Year: 1864

The distractions of Presidential
campaign, at time when the united
efforts of the people should be directed
to the prosecution Of the war and the
saving of the country, ought obviously
to be delayed and diminished as much
as possible. Again it is rather humili-
ating to confess, but owing to the mach
nations of the factious opposition, is
doubtless true, that the political cam
paign is to be much affected by the re-
suits of the purely military operations
of the spring and summer The oppo-
sition will endeavor to hold the Admin.
istration responsible not only for the
principles which lead to an active, ener-
getic support Of the war, (Which so far
would unquestionably be right, but al
so for the success Of coming army oper-
ations which will depend chiefly upon
the skill, ability and energy of military
commanders invested with full military
powers The opposition will also en-
deavor to hold the Union party which
supports the Administration, response
bic for any reverse which may overtake
our arms. But the principles of the
party at all events are right, whether
our Generals succeed in the coming
campaign in carrying them out to a
successful enforcement or not, while the
adoption of the present peace principles
Of the opposition can in any event only
lead to the division and ruin of the
country. The very ground which the
opposition will hereafter assume will
also depend much upon this same mill
tary situation at the time, for it does
not allow itself to be hampered by any
fixed principles upon any subject


For these and other reasons, but. espe-
cially because of the Importance of uni
ted support and undivided attention to
the prosecution of the war so long as
possible, many leading newspapers are
urging the postponement ofsthe Nation
al Union Convention, now appointed for
the 7th of June, until August or the
IlGb vi bNHbeAhbSi. aliOIie bllOSG tuNO-
eating this postponement are journals
friendly to Mr.. Lincolns denomination,
as well as others The friends of Mr..
Lincoln, we take 1t, are not devoted to
him to the exclusion of the interests of
the party and success Of the principles
he represents. On the contrary they ia
vor hfs denomination because they be-
Ieve it will best secure the triumph of
those principles in the Presidential cleo
ton, and because they deem it inexpedi-
ent at a time like this to risk the trial
Of new man when the present incum-
bent has so faithfully and uprightly ad-
ministered his high Office. They believe
that he has stronger hold at this time
upon the affections of the people than
any other man. At the same time they
admit that the times are fruitful Of
great and sudden changes, and if owing
to the military situatioNhext August or
September, the denomination of Mr.. Lin
coin should appear the slightest incum-
brance upon the probable success Of the
Union party and principles, they, as
much as any, would regret the action
Of convention in June which should
have nominated him.


In short, it is argued that a conven-
tion in August can much better deter
mine who should receive the nomination
than one held in June; that the Presi-
Dental campaign will thereby be short
ened to two or three months, instead of
being uselessly protracted over period
Of five months that less time will be
given for the intrigues and machina-
tions of reckless and unscrupulous mis-
chief makers and that in the mean !
time the popular mind need not be di-
verted from the war to the business of
president-making.


While we have little doubt as to who
would no,e receive the Presidential nom-
ination, and while we share the general
hope Of decisive military successes -un-
der Gen. Grant, we believe there is much
force in these arguments for postpone
ment of the Convention, and are conf
dent that an acquiescence in the de-
mand by the National Union Committee.
would be received with general salts
faction.


Senators Wilson, Sumner, Cola
mer and Revcrdy Johnson, are among
those who will speak ia favor of pro-