The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-14
PEACE-DEMOCRACY
IMBROGLIO.
THE INclsIoN WIDENING.
McClellan's Letter Dissected by
DIR. Wood.
The Miserable Insignifoanoe Of the
General in the Eyes of the Peace
at-any-Price Democracy,
General McCIeIIan's Record.

From ne ~ T. Daily Nccs.
lisa well-known fact-too easily proven to
be denied even by the WOyld-that the contiden-
tial friends of General Mcclellan were desirous,
and made every effort to procure his nomination
without any platform at all. Leading Peace
Democrats were approached with that view, but
steadastly refused TO acquiCsCo in the proposition.
They did not desire General McClcllan's nomi-
nation under any circumstances, but would not
hear OF it or support It without prescribing some
landmarks to guide his policy in case Of his
election.
In other words, they were not willing 30 accept
his "record" as the embodiment of their pruci.
pies or rs the guarantee Of his fidelity to the
party and its purposes. The Chicago platform
was accordingly adopted to furnish some better
security, and without il no honest man, who was
present, will pretend that General Mcclellan
could have received the nomination.
That platform, it is notorious, was regarded
with great dissatisfaction by his especial friend,
of the War Democracy in this city and in Albany,
and we have information which we think iusti-
tes us in asserting that the editor of the VOrd,
Mr.. Marble, then at Chicago, did himself des-
patch a telegram to this city, in which he de-
scrbed the platform as "against u.s."
No one familiar with the customs and morals
of the World office will be surprised after this
statement, at the enthusiasm and pOstiveuess
with which the same journal has since declared
the platform to be in accordance with General
McClellans views and its own, and with the
declar9tans of his letter of acceptance or at the
fercLsfhs with which Mr.. Marble has denounced
the integrity of all who deny that it is and was
meant to be dedication of the Democratic party
10 the brutal policy of continued coercion and war
But our business is with General Mcclellan,
and not with his hangers on. As he had failed
to procure the nomination on the faith of his
"record," it was but reasonable calculation
upon his fair dealing-and indeed upon his
mOdesty-tO suppose that he would, without
doubt, decline the nomination, or accept it with
hn Af fha Vfy
from the policy which he was pleased 10 CON
slider as embodied in his "public life"
Much, therefore, as we were aStonished at
his distinct reputation of the platform, in his
letter of acceptance, we confess that we were
even less prepared for his extraordinary dGcara-
tion that he was "happy TO know" that "the re-
cord of his public lie was kept in view" when
the nomination was made. He knew, perfectly
well, when he made that declaration and his
friends and counselOrs who are now foOlng and
destroying him, knew equally well, that upon
his past life only, and without pledges for the
future, be would never have received the indOTse-
ment of the Convention, as we have already said.
He knew, and they knew, that if his record
was "kept in view at all, it was as a thing to be
regretted in the past and as a warning in the
future. Despite all this however, he has had
the boldness to plant himself upon it, and the
vanity and folly to show himself proud Of it.
We have therefore right to judge him from 1t,
and to test by it the legitimacy of his pree nsions
now to represent the principles and policy of the
Democratic party.
3
from General McClellau's letter of acceptance,
that he is pledged ms definitely as Mr.. Lincoln,
to the prosecution of the war, "at all hazards
and TO the bitter end, for the coercion of the
Southern States, and that he does not even pro-
pose 70 offer an armistice or open negotiations
until il is "cear, or a all event" "prOblbe," that
the Contederates are "ready for peace on the
basis of the Union"
He will not treat with them even to persuade
them into such readiness aud disposition. They
must be ready, Of their own accord, to return
TO the Union, or he will make war on them till
they become so. Now, LEI us look mt his "rocOrd
TO ascertain what war means, in his hands, and
according TO his principles
LIST. 1t means a rigorous conscrpton, as at
tested by his letter 10 President Lincoln.
I'd. IL means the annihilatiOn of State inde-
pendence and the suppression OF State govern
ments by military power, as evidenced by his
dealings with the Legislature of Maryland.
Sd. 1t means the military arrest and imprisOn-
mentof citizens, without oath or warrant in
States where judicial process is uninterrupted
and their removal beyond the jurisdiction of the
competent tribunals, TO be confined in remote
fortresses, without accusation and without lm
Of time, at the caprice of the Federal EXecu
tive or his subordinates. To this the removal
and imprisonment of the members of the
Maryland Legislature and other citizens of tha
State, by Geueral Mcclellan in the Fail of 1861
bear unquestionabe witness.
4th IL means military interference with elec.
tions, as shown by his correspondence witt
General Banks in regard to the Maryland cleo
tions of 1861, TO be found on pages thrty-twC
and thirty-three of the pamphlet of "Secret Cor
respOndence."
9th. IL means the suppression of newspaper,
and the arrest of their editors aud printers, a
shown in the case Of the Baltimore journals
which were broken up contemporaneousy will
his suppression OF the Legislature of Maryland
9th. 1t means the entire subordnation of tn
army to the will of the Executive, whether cXer
cised consttutionally or in ilagrant violation o
the Constitution, and the denial of their right t
canvass, much less 20 dsobey, the orders of thei
superors, even though obedience may inyOlv
the wholesale overthrow of the most slcre
, rights OF person, property, and citizenship.
For this, our authority is the address of Gene
raj Mcclellan to the Army Of the POtOmlc, ate
the promulgltion of the Presidents Emancipa
ton Proclamation, and classified as General Ol
Reading in all these acts and declaration
F. which the "public life" OF General McClclld
dscloses to us either an utter Ignorance of TIA
laws and constitution of his country, o. a trul
military and sovereign contempt for them an
the rights which they enshrne, how can We
how is II possible for any mau-tO look the Am(
rican people in the face and profess to beliey
that General Mcclellan stands, upon hi
"rCcoTd, aA eXI onent Of the principles and fee
ings OF the Democratic party
lie is not only the champion Of coercion b
war, which is q cardinal heresy from the d 3mC
cratic faith but he is for war with all the abuse
and violence, and usurpation which have alread
made the existing struggle more dangerous I
the liberties of the North than to the indepeI
dence Of the South. He is the representative
military necessity, military Jurisdiction, an
military subserYiency. He is the enemy of frC
( discussion and free thought. He is the adyoca'
2 ofarmed intervention in the halls Of egisato
and at the ballot-bOX.
This is his own history, not only told by hin
self but recalled by his own lips for the admir-
ton of his countrymen. If this be Democracy
we have studied in vain the principles Of th'
party to which, till now, we had fOndly locke
for the salvation of the country from despO
ism, anarchy, bankruptcy, and perdition. BE
what Il may Il is not our faith and we will N
bow down 10 il.
Encouragement of Cotton CaIture i