Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-11-01
The Popular Judgment.
Prem Harper's Weekly.


The elections of this autumn are full of
triumph for every man who honestly be-
lieves in the intelligence of the people.
Indeed there is no hope, and Of course no
confidence. for any one who does not. A
man like Mr.. Thurlow Weed, who never
appreciated the force and value of the
moral conviction which underlies popular
action, is of course terror-stricken and ut
terly adIift at time when the only sure
reckoning is to be made by con6ding in the
good sense and justice of the people. He
is therefore reduced to the ridiculous plight
of flying from the STERN into the cave of
the winds. He thinks there is danger
ahead, and incontinently betakes himself
to the society Of those from whom the
danger is now to be apprehended, as it has
always proceeded. Mr.. Weed 10 the same
breath complains of the appointment of
Copperhead to Office by the President, and
declares that he hopes Copperhead may
be elected to Office by the people. That is
the exa,t measure of the value of his judg
ment. .....s.- ..
But his hopes are being sadly dissppoint
ed The elections show that there is no re-
action, and that the whole weight and bland
ishment of the Executive patronage are not
powerful enough even to bend the line of
loyal hearts, that beat still as they have
beaten for six years, true to the Union snd
to liberty. The plan of the Executive and
Copperhead alliance has been to devote ev.
cry energy to carrying certain Congressional
districts, 80, as to secure majority of the
whole number in full Congress BY uniting
the Conperheads with the members elected
in the Southern States. This plan has ut
terly failed. The people have defeated il
exactly as they defeated every rebel and
Copperhead combination during the war,
anil exactly as they will defeat every other
similar attempt.
Questions Of tariff and finance, however
radical and important, must, in the nature
Of things, yield to question OF the nation
al existence. For nothing less than that is
the exact central point of the present situa-
ton. Should the Presidents policy succeed,
the national unity is reopened question:
Parties would continue grouped as they now
are. On one side there would be the party
of fthe old State rights school, and on the
other the Union party. The difference be
tween them is not one of policy under the
Government. but of the very nature OF the
Government ITSELF And while such par
ty division exists no other is possible.
1t seems to US very necessary that all
Union men should constantly bear this fact
in mind. While the present situation con-
tinues, while part of the States are unrep-
resented, and the main question is upon
what conditions they shall be admitted. all
other debate is impertinent and disastrous,
except as q discussion of expediency within
the party. Ifa Union man who favors pro-
lection sees Congress inclining to free-trade
ar free trade Unionist sees signs OF tar
iff. let him remember that though 1t may
be an evil. and an evil sufficient to drive
him in ordinary times from the party, yet
now the alternative is support Of the Union
party or surrender Of the Governmept to
the party which is still warm with the ef-
fort to destroy it.
The grand proof of the capacity of the
people is, that they see this Just as plainly
as any man can state it. They have not gone
astray in the mists of theories of trade. or
upon any point Of mere material expedien
cy. but they have held steadily to the pri-
n eval principle Of the nat DUAL existence. 1t
is this which binds their victorious columns
togethrf from Maine to Iowa. 1t is the
voice Of fidelity to this essential necessity
which is heard ringing out of the mines OF
PENNSYLVANIA. and over the prairies of lndi.
ana. When the national security is beyond
doubt-when the unrepresented States have
feturned under jist conditions. and the
ground j. firm beneath our feet, then we may
turn to other issues, and other parties will
arise upon secondary policies and expedi-
ents. 5 .r