The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-09-08
BILE means should be used for its pres

It's candidate is like its PLATFORM
Wherein is Gen. Mcclellan represen-
tative of peace, except in his utter
failure in war? Where is the evi.
dence of his craftsmanship except in
the proof that he is good for nothing
else? And what must the War De-
mocracy which chooses for its repre-
sentative the embodiment of military
failure and incapacity? The so-called
Peace Democracy wanted the eclat Of
a military hero to appeal to the popu-
lar feeling; so they chose military
hero who never won battle nor trust
ed himself under fire. The so-called
War Democracy, protesting to be for
prosecution Of the war for a restora-
tiOn Of the Union, chose General
whose most vigorous prosecution Of
the war was thought by his own
friends to be conducted with the de-
liberatc intention to bring about a
peace by cxhausting the resources OF
the government in war without re-
suits.
The party support of this candidate
is as false as its platform. OF all the
men who shouted for MCCLELLAN in
that Convention, probably not one be-
lieved him to be a competent military
man. or that he had any ideasof states
manship. If in his military. career he
has acted without treachery, he has
tried to putdown the rebellion by force,
a thing which the Confederate Dcmo-
cracy say can never be done, and that
it is violation Of the Constitution to
try to do it. He is obnoxious to them
by his intentions, and this is IN no
wise mitigatcd by bis failure from in
capacity.
| lie was amaigned in the Convention
as obnoxious to all the charges Of ar
bitrary arrests and interference with
elections and with State Legislatures
that were made against the Admins
tration, and no one could deny it.
Yet the Convention nominated him
because the members thought that al
though they despised him, he had an
element Of popularity outside the De
mocratic party, and especially in the
army. The party swallowed this nau-
scousc dose, because they believed that
outside the party there were some that
thought it palatable.
1t is not the first time that an un-
founded belief in the availability Of a
candidate has set all the politicians to
shouting for him as the candidate Of
the people, and has thus out Of pure
fiction created an appearance of over,
wholming popularity But the coun'
try has also seen before now, how sud
denly this bubble Of popularity may
collapse. Popularity which is not
founded in personal faith, but in the
belief that it exists in the breasts o.
other people, is an ignis tatuus which
ever eIudes pursuit, and which fails
where the bog is deepest. And SC
will this fancied popularity of McClel
Ian which the Democratic party have
assumed on faith contrary to their owl
convictions. 1t will never be found
and none will curse him so heartily al
the party which sold itself so cheaply
on its own credulity.
The party which opposed the sold
ier's franchise has now nominated
candidate to draw the soldiers vote
The party which declares all our mill
tary operations failures, has selected
the greatest failure of all for its mill
tary hero. The party which proclaim'
that our soldiers can never succeed il
putting down the rebellion asks then
to vote for putting it in power to sur
render all their achievements and th,
graves of their comrades to the enemy
And to this it adds the insult of {
promise of care, protection and kind
ness in return for their votes.
The platform is as cowardly anC
false for what it omits to mention. q
for what it contains. 1t rejected th
= resolutions of '9S, containing Stat
rights with the right of secession as
, logical conclusion, although Demo
cratic National Conventions have re
iterated them for the last twenty years
1t refused the State right of secession
, but put it into practical effect upol
D the cowardly plea that we cannot pre-
} vent it by force. 1t gave no expires
0 sion on the terms it would concede o,
0 the slavery or any other question, t
. procure peace and Union. Its Who'll
: scope aud substance is a declaration c
t inability and helplessness to preven
D the Confederates from destroying th
@ Union, and an attack upon the Gov
. ernment or the incidents Of the war.
t The performance of the Conventio
: seems to us the very ultimate of veal;
ness, falschood and cowardice. 1t
: customary for Democratic platform
$ to be double faced and dodging, Blu
d in this performance the snealling pal
= seems to be overdone, and both face
n are cowardly. And its candidate fc
o the Presidency is like unto it.
The candidate for the Vice Pres
u dency believes with tho platform thu
g the Union cannot be restored by fore
u and, therefore, we must abandon I'll
u effort and take such terms as the rebe
u will grant. Ho believes in fightin
i the rebellion with an armistice an
9 submission. He can stand on n peaC
a and surrender platform without incol
: sistency. 1t is a queer illustration
n the straits of the Democratic part
" that n man of respectable attainment