Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-01-21

ment OF the people. It comes from no
political intrigue, but is.the forcing out
of the popular wish. 1t is'an honor for
| which Mr., Lincoln has not laborsd.
No word of appeal to any one has come
from his lips, and those who know ths
man, know that he labors on in his high
| place, content only TO do his duty and
to serve the country as long as it needs
his services. This characteristic unset
fishness has done much to awaken the
present extraordinary feeling in his
favor. II seems to be impossible that q
man so universally respected, and trust
ed, and beloved, should not be rrnomin-
ated and reelected. And, after all, the
voice OF the people is true and unerring.
A nation thinks slow, but its thoughts
are inspirations. The nation knows that
as Abraham Lincoln has been wise in
these three years of war, he should be
trusted to finish the work That work
is almost done; and generosity would
say that having been in the heat and
burden of the conflict having borne all
the tolls and troubles of these three
years, he should be permitted to enjoy
triumph he has done SO much to achieve.
spect this sentiment. As journalists, we
have refrained from the man worship
the war has so abundantly developed
We have felt that the nation was in n
strife for its existence, a strife involving
the principle of liberty-dear to us, as it
has been to freemen in every age We
have regarded men-whether Presidents,
cabinet ministers, generals, or soldiers
as the mere instruments of this strife,
and that whether they lived or died,
lost or won, it was nothing, so that the
country was saved. We have sustained
Mr.. Lincoln disinterestedly, because he
was our republics only head and cham
pion, and if his policy was defeated there
could be little hope for the nation. We
sustained him not that he might be
President again, for that belongs to the
people; but because he was right.
Other men have been mentioned as can
didates-statesmen and soldiers, who.
have served the country with fidelity.
They are worthy of all honor, and we
should rejoice to aid them in any aspi-
ratons, TO contribute to their triumph,
and to sustain them as we have sustain
ed MIR. Lincoln SO long as they remained
true to their country, and to the princi-
Piles involved ia this cause. This is not
the time to change leaders. That may
be done when we have earned the right
to elect them, and to enforce their au-
thority These statesmen and soldiers
have sustained Mr.. Lincoln, and they
will agree to what the people evidently
ask. We accept him as a candidate for
denomination and reelection, because
we believe the nation demands it, and
because more may be done by him to
strengthen the cause, and harmoniZe the
loyal masses in support Of the country,
than by any other citizen of the Repub-
lie. This is a result as desirable to us
as our success in the campaign, for we
should look forward with distress to any
movement that would create alienation
or bitterness in the country, or weaken
the popular support of the war. The
Republicans believe in him, for he was
their party choice. The loyal Demo-
Gratis believe in him. for he has been kind
and considerate to them, and has always,
in the most magnificent manner, reoog-
nized their devotion to the country. His
action in Missouri, where he refused to
{ oNS0uiS o. Ptti VI SAblCilt
and his action in Maryland, where he
refused to become partizan of the slave
aristocracy, have united around him men
of extreme differences of opinion-and
they will support him as the leader of the
Union party in the Presidential cam
paign. He, above all men. can unite the
friends of the cause--and in the cam
paign now operihg, union of our
friends vii. secure us victory.
There is something like grandeur in
this enthusiasm for Mr.. Lincoln, and the
universal desire to see him again the
leader of the friends of the Union. 1t
has majesty to which we yield. The
Importance of this Presidential Year
cannot be overlooked by the friends Of
the cause. 1t is the year of trial. The
disloyal look to it with an anxiety as
great as the dread of death, for If the
people re-elect Mr.. Lincoln or a states
man representing his Administration ii
will be an end of the wa4 or of any hone
OF foreign intervention. The rebellion
has reached this point, that its only
chance of success is in what Is called
the reaction of Northern sentiment. This
is last hope. If the people of the 10y
al States can be induced or seduced into
reversing all that has been done by disa-
vowing this Administration, then our
enemies abroad will have an argument
for intervention that we can neither an
swer nor avoid Treason in the South
will again rear its head and gam new
life in its withered and furnishing limbs.
All the blood we have shed will be as SO
much water, and all the money we have
spent as so much chaff. Wemust there
fore win this next campaign. We know
that the people, by a large majority, are
true to the Union, and our care must be
to make their voice heard and their in
fuence felt. We must stand before the
world as one nation-true to our past
pledges, and not unmindful of our future
glory. When the ballot box speaks in
December, it must say to the world that
the nation that fought Gettysburg and
Chattanooga, and spent thousands of
millions in favor of the principle, are
not disposed to abandon 1t now. In such
a crusade there can be no better leader
than Mr.. Lincoln. He represents the
glory of our cause. He has identified
himself with every movement we have