Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-11-03
The a,resIiientinl EIcction.

After four years of national calamity and
ignominy, the day approaches when the
people Of this country, in the exercise of
their ancient prerogative, may by peaceful
revolution turn out an Administration
which has been false to Its oaths and per-
fidious to the people, and put in Its place
new and better one. Thee epoch isa mighty
one, and the issues to be decided by it arc
the grandest and most momentous ever pre-
sented to a people. Under the administra-
ton of ABRAHAM LINCOLN the American
Government has lost most all the features
which distinguished it from the despotisms
of the old world. 1t has been reyolutioniz-
ed, and from a republic it has been changed
to an autocracy in everything but the name
and outward trappings. Eleven States have
seeded from the Union, not one of which
has been restored; million of the stalwart
children of the Republic have gone down
i'm battle, and the wheel of the conscription
officer is still in motion; the public debt
has been augmented until the products OF
the field and the workshop must be confis-
Gated to pay the interest. The Government
has become rotten with corruption; the
land has been scorched with civil war, and
the people are clad in mourning; while over
all stands the author of this widespread ruin,
Joking at the devastation he has wrought,
laughing at our agony and mocking at our
calamities. Every page of the history OF
the past four years, cries out for a CHANGE
in the administration, because there can
be no change except for the better. If that
change is not effected now there will be no
future opportunity nor occasion to effect
it. If ABRAHAM LINooLN's usurpations are
confirmed on Tuesday next at the ballot
box, four years from now there will be no
such thing as popular suffrage.
The issue between GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN
and ABRAHAM LINCOLN we regard as in
volving the life and death of the nation
The former carries with him the best hopes
of republican government and the only
chance of its restitution among this people;
the latter is the representative and expo
nent of the destructive element in our pol
policy will be to restore, rebuild and recon-
struct; LINcoLN's policy is and will be to
tear down, destroy and efface. LINCOLN
has neither the ability nor the disposition
to restore the Union; but he has the dispo-
sition-and bitter experience has taught us
that he has the power-to violate and de-
stroy everything which made the Union
valuable and great. No Government can
withstand such assaults as LINCOLN has
made upon this, for eight years. If by any
chance he should be reinvested with the
Presidency, there is no hook nor crook to
hang hope upon for the salvation of the
Government or the people.
In crisis so extraordinary the friends of
liberty and Democracy should be unwear-
led in their efforts, untiring in their labors.
The issue concerns every person in these
States individually, and each one should
labor as if the result depended upon him.
There is prospect of carrying the electoral
vote of Ohio for MCCLELLAN and for the
great cause he represents and we believe it
can be accomplished if every Democrat
will perform his simple duty. But even
if the prospect was less cheering than it is,
there remains the same imperative obliga-
tion upon every good citizen to protest by
his ballot against ABRAHAM LINCOLN and his
usurpations, by which liberty has been as
sassinated in its citadel and the country is
being plunged into anarchy. Let the Dork
be continued without intermission from
this time until Tuesday evening earnestly, |
ardently and faithfully, and there will be
such triumph of Democracy over Despot-
ism as history has not recorded since the
beaten leaders of King GEORGE led back
their beaten legions and left Republic in
the new world,