The New York herald., 1864-09-21

WaAcc0-mrs PendIeeOnhs IsoCtcr-A C0Al
ON hir. August Belmont.
The present great crisis of our national az
fairs is one which demands that every candidate
for public trust shall act with the utmost frank
ness. We must know beyond question or cavil
who are for the Union, the constitution and the
maintenance of the laws, and who are in sym
pathy, whether secret or open, with JEFF. Davis
conspirators. We therefore again call upon
Mr.. Pendleton, candidate for Vice President on
the ticket with General Mcclellan, to define
his position In reference to the Chicago plat
form-if, indeed, that ssinsult to the human
understanding" can be called platform at
all. Let us know whether he accepts that po-
aspect. His record in Congress makes dis
tinct avowal of his present principles all the
more necessary. That record, in q national
and Union loving point of view, was decidedly
bad His vote is recorded in very many, if not in
all, cases against the measures necessary to up
hold the success of our national arms and to
put down the rebellion. We therefore call
upon him with earnestness to define his present
views and position.
When General Mcclellan was rendered the
nomination for the Presidency upon the con-
glomerate contradictions called /" the Chicago
platform" he had the frankness Of soldier
and the wisdom of a patriot with which to un-
tangle it's difficulties. He did not "spit upon
the platform" in the coarse and vulgar man.
ncr pursued by Horace Greeley in reference to
that former Baltimore construction upon which
General Scott was defeated; but he quietly,
and as gentleman, removed it out of his way
pushed it on one side as q piece Of useless lum-
ber possibly deleterious-and, In his letter of
acceptance, gave us new and altogether ma
tional platform, in harmony with the principles
of his whole life, and both broad enough and
high enough for patriotic men to stand upon.
In this General Mcclellan did nothing more
than justice to bis previous history. AS gen.
tleman, he did not wish to rudely offend the
persons who had just complimented him with
nomination, while, as a statesman and patriot,
he had the good sense to look behind the mere
politicians Of the Convention. aud to interpret
truly the sentiments of their constituents and
the fundamental principles of our national
government.
: General McClellan's history and bis letter OF
acceptance are A,l that could be de-
sired; but the record of Mr.. Pendleton is
bad, and we are without letter in his
case. This deficiency it is the solemn duty Of
Mr. August Belmont and the other members of
the National Executive Committee to see rene
died at once, and remedied IN q manner that
will do away with the obnoxious and unpa-
triotic antecedents which unfortunately cling
to Mr.. Pendieton, and form the only milestone
around General McClelan's neck in the present
canvass. With perfectly sound, patriotic let
ter from Mr. Pend,eton the chances for the sue
cess of the democratic ticket would be increased
materially, while without some such distinct
aud emphatic utterance his antecedents will
prove an "Old Man Of the Sea- which even
General McClellens admitted popularity may
be unable to shake off or overcome. Let Mr..
August Belmont, therefore, see to it that his
candidate for Vice President shall forthwith
write letter adopting General McClellan's let
ter as the platform upon which be is willing to
appear before the people next November; and
in case Mr.. Pendleton. refuse to accede to this
proposition, then 1t at once becomes the duty
Of Mr.. Belmont to reconvene the Chicago Con-
vention, not in any Western village, but in this
metropolis Of the Union, for the nomination Of
another candidate for the Vice Presidency in
Mr.. Pendleton's place.