New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-02
DARKNESS md DOUBTS,

The mass Of letters written in 1861, which
"Thc New-Yorl1 Sun" now publi'l"S as con-
tIibution TO the secret history Of lat year
hardly appear to the attentive read so I'M
rortant as they seem to the enteprisng editor.
Sundry prominent Republicans, twenty-five
wears ago, were in error regarding the strength
Of Mr.. Lincoln as candidate. But similar
o,rors of Judgment not so ancient have occurred
in almost every heated contest Other hepuo-
licans. who were perhaps more cautious IN state
ment If not moro sacaciOuS, expressed tho
cpiuion that decisive Union victories would be
reouired 70 assure Mr.. Lincoln'S election. Tho
decisive Union victories came, and 1t is now II
matter of great difficulty to judge what the
voting would have been if the welcomes had not
come. But others, possibly with better knovl-
edge Of the plans of General Grant or the Presl-
dent, declared that events were imesistibY
syyoeping Mr. Lincoln toward success They
expected victories and victories Were achieved
thew expected changes Of public opinion, ana
those also came.
Il can hardly be considered matter OF vital
present or large historical importance to de-
termine which Of many public men judged most
correctly in those most trying days Of the war
Nor is it news TO any who were at all famIar
with the events or records Of that time, that
there was some dissatisfaction with Mr.. Lincoln
and much doubt whether no could succeed.
Documents long ago published, newspaper files
accessible to all, have made that fact clear
enough. The patriotism of that time was an
intense, practical working patriotism which
rsked every day many things OF far moro value
than a reputation for prophetic gifts, or favor
with the Administration whenever 1t seemed
that the cause of the Union was in danger and
could be saved. 1t took then, as ID would take
now. considerable patriotic indifference to per-
scnal consequences or ambitions for prominent
men to express a belief that candidate OF their
party would probably fail and that his with
draWal would be for the good OF the cause
Those who held that opinion, and had the
courage to express it, may receive honor for
their patriotic fidelity and sef-devotion even
if they must be held deficient in prophetic gifts.
The broad truth is, that the conduct Of the
war had disappointed many earnest Union men,
who felt that Mr.. Lincoln had more than once
interfered with military affairs when his inter
ference was not wise. and that his policy re-
spec.ing the people Of the rcbeliouS state, so
far as he had then thought proper 70 explain it,
was not altogether the boSt What his policy
would have been, an assassin made if impossible
TO know But the experience Of quarter Of a
century has certainly not lessened the public
respect for those who held as Charles Sumner
did that the attempt to restore rebels TO a share
in the Government as soon as they had been
conquered was not likely to prove entirely salts
factory. These differences between Mr.. Lin
coin and many Republicans would have counted
for nothing if the war had in their estimation
been prosecuted with vgor and success. The
proof is that those Republicans took place
among his most Jealous supporters as soon as
victories made it plain that the war was pushed
with vigor
Mr. Lincolns fame needs at this day no
vindication. But to tho loyal millions at the
North in August, 1864, when the wires were