Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-09-14
McLELLANs LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE.

AA VIZ 80 NV GEA Cn Ox ACScI ANSL.
STRATEGY has always been a favorite
science with Gen. NJ Clellan, in his military
operations His letter of acceptance, which
We print in another column, clearly demon
strates the fact that he is attempting to use
it also in the political campaign which has
been fully opened by his nomination at Chi
cago. The pla: form adopted there distinct
ly declares that "the experiment of war to
restore the Union has been failure" and
demands that immediate efforts be made
for cessation of hostilities. These are
the most distinctive characteristics of the
Chicago structure These are the points
upon which the people have right to know
precisely what the nominee thinks and is
prepared to do; and candidate of thorough
manhood would have met them with an un-
equivocal assent or dis sent. This Gen. Nc
Clellan studiously avoids in his letter of ac-
ceptance With bold front he fights shy
of the main issue presented. Instead of at
tacking it directly, he goes to digging in the
sN amps of unmeaning generalities and to
throwing up breastworks of ambiguous phra-
zoology Whilst talking about the opera
ton of a more vigorous nationality" and of
preserving the Union at all hazards" he
at the same time indulges in the declaration
that 'the Union was originally formed by
the exercise of spirit of cancellation and
compromise" and ito restore and preserve
1t the same spirit must preraH az our co,a,-
cals and in the hearts of our people" In
one breath he lntimates that .'the existence
OF more than one government cannot here
be tolerated, and in another he declares that
the war has not been carried on for ''the a.
vowed object for which it was commenced >"
Now, what does all this mean? Is Mac
for War, or is he for Peace? Is not his let
ter, when considered in all its bearings, a
palpable attempt to flank the questions
which bear directly upon the welfare of the
country, and to wheedle into his support
both wings of the Democracy? 1t is quite
evident that the aim throughout is to give
no offence to any portion of his party; but
what is worse, there is not syllable, from
one end of his letter to the other, derogato-
ry of the 'Confederates' not a word of
condemnation of the Rebels-on the contra
~ they are very respectfully styled our
present adversaries, and whatever of op-
probrlum he has to utter, is expressed against
our own Government as now administered
In this latter respect the letter accords well
with the platform. Ifthe meaning were clear
ly set forth in words, it would probably in 9TH
ers also, for Mac says, near the conclusion of
his letter, that he accepts the nomination
believing that the views he has expressed
are those of the Convention When he
penned that sentence he knew, as did every
reader OF the current news of the day, that
the Convention was controlled by allandig-
ham, the Seymours, the Woods and other
Peace hrawlers. How, then, are we to re-
concile some of his utterances with his &C
eeptance of a nomination made by such men !?
The conviction inyountarily forces itself up
on one $ mind that Gen. NJ Clellan and Sey-
mour, Wood & Co. understand each other
fully, and that they are playing conf
dence game" bywhich everybody else is to be
cheated and they Jointly benefited. Wheth-
or they will succeed or not, remains to be
seen. For our own part, we have no doubt
of the result. We have an abiding faith in
the intelligence and patriotism of the peo-
ple-that at the election in November they
viii 60 to the polls and rs-elect Abraham
Lincoln as PresiAn. of the United Stasee