Weekly Trinity journal., 1864-03-19

THE VICE PREsIDENcy.-While the loyal men
of this State have almost unanimously declared
in favor of Abraham Lincoln as their first choice
for the Presidency, thereby endorsing the Ad-
ministration in its efforts to restore the Union
public opinion, as evidenced though the medium
of the press and through county conventions
appears to be divided as to who shall be accorded
the second place on the Union ticket Throwing
aside the little influence which State pride has
created in putting forth one of our own citizens
for that position, there seems to be but two OF
the leading men of the nation spoken of promi-
nently in that connection, to of whom in all
probability the vote of the California delegation
will be given. Either of these are admirably
qualified to fill that or any other position in the
Government, but after a careful examination of
the merits of the two, unhesitatingly declare
against Benjamin F. Butler and accord our
preference to Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee.
Butler is n statesman of more than ordinary
abilities. In every position in which he has been
placed, whether in the Legislative halls of the
nation, as a member of the Cabinet, or at the
head of Union armies in the field, he has shown
himself to be in every way equal to the occasion.
At this present crisis in the affairs of our coun-
try We mead the services of such man in some
capacity where his great and varied talents will
be of the most service. The position of Vice
President, although in point of honor the second
in the nation affords but little scope for the ex
ercise of those hig talents which are possessed
by Butler in such eminent degree 1t has
never been bestowed upon any of the great minds
of the country since the days of the elder
Adams. who while he accepted the place from
sense of duty chafed under the restrictions which
were imposed upon it. To such minds as Clay
Webster and Calhoun the position had no
charms ; they preferred the post of a Senator of
the United States, although had either of the
two first named consented to take the second
place on the ticket in 1910 or in '48, he would
have succeeded in his cherished aim and been
the President of this Republic. And in an hour
like the present when duty calls every man to
the post for which he is best htted we think 1t
would be an outrage on Mr.. Butler, and calam-
ity to the country to call upon him to fill the
subordinate place of Vice President of the
United States. His admirers, and we claim to
be one of them, need not fear that his claims on
the country will be overlooked, and either m his
present position a member of Lincoln S
new Cabinet, we will still have him in the service
of the Government.
We are not intending to disparage Andrew
johnson. Far from it. He is first choice
for Vice President, and we deem it the duty of
Northern Unionists to confer the honor upon
him. He does not belong to the third rate class
of statesmen from which the candidates for that
office are usually taken, and should he succeed
to the Presidential chair, would have ruler
in whose executive abilities could have every
confidence. But wish to see the Union ticket
taken from the different sections of the country,
and each man placed at the post which he is
best fitted to guard.