The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-03-11
PROSPECTS.

Auental Journal, Harpers Weekly:
The Democratic leaders have lately
been in council at Washington to de-
termine when and where the next
Convention of the party shall meet to
nominate a candidate for the Presi-
dency, The President seized the oc-
cdsion to show his pechliar claims
upon the nomination by defiance OF
Congress, and to shelve one Of his ri
wis by nominating General Mcclellan
as Minister to England. The chiefs
of the party, Mr.. August Belmont at
their head, doubtless compared notes
upon the situation, and VIC will now
take sweet counsel with them.
The last Convention Of the Demo
cratic party, as we all remember, and
do not mean to forget, met at Chicago
at the end of August, 1864. The
campaign of Grant in Virginia had
been long; the suspense was painful,
and the general disappointment at tile
failure of the Petersburg mine had
cast gloom over the county. Sher-
man had not reached Atlanta, ard
when he was there, what was to fol-
low? 1t was one of the dark epochs
of the war and the Democratic Con-
vention resolved to make the most OF
| it. Hoyatio Seymour, as President,
made an anti-war speech. The reso-
lutions were inspired by Vallandigr
ham, a frank secessionist. They de,
rided the war as a failure, denountpd
the acts of the Government, and de-
manded surrender to the rebellion
under the name of compromise. Upon
this platform General McClellah and
George II. Pendleton, the latter Of
whom had declared that the rebel
| States should be allowed to have theil
way, were nominated for President
and Vice-President. The proceedings
of the Convention were telegraphed
with triumph through the country
ard the organs and orators of the
party in Chicago and elsewhere fierce.
ly vituperated the Government and
the war. The political campaign was
short, sharp and decisive. Every
State that took part in the election
except Kentucky, New Jersey, and
Delaware, declared against the Demo
cratic policy cf surrender to the re-
bellion and consequent national ruin
and of the 233 electoral votes The
| Democratic candidates received bu
! 81.
Upon the inauguration Of Mr.. Lin
coin for his second term the organs O
the Democratic party devoted them
oolvos 20 donnnriation Of the melan
choly spectacle of Vicc-Presiden
Johnson's drunkenness. The New
York WorH described his speech a
"the spewings Of drunken boor,
aud the vi e-pre ident hin self u
"this inaolent drunken brute, in com
parison with whom even Caligula'
horse was respectable" He was ais
this "clownish druhkard," "betrayc,
by his own beastly instincts and hi
boorish mind" Mr.. Lincoln wa
murdered, and Mr.. johnson becam
President. From that time to this h
. has endeavored in every way to defea
E the will of the loyal people as express
ed by Congress, to surrender the lat
rebel States to the exclusive politics
supremacy of The rebels, and tc aban
don the freedmen wholly 70 the mcr
cies of the late mastcr class. In pur
suing this policy, which undoes as ia
as possible the work of war, which,
successful, would engage the countr,
in interminable struggles, and whic
is rcrugnant TO honor, reason, an
patriotism, the President has ceased t
be, in the eyes of the Democrat
party clown, an insolent brute,
man of beastly instincts, and drum
; ken boor, and has become a great con
stitutional statesman, whose words ar
no longer "spewings' but preciou
) Drops of conservative wisdom.
, Under the necessary leadership Of
, man "with whom even Caligula'
horse was respectable" the party j
beginning its campaign. He is nc
i, yetpominated, and he may not be tn
candidate; but as his policy is that c
the party, and as he commands tn
, patronage, he is in the position G
E leader, whether the other chiefs ap
prove or not But just here begi
the difficulties. It is easy to name
, place for the Convention to meet-bu
, who shall be the candidate? Th
, West pronounces loudly and in ad
vance for Pcndleton-whose hench
, man is Vallandigham-.and repudia
ton. The Eastern States, ih whic
Democratic leaders are heavy bond
, holders, prefer Seymour, and as the
have succeeded in calling the Conven
, ton in the city of New York, th
! chances Of Seymcur's nomination al
increased. But the West will com
! full of hope and resolution for Pendle
ton and reputation.
The great Generals Of the wa
, furnish no candidate, for they natul
5 ally have no sympathy with the part
: which in the hour of their peril an
q heroism declared the war a failure an
5 its soldiers "Lincoln's hirelings.
n There is no man upon whom the part
: unites. When the candidate is nom
) mated the party machinery will {
e course be pat under high-pressure
9 produce fictitious enthusiasm, br
: the bondholding Democrats will nj
0 oil agree to the repudiatihg philost
% 4 II -