smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1864

The New York Independent" leading organ
of the Republican party, strenuouslY argues in
favor OF postpcpement of the day fixed for the
meeting of the Republican Convention in Balti-
moro. The 7th of June, it thinks, quite too early,
and, if the 1st Of September be deemed too late
it suggests the first Tuesday in August as day
on which both sides of the party-those in favor
of an early and those preferring later day-msy
harmonic


The Independent urges this delay not because
it wishes to cut short tie period cf political discus
sion on the contrary it says that iu country like
ours, it deems such discussion to be wholesome
and even necessary. Nor does it hold postpone.
ment to be necessary because of the alleged ina
blity of the nation to give heed at the same time
to military and political campaign. 1t suggests
that "men can carry on their business, admin
ster their families, establish sanitary fairs, discus,
politics, read new books, build railroads, know
every thing that is going on in the world, and
help to do large part Of it and still are able to
give daily attention, if necessary, to a hundred
ether things" It bases its argument for circum
spection and delay in the choice Of candidate for
the. next Presidency simply and solely on the
ground that at the date fixed for the meeting Of
the Convention it will be impossible for its men,
bers to know whether the nomination Of Mr.. Lin.
coin will be judiciOus step or not. To this eff.
feet it says:


We are in favor Of posponement for one all
good reason The Administration is on trial It's proba


on 10 not yet ended II is too early TO say 10 the gentle
men at Washington You have done so we'll for the pas
our ears that we hereby orecose to all your rivals AN
opportunity OF their doing better during the next four
As the Greek philosopher sad Call no man hspoy tin be
dies SO we say Call Administration success MI t Il
ends We will not lnsist that the present Administration
may not be able to make out good title to re election
but we do insist that such title cannot be made out az
soon ne the 9TH OF June To set before these
IN advance half years divided or at least double ate
rest oi closing civil aud of composing their own
reelection, Is not only doubtful but dangerous policy
Besides 80 early noiu alton destroys all opportunity Of
taking advantage Of the later aspects Of the Some
body has started phrase about the danger Of changing
pilots In storm. Was ship tempestossed and in
peril but W. uld be glad to change its pilot for better
ouei 30 1t has often been said that is dangerous to
change commanders in face Of the enemy But has the
Government therefore, rersned from changing its
rails almost every fortnight Since the Administration has


itself been chief maker Of changes might not
with advantage be changed tsef7 The only objection
lodged against posponement comes from gentlemen who
think that such would interfere with the rsbur
nishing of the scutoheon Of the present
but Mr. Lincoln is to be elected the ground of hi.
general popularity that popularity ought to exi. next
Year: 1864

The National Anti-Slavery Standard Of New
York, very able and candid organ of the anti
slavery party in the United States is frank to avow
that the party in whose name it speaks does not
profess to consider any "interests" save those of
the slave. In comparison with those interests,
the right and interests of the white race in the
United States are left wholly out of sight. To
this effect it says:


"Mr Garrison has ntimated his opinion in his own pa
per- that Mr. Lincoln s the whole the most cep
tionable candidate likely TO ELECTION. Other
eminent Aboionsts have pronounced even more de-
cdedly 10 favor OF Gen. Fremont. And yet Others
believe, incline 10 the party of Mr. Chase, should the Re-
publican Convention thrust the nomination upon him in
spite Of his rrcamstons. But all these ncnings come
solely from the belief In the minds Of these several
great work appointed to this generation do leave
undone at the price OF ruin Not Of them will retain
his allegiance to bis favorite chief moment after he has
been seen to fater after tuer leader shall appear in
the field. 1t 10 not Lincoln, Fremont Chase,
Butler, that they consider chiefly in this regard but the
Stare, pho,e interests ONLY they t. consult and hose
champion ONLY they look for phen they about for
fitting Head 10 Hs Nation In their private capacity Abo


tionts will exercise their perfect freedom Of individual
opinion"


We have nothing to say in opposition to this
policy except that it is hardly democratic that the
interests of four millions of men should be exclur
sively consulted in a nation where there are some
twenty-five millions of another color
Year: 1864

