Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-11-16
The Spirit Of the President.-Let it be I'm
itated

TO the Lincoln Clubs which gave him 2 ser
enade, on Thursday night, he said
Now that the election is over, may not
all have common interest to reunite in a COM
mon effort to save our common country?
For my own part, | have striven and shall
strive to avoid placing any obstacle in the
way. SO long as | have been here [ have
not willingly placed thorn in any man 5
bosom. While | am duly sensible TO the
high compliment of reelection, and duly
grateful. as [ trust, to Almighty God for
having directed my countrymen TO a right
conclusion, rs l think, for their good, it adds
nothing 70 my satisfaction that any other
man may be disappointed by the result.
May [ ask those who have not differed with
me to join with me in this same spirit to-
ward those who have?"
We do most earnestly trust that these
magnanimous words viii be needed by the
people of both parties, and that all the hit
terness of the late struggle viii quickly dis
appear. We have reason to thank God for
what we deem to be the triumph of right.
We viii degrade this victory if we treat it as
an occasion for rejoicing in the disappoint-
ment aud humiliation Of any portion OF our
fellow citizens. The victory has It's worth.
not at ali because It is party or personal vic
tory, only because it Is a national blessing in
which all, whether they realize it or not are
alike interested, It should be our desire to
have this universally realized To that end
chance should be given for dispassiouate
reflection. All irritating language should
be avoided Aforbeariug and generous spir-
it conciliates confidence, and we trust that
henceforth it viii unitormalIy be displayed by
all who speak for the Union party. We
have had our fight, attended by all the We
hemence and the fierce blows incident to
great earnestness. There is ROW no longer
an occasion for such manifestations. The
battle is over. The end IS secured What
we need now Is kind feeling, and constant
effort to assimiiate al the late opposing po-
litical elements Of the North into one COM
mon public devotion, 50 that the Govern
ment shall have the fullest moral as we'll as
material strength, and the war soon find its
glorious issue in the crushing of the rebel
lion, and the honorable return Of the South
to the freest participation Of all the blessings
Of the Union.
The late supporters of Gen. MCCLELLAN
can gain nothing by the further opposition
to President LINCOLN. He cannot be dis
placed; and he will be supported by an i'm
mense majority in Congress, and by the
Governor and Legislature of nearly every
State. Mere party hostility can avail moth
ing. It's maintenance, therefore, can pro-
ceed from nothing but a spirit of faction.
We cannot believe that the masses OF the
Democratic party viii. without proyocation,
cherish any such spirit. OF course We un-
derstand that there are individuals who will
not, and cannot, rid themselves of it. 1t is
easier for an Ethiopian to change his skin
than for one who has been thoroughgoing
party hack to turn from his old paths. His
habit Of looking at things simply in their
party bearings has destroyed all capacity Of
moving on high public grounds; and if by
some strange fatality he is thrown there, he
Is sure to struggle back very quickly to his
old level. 1t is idle TO invoke any support
Of President LINCOLN from politicians Of
this description They are bound to oppose
him to the last day of his official life, and to
leave nothing untried that promises to weak
eu him The fact that ABRAHAM LINCOLN
was not the candidate Of their party, is rea-
son enough for them to do their best toward
obstructing every policy and measure lie
seeks to promote But the vast majority of
the Democratic party are capable OF more
rational conduct There can be no mistake
about this, for it was shown most impressive
| ly at the great uprising after the attack on
Sumter. The masses of all parties respond
ed electrically to the President call Had
+ not the Democratic masses thus responded
had the antagonism between the !, ,7Q2, 900
anti-Lincoln voters in 1860, in the present
loyal States, and the ,S57, 900 Lincoln voters,
continued-the rebel flag would long ago
have been floating from the dome of our
National Capitol. and the absolute conquest
of the North would have been made inevi-
table.
There Is no good reason why this same
public spirit of the people of both parties may
not be aroused to complete as it was arous-
tc begin, the overthrow of the rebellion
The object TO be realized is the same, and
the encourag cement even stronger Then it |
was impossible to foresee how long the pro-
digious energies of the rebellion would ena-
ble it to hold out. Now we know that those
energies are nearly exhausted Give the
President but the same staunch and fervent
support that he then received, and the re-
bellion will lie helpless, before the grass