The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-09-16


scheme Of abandoning the war us rep
resenting their settled conviction, only
four delegates in the convention OIL
jecting 1t is of no use to come for
ward to day and pretend to forget all
this, or to make it subordinate to what
the candidate has said heretofore or
may yet say. Political platforms mean
something more than that in this
country; and especially must they
mean something more than that in
a case like the present, when the pco-
pie are bent upon the consideration of
questions altogether too vast to be
made dependent on mere personal is
sues. The country now understands
that the great problem now set before
it involves both its present honor and
its future unity and well-being, and it
will judge Of the intentions and claims
of the great political parties by refer
ence to their former declarations of
policy, and not by such shifting and
deceptive signs MS the stress of cam
paign now induces the democratic
leaders to give out
In othcrcolumas we re-pubhsh an ex-
tract from the New York DRy Nelcs a
leading democratic paper and give a
telegram in regard to Yallandigham'
course of procedure which are sig
nifcant hints of The political times and
indicate that there is trouble in the
wigwam
After all it matters but little what
are the individual opinions of the can
didate. He is the representative of a
party and the party has platform of
its own creation by which the candi-
date is governed. 1t would be idle or
absurd to suppose that an individual
can change or modify the policy of
national party which dominates him
to Office. As one of our co-tempora-
ries very properly states;
"The real question then is, what are
the principles-what is the policy Of
the party-what is the platform upon
which the candidate stands? 1t is use
less to ignore the obnoxious resolutions
adopted at Chicago. 1t is folly to at
tempt to construe them by the light of
subsequent events at Atlanta and Mo-
bile. 1t is too late for General Nc
Clellan or any one else to evade the
great dissatisfaction they have caused,
by construction as disingenuous as
it is futile 1t will but skin and film
the ulcerous place.
There the resolutions stand They
were deliberately adopted unani-
mously approved They were satisfac-
tory to Vallandigham and to the clam
orous mob which surrounded and in
fluenced, if it did not indeed control
the convention. He who runs may
read, and he who reads cannot fail to
understand them.
The divergence between the two par
ties is plainly marked, and will increase
every day until the election. 1t is a
question of peace or war-a certain,
substantial and final settlement of our
difficulties by the strong arm of pow
erful government, and the ef'ectual dis
truction of the rebel power or a dill
atory policy, uncertain, wavering, in
effectual and weak, commencing in
negotiations with traitors, propositions
of peace to those who will spurn them
in contempt, aud all resulting in re-
newal of the war, after the government
is weakened by dissensions, and the
enemy is strengthened by repose and
the confidence of final success. The
government is now. pursuing the war
with n vigor and success never before
exhibited The enemy are routed in
Georgia, astonished and dismayed. in
Alabama, discouraged in Virginia. Our
soldiers are everywhere i'll the highest
spirits. Our commanders only desire
Il few more men. The authorities are
straining every nerve TO furnish them,
and soldiers are hurrying to the front
by thousands every day Shall this
policy be pursued, or shall the wretch
ed doctrines Of the Chicago politicians
be substituted, and the present despair
of the rebel authorities be changed to
notes Of gladness and songs of Joy. ?"