Major General Sickles, accompanied by his persona
staff has left Washington for Cincinnati. He is charged


stated with special orders from the President
which he will make complete tour of the territory
claimed from the rebels, with view of observing the
temper and disposition of the people towards the United
States Government investigating the practical workings
of the policies adopted in dealing with Them expounding
to them the purposes of the Administration endeavor


ing to reconcile them to the Government The General
will also make such suggestions to the President from time
to time, for modification change of policy may occur
to him from his observations. At Cincinnati gunboa


from Admiral Porters feet will be placed at the disposal
OF the General by which he will be conveyed to the prn-
cpal points in the Southwest He will return via the sea
coast calling at all points Federal occupationror which
purpose armed naval vessel will be assigned him by
Admiral Farragut This mssion it ia supposed will have
the effect of correcting evils under which the
people n the reclaimed territory labor but which have
been brought TO the attention of the Government
The President, is also stated exceedingly sanpuue
that the ct will also be to restore the people to hearty
allegiance by opening their eyea which have been so long
blinded by Southern politicians and convincing them Of
the desire Of the Goverpment, while sterny demanding
their return to loyalty to deal with them Kindness and
with all forbearance
Year: 1864

war; be collected and published in chronological order
under the direction Of the Adjutant Generals department
Some have already been published by Congress- but they
are so incorrectly printed and badly arranged to be
almost useless as historical documents"


We hope this suggestion may receive the speedy
and favorable consideration of Congress, as we can
conceive Of no other method in which so much can
be done by way of furnishing authentic materials
to serve the cause of history.


In regard to the particular documents and re-
ports relating to the operations of the Army of the
Potomac, We may say that, according to statements
current at the time, and which we deemed to be
trustworthy, it was understood by US that the Sec
retary Of War had the whole of this correspondence
paredpre for publication and that it was placed in
the hands Of the President prior to the adjourn.
ment of the last Congress. But neither Congress
nor the country has ever had the benefit Of it in
its completeness, and it seems only to have served
the purposes Of the Committee on the Conduct of
the War, who instructed Gen. Halleck to extract
from it such parts as he deemed relevant to the
investigation which that committee was conducting
against Gen. Mcclellan.
Year: 1864

As the question whether the soldiers of the
army shall be permitted to vote at the next Presi=
Dental election has been already decided afirma-
lively in many Of the States, and will, we may
presume, be SO decided in all, it is generally felt
that the question next in Importance under this
head relates to the manner in which the ballots of
the soldiers shall be cast and reported to the COM
missioners of the election in the several States If
these ballot, cast by the soldiers in their camps,
under the direction and subject to the control Of
the military authorities, it i, apparent that the
conditions of civil independence indispensable
to the proper exercise of the elective franchise,
cannot be held to exist in that case. The freedom
and secrecy of the ballot under such circumstances
will be exchanged for the regimen and surveillance
of the military code under which failure to reflect
the wishes and do the bidding Of superiors is liable
to entail on subordnatss the pains and penalties Of
military rigor.


And, besides, what guarantees are there to pro-
tect the purity of the ballot where the votes of sol
diers are deposited in campY Where soldiers vote
by companies regiments, or brgades there is danger
not only Of moral coercion in individual cases, but
the conditions for determining the right of suffrage
in such cases do not exist in the absence Of wit
nesses to challenge the right and bear testimony
ON the question. The chalengers cannot con-
front the voter in the camp, and thu, an opening
lis left for the admission Of fraudulent votes.


These views are SO apparent, aid are felt by men
Of all parties to be SO important to the prevention
of abuses in taking the suffrage of the soldiers,
that Republican paper like the New York Tri-
bune concurs with Democratic journal like the
New York World in urging that the ballot of each
soldier shall be cast by proxy in the State, county,
and precinct where he claims to be entitled to vote.
In this way his personal independence will be pro-
tected and his right to vote can be determined by
those having local cognizsnoe Of his qualifications
"Do let us have" says the Tribune, ga law under
Year: 1864

August we'll next June. A who expects to be
unpopular next fall ought not to expect to be President


