Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-09-05


warned both parties that the election might
be followed by revolution. Our warn
inps were not needed then, and the conse-
1uence was that the election of Lincoln
vas quickly succeeded by the secession of
the Southern States. Now, at the opening
of the canvass in 1864, we have the same
warning to utter; but it Is in regard to an
instruction at the North. The experience
Of the past four years ought TO have taught
the American people that the Herald does
not predict rashIy, and that its prophecies
are worthy Of the most earnest attention.
When every other paper said that there
was no danger of disunion, we assured the
people that disunion would certainly be
the result of Mr.. Lincoln's election.
Now we a. solemnly assure them that, un-
less careful precautions are taken, North
ern insurrection will be the certain result
of Mr.. Lincoln's reelection.
We have not the slightest doubt that
there is a mutual understanding between
the Seymours, the Woods, Vallandigham
and the rebels. This understanding is
shnurn -tha sacassinn- Ialntfapra s-doFtea
by the Chicago Convention, and in the
nomination of Mr.. Pendleton, of Ohio
who is a practical secessionist-for Vice
President. We have now driven the reb-
els completely to the wall. General Grant
has the best of them at Richmond, and
General Sherman has succeeded in eaptur-
turing Atlantic. This is not the time,
then, that any reasonable man would be
talking about "an immediate cessation Of
hostilities." We are in favor Of an ar
mistice like that between Prussia and
Denmark, where both sides hold their
ground and are ready to begin the conflict
at any moment; but there is vast deal
of difference between such an armistice
and the immediate cessation Of hostili-
ties " which the Chicago platform requires
Nothing can explain such platform ex-
cept tho hypothesis that it was dictated BY
JEFF. Davis to the peace democrats, and
that these peace men foisted it upon the
Chicago Convention as the price of theiI
endorsement of General McClellan's nomi-
nation.
For three years past the Herald has sus.
tanned and defended the hero of Antietam
We have done full justice to his general.
ship, his craftsmanship, his honesty and
his patriotism. But when Mcclellan
takes his standupon cowardlv peace plat
form we are at loss how to follow him and
defend him. This the General has not vet
DONE and we hope that he will not be fool
ish enough to do it. We advise and urge
him to come out boldly and declare that his
only platform is his past record as Union
General, and that his sentiments are those
expressed in his letter from Harrison's
Landing and his Grafton at West Point
If he hesitates to do this he is lost. There
must be no prevariration nor equivocation.
The rotton Chicago platform must
be kicked to pieces and McClellan's
own platform substituted. He had
better thousand fold decline the nomina-
tlIlrr saSps iS usfyI syI5lI conditions
as those imposed by the Convention. The
Chicago platform invites defeat, and it
must be broken up either by Mcclellan
himself or by the voice of the people at the
polls.
We candidly and sincerely believe that
the peace copperheads at the North do not
desire the election of Mcclellan any more
than the Southern secessionists desired the
election of Douglas or Breckenridge in
1860. They bitterly opposed Mcclellan at
Chicago, and openly denounced him as a
tyrant and usurper Finally they accept
ed him, upon condition that they should
have the platform and the Vice President
Rut even now the copperheads are not
earnest in his support. Like the rebels,
they want to see Lincoln reelected. There
is no saying but that Mr.. Lincoln may be
elected by a small msjority, and iu
that event the copperheads intend to
raise a revolution at the North.
This they can very readily do if the
people do not beware of the trap. Suppose
the election to be decided by only a few
thousand votes, then the democratic min
ority will be nearly as strong as the repub-
Gcan majority. In fact the minority will
be stronger; for the democrats will fight,
while the abolitionists will not; and so
thousand democrats are more than equal
TO two thousand abolition republicans.
What, then, is to hinder revolution? Is
it the army2 The moment the army is
withdrawn to put down an insurrection
here the rebels will come out of their in
trenchments and capture Washington.
This, as we understand It, is part of the
copperhead plan, and if successful it will
put an end to the government and the
country.
That this idea of a vast Northern con-
spiracy between the eopperheads and the
rebels is no mere bugbear is evident from
the fsct that the Chicago Convention, in
stead of sbjourning sine die, as conventions
usually do, adjourned TO meet a. ain at the
call of the Executive COMMITTEES. This Is
equivalent to the organization of a revolu-
tionary body. Our merchants and capital
lists so consider it for they are closing up
business, shipping their goods back to En-
rope, turning their property into gold,
sending their money across the water, and
in every way preparing to leave the
country as soon as the revolution begins
These movements are not to be lightly con-
sidered. They mean mischief, and
show that trouble is brewing. Gen.
Mcclellan can avert that trouble and re-
store public confidence if he have the
pluck and sagacity TO ignore the Chicago
platform and come out boldly as a jackson
democrat on the platform of his past
record. Then he will have a fair chance
of election, because he will noe be bound
to cowardly policy if he be elected But
what could Washington himself do if he
we're pledged to negotiate for "an
cessation Of hostilities ?"
The Chicago platform will encour-
age the rebels to hold sout until Novem-
Der election, and, as things stand at pres
ent, the peace copperheads have promised
them one of two things: either the re-
election of Lincoln and Northern insur-
which case the rebels will have
the upper hand of US; OF, in the event of
election, aan immediate cessa-
ton of hostilities," in which case the rebels
will have everything their own way. Gen.
Mcclellan can destroy these schemes by
framing his own platform out of sound
Union timber and being elected upon it
Then a Northern insurrection will be i'm
possible; and if the peole do their duty
IN the meantime, there will be no re-
Dellion left to make terms with, and no
JEFF. Davis in existence to receive an offer
FOR 'ian immediate cessation of hostilities.
This is as great crisis as that at Harrison's