Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-04-28
The Coming Campaign.

srnment has been engaged In an effort to n
suppress one of the most powerful rebel .
lions the world has ever witnessed. A re-
bellion inaugurated by the disappointed and 4
defeated politicians Of the Democratic par u
~, when the people in the exercise Of their c
constitutional authority, removed the scep' y y
ter of power from their unworthy, their ;
trescherous hands. During those three '
years Of exhsustins, destroying war, these $
leaders, those of them at least that have
not arrayed themselves in open, armed
hostility against the Government, have been
doing all they could, honestly aud dishonest
", to prejudice the people against their
rulers to destroy their confidence in the
Government, to magnify its errors, and to
prevent its successful conquest of the rebel
lion. They sing the syren song of peace,
when the foe they have armed is striking
ut the vitals Of the Nation, and will have
no peace save that which is based upon a
divided, dismembered Government. They
have fought campaign sfter campaign, in
State after State, upon the issue of peace
and division, until the overwhelming YER
diets OF the people have convinced them
there is no hope Of success upon that issue,
and now in the great contest upon which
we are about to enter, they are tacking their
sails, dscarding their Woodses and Val
landighams, and providing them with
annuities by subscription, and are anxiously
looking for candidate with the prefix of
General to his name, with which to gull the
ignorant and deceive the credulOus, but
one whose accomplishments on the field
have been of such questionable character
that it will take longer time than from
now until the election to find out whether
he is in favor Of the war or not.
There is but one man connected with the
without much loss, could sacrifice his pa
trotism upon the altar of his insatiate am
bition, and become the war candidate Of
peace party. He is the General who moved
fastest when he stood still, done most when
he done nothing, cried give, give, and was
never satisfied, quarreled with his superior
officers, wrote long reports detailing what
he might have done but what he did not
do, finished hiscampaign under the shadow
Of tho Capitol, after exhausting and des-
, troying one of the best armies ever placed
! under the command of any General in mod
, ern times. Then retiring to private life cry
ing peace peace to the ghosts Of the
brave soldiers murdered by his want of skill
| and generalship in the sickly swamps OF tho
Chickahomeny until he has become so in
amored with that word that he is willing to
place himself in the ranks Of those who
have made it their battle cry. Aud as their
leader, with his sword forged into vase
filed with the olive branch, he is ready to
march at the head of this army of peace,
for the conquest Of the rebellion.
Will the nomination of Gen. George b.
Mcclellan as the war candidate of the peace
Democracy, change the character Of that
' party? The men who voted for Vallandig
ham because he was in favor Of peace secur
cd by division Of the country, are in tavo
Of Mcclellan because he is willing to be
come the candidate of the peace party, AM
because they think his connection with th'
army will secure him some votes from wa
= men, and thus increase the possibility o
=" the success of their party. They are still
u peace men, their party is still peace party
u but it is in a hopeless minority. and
. change OF policy, not of principle, is con
> cesson they arc willing to make, for th
y purpose, if possible, Of securing success J.
~ Is any one to be deceived by this shs"oV
,, pretcxt?
= "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, Of
- the Leopard his spots then may ye alsC
70 do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
u Can it be possible that these men who fo
y y, three years have been exertng all their in
!" huencc against the war, and who, before tn,
:, ~ war began, encouraged those who com
IL menced it to the preparation Of the over
act, and who have fought campaign afte
V campaign against the war, have suddenl!
VI repeated Of their SINS and become convert
y, - from the error Of their ways2 We admi
" such thing is possible, but not very prob
. ., able. Let the true and loyal men Of tn
~ country say to them, is you are really il
g. favor Of sustaining the Government an,
u crushing the rebellion, now, you do no
y stand where you did last fall, and if tn
u "hand writing upon the wall, seen in tn
=. last campaign has caused you to chang
'e % your views, VIC have no objections to takin
y" you on trial: Bring forth fruit meet 70
repentance y and if the sequel proves yo
to be honest we will do something for you
But now, just when the party that has bee
ls- welding the powers Of the Government
,te against your influence, for the suppression
Ir- Of the rebellion, and the vindisation Of tn
W. Nations honor, has arrived at that perior
for and surrounded itself with those influence
Ar that promise speedy, certain success, it /
MS. asking too much of US to abandon those tie
ol- friends, and these prospects of success, an
.. q