Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-11-02

In any part OF the city can nave IL IoAS "
carriers by leaving orders at the LEADEE''
Counting Room. Agents supplied By
first aftarnoon train. --- a
The Issues In the coming Presiden
ttaI EIecdOn.---The Approaching Crt
sis I'm The Republic.
1t is only the assertion of the most CON-
mOn-place proposition to assert what has
been affirmed thousand times, that the
Issues at stake. in the coming Presidential
struggle are the most momentous ever
committed to humsn decision. And yet
1t is none the less necessary to re-afirm
the statement, however obvious it may be-
in a time when part issn feeling and pre-
judices are often obscured or forgotten, so
that it is unsafe to rely always upon any
innate power of eonquering, which Truth
IS supposed to possess. Though Truth and
Justice may rise again, they are often
crushed and fail to rise again for centuries,
simply from the want of that efficient Ia
Dor in their behalf which is the one oondi-
tion Of their triumph -.
The issues now before the country are
such as involve the whole future of this
great American people The policy to be
inaugurated during the coming four years,
Is TO decide the veal or woe of the Repub-
Hc.sOu the one hand is the question wheth-
er the Republic shall continue to exist in
all the strength, n1ejesty and glory ofs ter
ritorial integrity that stretches from sea to
ses and from lake to gull. On the other
hand is the possibility of q number of
what Mr.. Stevens of Georgia calls
equal, sovereign powers of
States, discordant, belligerent snd
prey to all the jealousies which involve
nations living side by side in perpetual
quarrel. This Is no ordinary issue.
When we contemplate what we may
yet be, If our integrity as nation is main
tanned, when the vast unoecupied territory
Of the West and the South shall be
peopled by hardy, free and intelligent
people, numbering over q hundred mill
ions, the utmost reach Of the imagination
fsils to comprehend the glory and thepow-
er which await us. The proudest empires
Of the Old World would pale with inef-
fectuAl Ightin the presence of a power so
mighty in its influence on the destinies
of mankind, so secure in the possession Of
freedom and so invulnerable to the attacks
Of ambitious monarchies and despots.
With each citizen in the ample enjoyment
Of his insfensble right to life, liberty and
the pursuit of hsppines, it would seem that
the progress of humanity for over six
thousand years, had at last eliminated in
the perfection of al human governments.
Nor is this an idle dream.
It is entirely within the limits Of
rational expectation to look forward to
the realisation of this glory, if once the
power and glory of the nation are vindi-
Gated over this wicked rebellion. There
never again can besuch an unnatural strife
as this in the event of q complete victory.
Those adaptations of the constitution by
which each new necessity Of the people
may legally be satisfied in amendment to
its letter, will be sufficient, as they should
have been before this rebellion, to
stay the psrricidsl hand that may be lifted
against the Republic. That wonderful
system Of checks and balances in our Gov
ernment and in the Constitution of the
land, which has been the admiration of the
best thinkers and political economists of
she world, will prove adequate to any
emergencies that may arise. -
On the other hand, the contemplation
of Germanio Confederation instead of
Union one and indivisible, is sickening to
the heart of the patriot.
The issue then, is q mighty one The
people of the North must decide as to
which Of these futures they viii choose
On the one hand is the territorial integrity |
Of the RepubIc-the assertion Of its power
over armed rebellion; on the other hand
Is apology for the rebellion, confession that
the war for the Union has been 3 hideous
failure and blunder, disgrace in the esti-
matien of the civilized world, withdrawal
Of our armies from territory jthst justly
belongs to Freedom, and Anal disorgan-
ization.
But even more than the Union is at
stake. Great principles, involving every
thing to mankind, are TO be determined on
the 9Th of November. It will then be de-
cided whether Free labor shall be the law
of the land, or whether slave labor shall
compete with the honest workngmen who
own themselves, and whose interests are
opposed TO those Of slave Ia
Dor. Either new guarantees are to be
given to slavery, the dead body is 70 be
or the law ot the land is to be
Freedom. If the rebellion is to result in
making the origin and cause Of it stronger
than ever, then indeed it will have achiey-
ed its purpose. The sacrifices of the Re-
public, while possibly maintalnir z its uni
y, have nevertheless given new vigor to
she elements ofits oWn6naI destruction.
The unity of the nation and the Interests
If Free Labor are the stake which Is cast
INTO this terrible wsr. Every citizen
hould look upon the present struggle in
his large and liberal way. He should d. l