The Portland daily press., 1867-08-16


Nothing can be more cheerful than the
prospect for the fall elections. Everything
seems to conspire to render certain a recur-
renee of that sweeping Republican victory,
which has become fixed feature of the sea-
son, and is as confidently looked forward to
as the ripe fruits, pure air and clear skies OF
September. Among the blessings that Hea-
ven bestows in autumn, this clearing up of the
moral atmosphere by solemn reaffirmation
of just political faith ON the part OF whole
people, is not the least 1t free institutions
had been coexistent with papacy I'm the time
of its power and splendor, voting would have
been made sacramental rite as we'll as mt
rimony and numbers Of less important
things 1t may be said with truth that there
is often an element of noise, wrangling, brib-,
ing, bullying, lying, drunkenness, revolvers
and buncombe that disturbs the religious sol
emnity of the election. But, nevertheless, it
requires no acute understanding to perceive
that there is eliminated from all these OBJ
noxious features of popular assemblies, which
are, after all, superficial and accidental, re-
ne we'd conservation to truth and right-or
mhappily, sometimes to falsehood and
wrong. The unpleasant concomitants of
elections are exaggerated by our sense Cf the
Importance of the occasion, just as an inno-
cent whisper becomes lagrant outrage in
church. ..t,..lt. ..s
1t is not often that all the augurles are SO
fas orable for a triumph of that Radicalism
which has become synonym for righteous
ness. The most efficient auxiliary we have
in the impending conflict is the President of
the United States. If he were sworn foe
Of the Democratic party, holding secret
consultations with Butter and Stevens for
the purpose of devising schemes for its utter
annihilation, he could not injure it SO much
as he is now doing Thile endeavoring to be
of the greatest possible service to the lost
cause. The forced retirement of the Secre-
tary of War is sure to increase the Republi-
can strength considerably in every State. If
Sheridan is likewise rewarded for his invalu-
able services by a severe visitation of the
Executive displeasure, still larger additions
will se made to Republican majorities already
sure. If the "clean sweep" Is made Which
the Copperheads anticipate with SO much
satisfaction, Mr.. johnson will secure an anti
administration vote in most of the States
that will approximate very closely to uDanin-
ity. II men like Seward and Randall, who
have exhibited devotion to the President
that has approached servility, are driven into
hostile attitude by his recklessness and his
criminal disregard Of law, who that has in
his nature remnant of political honor will
link his fortunes with the madman whom
chance has made Chief Magistrate? The
people will not identify themselves with q
party that is so far wanting in sagacity and SO
blind to the spirit of the age as to give it sup
port to a President who requires special ses-
sions Of Congress to prevent his setting at de-
fiance the laws he has sworn to execute.
Charles 1. and James ii. have been regard
ed as affording very tolerable examples of sui
cidal obstinacy, though the Stuarts can hard
ly be considered Of sufficient mental capacity
to entitle them to rank even with notable
failures. But the man who boasts of his for
mer municipal greatness, and brings 1t to no.
tice as an evidence of his ability to cope with
the greater difficulties of his present position,
will stand peerless IN the list of historic block
heads. This summer for the second time he
is devoting his whole soul to increasing the
power of antagonists who are already too
strong for his safety. His tour to Chicago
last year, with the incoherent speech which
marke his progress, was not more stupid
supplement- to the 22d of February philippe,
than is the war upon the cabinet and military
commanders to the Stanbery plot which ne
cessitated an extra session of Congress.
1t is hardly surprising that the Republicans
in some States feel secure enough to indulge
in the pleasant diversion of quarrelling among
themselves 1t is, however, a kind Of dissipa-
tion in which only moderate indulgence is
quite sale even under the most serene polite
al skies. But when the arch Conservative OF
the nation gratuitously furnishes all the Radi-
cal thunder than can possibly be required, and
when the opposition is committing itself to
the open advocacy of reputation and the use
Of toree against Congress, if the Republicans
Of California do get % calling each other
"short hairs" and "long hairs,' in the words oI
the immortal Richard Swiveller,-wheT can
wonder at their weakness?" ba