Weekly national intelligencer., 1864-03-03


second term but this declaration did not stand in
the way of his denomination or Of his reelection.
And the friends of President Lincoln urge that
there are obvious considerations of political pro-
priety and public expedency which argue in favor
of his denomination and reelection at this time.
In the first place, they aver that he has proved
himself a wise and capable Chief Magistrate in a
period of unexampled difficulty; that he has COM
bined moderation with vigor, and has SO timed or
phrased the EXTREMIST measures of his policy as
not wholly to break the unity of the Loyal States
that if he has not gone fast in the way of adopt
ing radical measures some would wish, he has
at least gone far as was judicious at any given
PERIOD and has thus shown union of practical sa-
gacity with theoretical boldness
In addition to this, it is urged that any change
of Administration while the country is in the heart
of q great war cannot fail to be disastrous to the
nation, by deranging the plans of the Government
already matured and set in motion, and by inspr-
ing new hopes in the breasts of the enemy Mr..
Lincoln should be allowed to consummate what he
has thus far carried on SO we'll, if not with the
pected. And these considerations of expediency
are REINFORCED by arguments derived from the fit
ness of things, when it is said that Mr.. Lincoln
has sort of moral claim to be reelected, that he
may enjoy the honor of being the President de
facto as we'll as de Jjure of the whole United
States-a right to which he was constitutionally
entitled by virtue of his first election, but into the
possession of which he has not been permitted to
enter by reason of the insurrection.
On the other hand there political friends of
the President who, without contesting his actual
merits, do not fnd in the experiences of the last
three years of his official life the guarantees they
desire for the next Presidential term, with its civil
and military complications. They urge that the
one-term principle" has become more than ever
appropriate to the political situation of the
try. If the overshadowing influence of the Exc
cutive, with the temptations to WELD that in
fuence in favor of a reelection, were source of
apprehension under former Administrations, how
much greater, they say, should be those apprehen-
sions at the present day, when the power of the
President is SO immeasurably increased by his
possession of the sword and purse of the nation
But, perhaps, we may here state the objections
brought against Mr.. Lincoln's eligibility by his
political friends in the words of one whom he has
publicly recognised as an cold friend" and with
whom he has established relations of public CORES
pondence in regard to the policy of his Admins
tration. As journal has had larger influence in
moulding and shaping such of the measures of Mr..
Lincoln as were avowedly yielded to the "pre,sure"
of opinion than the New York Tribune, he will
recognise in it's conductor one who is qualified to
state with frarkness and candor how far he is
supposed by such "frieuds" as he sought most
to conciliate to have fallen below their expecta-
tions and the just expectations of the country.
We quote from a recent manifesto under the sig
nature of Horace Greeley as follows:
"Shall renomnate Mr. Lincoln and endeavor to re-
produce, far may be, 1860 in 1864 My judgment
indicates different policy different purpose. do not
believe that the which true, intelligent regard for
the Presdents happiness and fame would prescribe
Mr. Lincoln has been leader through very arduous
aud trying struggle He has made mistakes-as all
bave-but, the whole, he has done we'll Not always
seeing far those who farthest he has been faith
ul to his light and has honestly faithfully done what he
det med required of him by patriotism and duty. Were
he to announce his peremptory withdrawal from
public life the 4th of March 1865 the closing year Of
bis Presidential term would be OF the proudest and
happest OF bis life. 1t would Snper be any ones in.
terest to assa trsduce him. The base suggestion that
he protractDg the var to serve his own ambition
would be rebuked by those who reiterse It, He
would be surrounded by general Manifestations Of love
and gratitude which recent President has commanded
or deserved His would be forgotten bis virtues
would be magnied and dwelt upon and all would be dis
posed to make the close of bs official pleasant
its opening ominous and its general tenn
pestuous.
but let him be candidate for denomination and
election, and all this will be sadly different The dsas
ters the burdens the debts tho hopes deferred Of the last
three years will all be revived TO bs prejudice and parsd
ed before the public eye to his injury II will be insisted
long II be without too ready confutatou that his
reelection implies repetition Of all that unfoI tu
nate :nd discredtabe in the recent history Of
try with ntermnable war and mmeasurabe debt. The
facts that Jackson and CLAY ase condemned the reeec
ton ofa President in Office that both parties hsye sssert
ed the correctness Of the oneterm principle that Pre-
sden has for thirty years been elected though several
haye sought to be, will all be considsred to his dsadvan
tage the pappar belief that the reelection Of Pyes
dent Involves the retention in Office Of the great OF
his appontees-every thing would work against him.
do say that he would be besten trust that he would
oot-but do say that such result would be more than
possible and that s likely to occur with the Pre-
siden renomnated than II among the nbles and wor
hest Of the statesmen soldiers who have sustained his
administration we're selected to succeed him And de.
feat with him would be mortifyng more bumiliat
ing more disastrous than would defeat with any other
candidate However intended, 1t would look like a con
asmnaon OF the great struggle wherein Lron en-
gagged for the integrity OF the Republic and the Freedom
| OF Man.
"such are some of the considerations which induce me
to hope that Mr. Lincoln viii not be candidate for
| election"