A long Presdental contest during the present civil
war will be calamity. 1t threatens division at the
North, out of which neither Republicans Demo.
Gratis but the rebels, will be the gamers Indeed. the
Richmond papers openly encourage the Southern people
to believe that great dssensons likely to arise the
North during the protracted Presidential campaign When
WAS there national that did not produce
Violent party feeling among the peope7 There will be- in
the approaching struggle unusual bitterness between
the opposing parties This in time of peace, would be
harDless But while these parties stand divided against
each other as political antagonists they must at the
time, stand side by side against The enemy; but
how much put to risk by setting parties to fight
each other for six months and at the time expect
both to fight the rebellion


Of we have fears for the safety Of republican
institutions 10 the most troubous times but it ia
part of wise craftsmanship dsdan the pers of
the future prudent foeseeth the evil and hideh
himself, hut the simple pass and punished We
believe there danger to the country too early open
ing OF the Presidential warfare exhort the gentle
men who have the charge Of the Baltimore Convention to
save the country from needless risk Of harm by post
poniDg their assembling to the latest practicable day"
Year: 1864

daring attempt to destroy the United States steam
rgate Minnesota, Rear Admiral Lees flagship, off New
port News, made early on Saturday morning last
Fortunately it did not materially damage the ship, but
caused considerable excitement among the officers and
oreW The iacts related as follows in letter from
Fortress Monroe


Shortly before four bells were struck the lookout OBJ
served small black speck approaching the Minnesota
Thinking that it was some AoatDg spar he watched II
and when it finally neared the ship he saw that it was
boat conta.aiag three He hailed them three times
aud nuay threatened to FIRE them, to which they IN
swered derisively, Fire and be id The small boat
boldly pushed on towards the frgae, and few moments
aterward an explosion similar TO the report Of twenty
pecss Of artillery followed. Officers and crew were tum
hed out OF behs and hsmmocks and the movable furn
ture OF the ship rolled about in confused while the
noble vessel trembed every joint if TO shake off the
effects Of a horrible shock Of paralysis.


As soon order restored inquiries were made by
the officers to the Gauge Of the disturbance aud the
above facts came 70 hight Orders once given to
pursue the daring rebels who had the gauntlet Of our
picket boats with their internal machine and when the
Admals despatch tug the Poppy, lying alongside of the
Minnesota hailed and ordered in pursuit the startling
answer that shs had no sea Up returned and the
other small gs picket far off to be Of any use
the rebel marauders quietly and rapidly in
one OF the many creeks aboundn: oa banks of the
James river.


"The sns thing that could be done was 10 repair the
damage injected by the torpedo which very trihng
indeed, we except few bruised heads Of the by
being iumbed out upon the decks. The commander Of
the tug next put under arrest TO far his
negligence in not keeping steam up his beat az all times,
as required by the regulations.


A similar attempt 70 blow up the Roanoke our iron
clad threeturretd monitor, lying of Newport Ncws was
made aqt November by floating down an internal machine
but the vigilance and bravery Of Commander Gansevoor
who boldly met the advancing internal machlpe with his
small boats and bad it owed TO the beach and emped OF
the powder it contained deprived the serpent OF its fangs
although its sus could rot have effected much OF made
say Impression the huge sides Of the monster monitor
Year: 1864

which the legal majority of = county cannot be
swamped by votes cast thousand miles away, by
persons never heard of in that county, and at
polls over which the inspectors and magistrates
have no sort Of control" These words may well,
De Needed by the Legislatures of the several States
to whom it is simple matter to enact law easily
understood, and one that gives the soldier voter
real freedom in the exercise Of the right conferred
upon him.
Year: 1864

Kansas and tho Democratic member Of the present
Congress from Ohio, the reader viii be able to
draw his own conclusions as to the animus which
has prompted SO much more Of indignation against
the latter than was exhibited by his politica
friends against the former.


How the proposition to expel Mr.. LONG for
words spoken in his quality as Representative is
appreciated by intelligent Republican journals,
may be read in such comments as the following
from the New York Times of Monday last, when
rcmarking on thel,.resolution Of Mr.. Speaker Col
lax: FaF


" In Judgment the Speakers zeal outruns his dis
cretion His resolution ia neither right expedient
Saturday morning, by the Daily News Of this CITY, from
copy furnished in advance. II that publication be the
speech actually delivered BY he Representatve from Ohio
which ought to be answered BY npmethng better than
pulson itwas tscfa piece OF oly, bur II would be yet
greater folly to punish it,"


The New York Evening Post, another itelli-
gent Administration journal, takes the same view
of this matter.


