the public liberties are safe, pro-
vided the people will remain true and stead
fast in their loyalty to the great fundamental
principles of their political system, and pre-
vent by their suffrages the triumph of those
who would subyert them in the pursuit of an
imaginary good, or some temporary expe-
diency. AS long as this defense is preserved,
we may feel assured that no fatal innovation
upon the Constitution can occur.
But II the concern of the multitude for tire
integrity of their government, as framed and
understood by its founders, cools into apathy;
II their vigilance in protecting it against the
designs ofthose who are striving to invade its
real powers, and to make it the instrument of
enforcing false theories Of political duty and
policy, is superseded by listlessness, or i'm
posed upon by the error Of opinion, which
sometimes seizes hold of the popular mind in
seasons of extraordinary agitation and ex-
citement, then, indeed, we may feel painfully
apprehensive for the peace Of the country
and the safety of its Institutions.
A community may exhibit this sort of de-
cline in patriotism in the manner of exercis-
ing the elective franchise, or in the neglect to
exercise it. Judged by this criterion, our
citizens have often betrayed, ifnot want of
interest in the public welfare, an ignorance OF
how directly and largely that welfare is de-
pendent on their votes. We are persuaded
that whenever, in any election, full or any
thing like full vote can be obtained, the
voice of the many is most often on the side of
sound policy and salutary measures. The
triumphs that error and corruption have won
and they have won too many for the honor
and happiness Of the country-and the
ascendancy which they have acquired
in the Government, must be attributed, not SC
much TO the active efforts of the dishonest and
the ignorant, who never preternit the use o
their political rights and privileges. as TO the
supineness and silence of the virtuous and en-
lightened classes, who too frequently act "a i
they possessed none Of the rights and none o
the interests OF citizens. Were every individul
voter, whose private felicity aud fortunes, a
well as his moral instincts and ndiudgment, nltur
ally enlist him on the side Of wise and jus
administration of the laws, 10 exert his prero
gative OF suffrage on all occasions, there would
be a sure guarantee, at least, that whateye,
other mischiefs might be suffered in the con
duct of public affairs, the Government itselI
would never be wre5ted violently and grossly
from the settled limitations and vital condi-
tions Of its constitution. There is now, we
fear, crisis impending in which the elemen-
tary foundations and powers Of the Federal
system that constitutes the union of the States
are threatened with serious encroachment, II
not complete overthrow, and we would, there
fore, admonish every citizen to consider,
soberly and solemnly, the part he should act
In 30 momentous an exigency. In making up
his Judgment in the matter, there is one lead
ing truth which he should steadily keep in
view, and that is, that if the Constitution of
the Republic be preserved, mere abuses OF
administration may be cured; but with the
Constitution subverted, there must be an end
Of all Government.
Every day new developments are made
which go towards establishing the fact that
the leaders OF the Democratic party are Drift
ing towards the heresy Of system of separate
confederaeies upon the American continent.
Secret correspondence is constantly carried
on for this object, and 1t Is this scheme which
promises TO unite War and Peace Democrats
because 1t assures q union Of the Northern
and Southern Confederacies, and at the same
time recognizes the secession Of the slave