The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-01-06
The PFasiaency,

among those coppefheads who ara thrusting
Forward Mcclellan, but among the loyal
Unionists. This disposition on the part of
Unionists is stsrnly febuked by sevsrsl head
ing Union journals, among them the New Yorl;
Tribune. This Sourpaa thinks We had better
assure onrse1vessof of the fact thatwe shall have
the privilege of electing President to rule
over all the States, before we exercise our
selves with anxious care as to Mr.. Lincoln's
successor. Here we have a glimpse of MIR.
Greeley,s weak faith. He admits that he has
not shared the confidence which the mass of
the loyal people have seemed to cherish Of a
successful result, in efforts to put down the
rebellion. He acknowledges, however. an in
vigoration of his faith by late Union triumphs,
and thinks we may now get through and save
the Union. With all Mr.. Greeley's acknowl-
edged ability, patriotism, and unselfsh devo-
ton to the cause of the country, it must be
acknowled that his opinions and predictions
have too often lacked the element of sagacity,
to make them very reliable. Among our
public men, none have so sften taken the back
track, acknowledging error Of opinion, posi-
tion, and prediction as he. This is certainly
complimentary to his honesty, if not to the
wisdom of his views. -
The Tribune contends that six months
hence, will be quite early enough to discuss
the question Of Mr. Lincoln's successor. This
may be true, and unquestionably is, if such
discussion is TO be conducted in partisan
spirit, and carried forward in the bitterness of
personal rivalry, by the respective champions
of ambitious aspirans. If such is to be the
character of the discussion, not only six
months, but six years, would be too early to
introduce it. But if this plausible and spe-
cious pretext for postponing discussion of the
next Presidency. has its origin, as is quite
likely, in the hopes of certain aspirants that
something may turn up, in the months to
come, more favorable to their ambitious views
than they can now discover, the sooner the
question is agitated the better-agitated, to be
sure, in the spirit of candor and moderation.
No man can successfully deny that the
vast majority of the loyal masses do, to-day,
desire that Abraham Lincoln shall be his own
successor. This preference of the loyal
masses should be voiced by the local and gem
eral press throughout the States. It's none
too soon to begin the work. An expression
of the honest convictions and warm hearted
preferences of the people should not be re-
pressed by the supple wire-werkings of am
bilious aspirants, and their champions. No
American citizen enjoys to SO large an extent
the admiration, the respect and confidence of
the people as does President Lincoln. Any
attempt on the part of aspirants in, or out of
his Cabinet, to supplant him, viii be sure to
meet the emphatic disapproval of the people.
In this case the voice of the people is the
voice of God.' It will be difficult to diyest
the popular mind of the idea, that President
Lincoln has been as truly raised up for this
great crisis as was George Washington for the
position he occupied in the stormy days of
the Revolution. There are two elements in
the character of Abraham Lincoln, which in
spire unbounded confidence, namely, his hon.
.ssy and sagacity. s
It is not our purpose now, to go at length
into the subject. But we intend soon to re-
cur to it again. Meanwhile, we here say, and
indits this article more particularly to say.
that the manifest set of the Presidential cur
rent should not be kept ont of view by wait
ing six months for some Cabinet Minister, or
General in the field or our of it, to lay his
mousing schemes for the succession. We are
in the midstof assremendous civil war, not
yet completed No man can now predict its
end, orths manner of it, though the popular
impression is thatit cannot be far distant. II
would be criminal TO weaken the arm of the
Goyernmentby a base scramble for the Presi-
dency. The instincts of the people are un-
erFing, and the people instinctively feel that
the greatest safety lies in the prolongation OF
his Administration, who, with such signal
strength and intelligence of view, has grown
up into full appreciation of the cause of our
national disasters, and of the indispensable
necessity of eradicating that cause 1t is an
assured and clear conviction, from all the signs
and aspects of the times, thatit is the major
wish of the people, that Abraham Lincoln,
the honest, true hearted, ,unselfsh and devoted
friend of his country, and his; schole country
should bs his own successor. Let the preg-
/ bnant events If the coming year be watched
for verifcation, or confutation of this conf
IDENTIFY expressed opinion. e
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