How the proposition is treated by intelligent
Democratic journals may be seen in the observa-
tions it elicits from the New York World


AS Democrats. we repudiate Mr.. Longs sentiments
and deplore his political folly But friends Of free de-
bate we depreoate the attempt to expel him


than do the damage his speech calculated to do TO
the Democratic party. On this subject know path
but that of principle. We shall maintain the rights Of


free discussion to the end of the chapter II opposition
TO begun is to be tolerated how can a
be ended when its further prosecution becomes mis-
chevousi In every great war there is vast multitude
of officers contractors, speculators manufacturers ETC.
whose personal interests promoted by its continuance


irrespective of its advantage to the country The efforts
Of few isolated peace cOunterpoise to the
Influence Of tie multitudes who thrive by the Al
though sincerely believe that peace would now be
runous cannot consent to the establishment of prin
cpe which would prevent opposition to the after the
attainment Of its object should become hopeless, it,
happily, fortuue has such calamity in store for We
support freedom of debate in time of war prudent
General would keep open line of retreat in advancing to
battle. We trust shall know peace only the
quence Of victory; but disasters should comeor whe
ther they not-the country has right to deter
mine for itself whether the further prosecution Of the war
is expedeDt and wise 1t is the prerogave Of Congress
not only to declare war, but to decide how long it will
provide for carrying it and this being the case,
the eIpedency of any particular must always be
question open debate whenever members choose de-
bate it tits by the strength of the maortes that
support it not BY gaegipg opposition that receives
efficient moral support"
Year: 1864

Rev Dr. TUsTrN formerly and for several year, Chap.
lain to the United States Senate has been preaching gra
sousy for several months past in this city to a company
Of invalid soldiers and supplying them with religious read
ing during week free Of cost DR.. Tustn is at this time
Moderator of the Synod of Baltimore.
Year: 1864

has been said by the leading republican
Journals of The state, when it says, if Wis
consin had such law the union men
would carry the state by fifty thousand
majority. How do those naturalized citl-
zsns who cannot read the Constitution IN
the Enclish language, and who are not
Red Republicans and have heretofore vot-
ed with the republican party under the
belief that it vas the union, and not the
disunion patty, like the idea Of being ex-
cluded from the polls on election day, un-
del law enacted by that party! |. may
be answered shat there are none. such be-
longing to that party! We know that all
the RED REpUBLIcASs tha. the countries
Of Europe have vomited onto our shores,
the men who are dissatisfied with any
form Of government however miid-who
would abrogate all laws imposing restraints
on their own licentiousness-who would
destroy or glorious union and break Up
our government for a chance to plunder
among the ruins, aIl-all, belong to the
republican party, the disunion party, and
50 long as they shall remain in it, they
will be with kindred spirits, and there LEI.
them remain, and await the fate which An
outraged people will sooner or later visit
in their wrath upon all such traitors =
We say TO every haturalized citizen who
respects our Constitution and its institu-
tons, and would not lose the liberty aud
freedom secured by and under them, you
must oppose the party which for fear of
losing the control Of the government Of
the state, seeks to carry it by disfranchis-
ing more than 10000 of Your country
men in Wisconsin.


If such law be enacted, what will be
the next step taken by this party TO humi
late and degrade you! The abo!ltionss
who now control the present administers
ton Of the federal governmen: say the
war must be carried on till slavery. s
abolished, and that the 100000 Of ne>
eroes made free, viii mix their race with
the Irish and Germans, aid build up in
America the most magnificent people on
the face Of the globe. The next step
therefore will be, no Irishman or German
shall vote unlcSs he is married to q acenth
Year: 1864

To CERTAIN SUBSCRIBERS We have
lately been very lenient to large number
of subscribers in sending them the Pilot
without prep ment. We now wish to
caution that class that they mus. not ex-
pect our forbearance much longer. After
the first of January we shall enforce our
payment in aGrunce system ,oitt0ut respect
to PERSONS, and no man shall receive the a.
per longer than it has been paid for.
Year: 1864

