Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-03-15
From the Philadeiphia Press. 7th
The Presidency.

The Presidency.
Mr.. Greeley suggests that the Presi-
dent would show higher example, and
leave better fame, if, instead of con-
senting to denomination, he would go
into retirement at the end Of his term,
with the praise and good wishes of all
parties. This is pleasant sentiment, to
be sure, but is it wise? The Father of
his Country, Washington himself, might
have retired at the end Of his first term,
but his work was not accomplished till he
had served two Has Mr.. Lincoln ceased
growing or will his mission be ended
with his term? The people believe not,
Mr. Lincoln grew from the people and
the people grow with him. A great gen.
eral might carry on the war better, if he
had no other duty than to carry on the
war, and we will grant for the purpose of
argument, that some other administra-
tor of the Government might urge GER
tain essentials of policy with more rigor
and remorselessness; but there is a peo-
pie behind all our policies which the ru-
Ter must draw with him. We have many
very individual men and leaders of class
es and communities, bnt one isgood only
for killing the rebels, another is good
only for crushing slavery, another is ex-
scellent for putting down disloyalists, and
still anotheris an admirable man for
having his own way, but none are for
ltunate with those manifold gifts which
are needed for the reunion of the coun.
i try. We are repeating no cant argd.
ment, and only express that which seems
-to-us the truth oil. experience The Pres.
sident, as an individual, is as much as
fany ;sbut as a. representative man his
position, !, if nothing else, would make hin
more. He has begun the work, and has
/ SO far carried it on ably and successful
i ". He led the American people, and a
the Incline obeyed them. To csrrl
on the warwith~ vigor, and yet not los'
the object of Union; Ito strike ant
at the same time spare; to show the peo
pie, who are sometimes wiser, sometime
more Ignorant than the politicians, tha
what is done is not done in hate, not il
partisanship, but in justice to all: thi
has been a task which only man of th
people can perform, and this, the who'll
country will bear witness, the Presiden
has done without once resorting TO tn
art of the demagogue, or once shirkinl
the odium which might follow the up
right discharge of his duty, bat simpl
/ out of the transparent honesty and pa
tient wisdom of his nature This tn
). simplest citizen knows, or soon will ur
derstand certainly another Presiden
will not be understood as soon. Tn
| people befiece in him-have our polit
/ clans weighed the value of this2 GRAM
f ing that the Government has made mi:
takes, is, there one among US wise enoug
i 10 feel assured that mistakes were unnet
essary or unavoidable? Granting ths
; others might have made fewer mistake
: in speeialties, are we sure there is on
f. who would have made fewer mistakes
+ sitf Granting, again, that others woul
, have erred less frequently in genera
are we well advised that the mistakes
Kind of man might not hay
? \ ruined the eause2a lIist ry has seen Ii
/. singular instance of s..3euier greater tha
e a King, and common as The people whol
4 tfhe really represented, even while he go
: erned. He may not be the greatest I
f men, but he seems the best of men ft
( our purpose-the man whom the Prov
a dence working in our national natul
and events. gave rs when we distruste
+ our old leaders, and who brought fat
e evenontof unbelief. Part of thissprai:
Y is Mr.4Iineoln's fortune, the rest is h
) G1erit:. but however much may belong
9 either. he seems to us the gifted and a
i pointed man, Washington was great :
n much from his innocence as from h
II wisdom Mr.. Lincoln has been, for sin
e liar reasons, successful where great
e politicians and more learned statesms
s. might have failed ssss g.
n sas Many men are thought able to for
of ftcircumstsucss, and bring the qualiti
". of q dictator to the chair of power; b
e do, thay truly understand the nature OF