Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-03-11
The Presidential Question.

The following sensible article l. from tho
Boston Traveller
The mon National Committee has called
/ a National Convention. 70 meet on the eth
I OF June, at Baltimore, for the purpose Of
nominating candidates for the Presidency
and Vice Presidency Of the United State.
The call Is addressed 70 al who are in favor
Of a vigorous prosecution Of the war. and
Of removing the wars cause.-which ought
TO be satisfactory 10 men Of the most adj
yanced views, as it points with unmistakable
plalnness 10 the abolition Of slavery. the
chief object Of he'radicals' 1t gratifying 10
see that there is no attempt 70 avoid the
great issue 10 which liberal mems minds
have been 50 steadily directed from the he
ginning OF the contest. and the effect will he
good both at home and abroad. Here the
frank acceptance Of the inevitable effect OF
events Will tend 20 remove all cause for seri-
Gus dlssenslOn and in Europe 1t will be seen
that we are marching with the times. and
DO not mean % hold out any hope u slave
holders All that has saved u from Europ-
can intervention was the conviction that We
were hghung against slavery, whether we
meant 80 70 fight OF not and now European
liberals will see that we recognize our posi-
ton, and do not hesitate 70 av0w our PURPOSE.
thus lustiiylng their confidence in and support
OF our cause. Even those who in Europe
are opposed to Us have been compelled 70
protest against their being supposed capable
OF unfolding slavery, and their influence
Will be lessened by the publication
Of the fact that the war uarty
has placed itself squarely on the
anti-slayery platform, and admits that it,
success implies the abolition ofthe diabolical
institution in America The time for the
meeting Of the Convention appears to be
judlciously selected, beng almost a month
earlier than the time selected for the holding
Of the Democratic Convention. As to the
nomination tor the Presidency. 1t is too early /
70 say much on so interesting point. At
present, Mr.. Lincoln appears 10 have the
neld pretty much 70 himself, and We see no |
reason for suppOsing that he will fail to !
hold the ground he occupies, unless some
very serious reverses should befall our arms. I
Assuming that We shall succeed in war dur I
ing the next three months, We NAV also as
sumo that President Lincoln Will be nomina-
ted for reelection and his nomination
would amount TO success. To say that be
will be nominated in June, if the same thing
as saying that be viii be reelected in No
Vember. No importance should be attached
TO the rumOrs or reports that this or that
gentleman would run against Mr.. Lincoln.
Men would be found indlsposed to 20 INTO
bolt next summer, who in this winter
season may think very lightly Of such action.
We believe that Mr. Lincoln would encoun-
er no other opposition than that which
would be made by the democrats. who Will
nave their regular candidates in the field.
'ut with no very hopeful prospect Of elect
ng them, unless there should happen some
,reat change, such az it does not now enter
he minds Of even the most dreaming of
peculators TO consider possible. The Pres
Dental election is well nigh Of the nature
foregone conclusion, and We need not
roube ourselves much about its decision
lr. Lincoln's reelection would break that
)ne-term" rule which has prevailed for
uarter Of century, and the existence of
-hich has had much to do with bringing the
'cessiOn war upon US. The war would ,
ave been postponed for twenty years.
erhap 1t might have been altogether avoid
had not every Presidential election !
nee that Of 1886 brought a double evil up- \
D the country. Not only have We had the -
binary and inevitable struggles between
lrties, but parties themselves have been
nvulsed by the action Of the followers of J
any aspirants to the nominations of those :,
rites for the Presidency. There has been
rest, and the competition for the next u
has been commenced on the very al
Y that saw an election decided Mr. Lin
ms reelection would effect a change in ar
Is respect, that should be beneficial to the
ton The country would fall back upon
e old practice, and thereby would gain the
ance of obtaining regular occurrences Of IL
RODS Of comparative repOse. The slave
lders would not acknowledge Mr.. Lincoln
President for one term, and the probable
eet Of their folly.as regards thePresidential F.
ce, will be TO give him second term. to
lich, 1t may be assumed, he never would \
We thought of aspiring bad matters been -,
owed TO take their old constitutional y"
lrse.