BY this diary, as by the others which
have previously been published, and
likewise by the testimony of General
Barnard and other Off ;ers Of rank in
the Army of the Potomac, it appears
that Mcclellan ran away from the field
Of battle and hid himself on the Galena
for several hours, and could not be in
duccd to return to the shore until he had
been Informed that the army, by its own
sheer courage, had fought its way out of
the snare he left it in, and had won q
victory. Dr. Bisscll says that when
Mcclellan, accompanied by the French
princes, came on board Tie Jacob Bell,
he was introduced to the officers, and
said in their presence: My army is de-


moralizcd, and | shall be compelled to
surrender or capitulate this afternoon or
to night" DR.. Bissell further says that


at q later period Of the conversation, and
in presence Of himself and Lieutenant
McCrea, Mcclellan and the princes
agreed that the Federal cause had failed


and that the Government would have to
acknowledge the Southern Confederacy.
Having agreed to this, they drank very
freely of whiskcy, and one of the princes
was so overcome that he was put to bed. :"
Finally, the news was brought TO Nc


Clellan that the army had won victory !;
but, even then, he would not return to
the shore until he had made an arrange
mcnt for a gunbOat to remain in readiness
to take him to Fortress Monroe in case
he were attacked in the night. There
were some things" concludes the Doctor
in this diary, connected with this day s
events which surprised me very much


There seemed, from the conduct Of Gen
eral Mcclellan and the princes, an appa-
rent desire to surrender the army on the
prcteXt OF an unsuccessful campaign,
throwing, however, the responsibility
upon the authorities at Washington. -
This agrees substantially with the other
statements Of the officers belonging to
the Bell and Galcna, and also with the
explicit testimony of General Barnard,
who WAS McC!ellan's engincer-in chief. -
In the face of such an overwhelming
mass of evidence as this, we can come to
but one conclusion as to the veracity of
McClcllan's ) answer to the war committee
that he could not recollect whether
he had been on a 9unboat on that day or
not and but one Of two conclusions as
to his motive in running from the battle


Nearly two yeaisa ago We knew the whole
history Of this gunboat matter, and
knew, also, that Mcclellan had Lecn to
bed on the Galena while the battle was
laundering on the shore; but We re
Trained from then publishing the fact for
fear the public would be unwilling to
suddenly receive such statement in ro-
lation to Christian gentleman,
Year: 1864

There is nothing definite yet from Penn
sylyania, the only new dispatch published
being one giving the returns of Elk
county, which show a democratic gain
Of tilty-onc. The following is a telegram
from Governor Morton relative to the In
diana election:


We have eight members of Congress,
being d gain of four. The lower House
OF the Legislature is decidedly Union
the Senate a tie, or probably democratic
by one or two members. My majority
is not less than twenty thousand, and
the prospect is that it will be a few thou
sands mere. No official returns Of the
home vote have yet reached the Secrcta
rvs office.


1t is impossible to give an aggregate of
the soldiers vote.


The Pennsylvania "tnion State Cen
tral Committed in an address, issued on
the Ilth, claims the State by fifteen
thousand. They say:


The returns Of the late election, now
in the possession Of this committee en-
able it to announce that Pennsylvania
has decided against all armisticos and
attempts at peace until rebellion is
broken and treason disarmed True to
its past history, the Keystone State ar.
rays herself by the side Of Ohio and In
diana, and proclaims to the world her
CONFIDENCE in an Administration true to
the union of the States, and her intcn-
ton to sustain that Administration III
power until the Union is restored. The
Union party have carried the State,
gained three members Of Congress, and
elected a majority Of both Houses OF the
Legislature on the home vote; and the
soldiers vote, as far as received, lndl-
Gates the gain Of two more members of
Congress and clear Union majority Of
fifteen thousand votes
Year: 1864

The editor of the Boston Gazette says
that Artcmus Ward has written to him to
say that hc is tired of answering the ques-
ton as to how many wives Brigham Young
has lie says that all he knows about it is
that he one day used up the multiplication
table in counting the long stockings ON a
clothes line in Brigham back yard and
went off feeling dizzy.