Year: 1864

The presidential campaign will be en-
tered upon and conducted under peculiar
circumstances this year. For the first
time within the history of the nation, it
dawns upon divided country, engaged in
civil war. For the first time people realize
that something is on foot much more i'm
portant than a struggle between the "inns''
and the "outs." We ell remember how it
used to be three months before the election.
There were monster meetings, and masses
of campaign documents, and song books.
and catch words innumerable, and immense
efforts to arouse the popular enthusiasm.
Each of the two great parties of the coun-
try-the whig and MISUNDERSTANDING
made the highest bid it dared to make for
the slaveholder's vote, went diligently to
work at blackening the other, and winning
support TO itself. That great and very sad
results grew out of these elections, it is
now easy to see, but the prime movers in
them did not then comprehend them. An
election was a grand frolc in the main,
and be WaS a lucky dog in the end who
found himself provided for by the dispeu,
sers of pap and patronage.


1t is now only three mODths-a brief
passage of ninety days-to the next pres
idential election, but we find prevalent a
spirit very different from that which has
characterized the same occasions in pre-.
Yious years. There is an attempt, quite
patural in political gaming, to force par
ticular nominee upon the Chicago cOnVen-
tion. The recent monster Mcclellan meet
ing in New York was of this character; and
it is possible that, should Mcclellan be
ha al ha
resorted to for floating him into power.
The man has promised so much and ac-
csmplished so little, has been placed so
high with so little reason apparent either
before or after, that it will be hard to con-
duct campaign with him at the head, and
find stuff enough in his life and services
to talk about. But all this sort of thing
will not avail this year. The people clear
ly see that now they have tremendous
interests at stake, and that the admins
tration of the next four years is likely to
settle the national status and policy for
them and their children.


As a preparation for voting this year, a
prayer meeting would be very much better
than a political meeting; and we believe
that the friends of the party in power and
the advocates of Mr.. Lincoln's re- election
fully realize the solemnity of the issues at
stake. With them it is no holiday affair.
They regard the events now in progress as,
in the Providence of God, the means of
national regeneration and they could not
see them interfered with without the feel
ing that the wheels of Christian civilization n
were checked, or turned back upon their
track. Without being satisfied with the
progress of the war, with much sorrow
over the corruptions which the war has
developed, with deep regrets for its multi
piled mistakes, they still feel that the gov
ernment is on the right track, and that it
cannot be diverted from it without serious
injury to the cause of the country, and the
cause of humanity in all the world. There
is connected with this feeling less of party
spirit than we have ever known. Men
connot afford to give themselves entirely to
party now. Indulgence in party competi-
tions are expensive luxuries. We have
and realize that we have, too much at stake
to sacrifice anything for party triumphs, OF
to allow our party preferences to control
US. So true is this that we have no doubt
that if, by any means, it could be demon
strated that the election of the Chicago
nominee would best serve the cause of the
country, he would be elected by such ma
1ority as no man ever received.


There is much honest opposition to the
reelection of Mr.. Lincoln; but this oppo-
sition is not yet organized or concentrated
in any form which commands the conf
dence and respect of the patriotic and con-
scientious people of the country. The
heterogeneous materials that hope to find
room for themselves on the Chicago plat
form, yet to be constructed, embrace toe
much that is in direct sympathy with th'
rebellion, to draw to it anything 1tpurelJ
party stuff; and how this, composed o
about equal parts of war and peace, car
hold together, is more than we can guess


Nothing but the most adroit jugglery car
accomplish the desired result; but We doub


whether juggIery goes very far this year.
| With the friends of Mr.. Linooln's re-


election, the political campaign and thu


military are very closely identified. If thu


campaign of the season should become {


decided success-if Mobile should be ta


ken, and Atlanta should be reduced anC


become ours-these two things alone


would insure Mr.. Lincoln reelection. L


still further successes should crown ou


arms, and it should become evident tina


the nation is, ia q military sense, thor
| oughly master of the situation, there cal


be no doubt that the present incumbent o
the Presidential Office might walk over tn
1icourse. For there can possibly be n
doubt that the majority of the people o
this country desire the destruction of tn


military power of the rebellion, the aboli


ton of slavery, and the thorough disorgan


ization of that political power whicl


draws its live from the slave system. Ph
people know that the present administra
ton is in earnest in the pursuit of thes


great objects, and they know that no othe
lparty is. If we are signslly defeated i
this campaian, the event will tell upon th


election, perhaps deoisiyely. 1t Is no


country would thrive upon governmental
E disaster, and it would not seem to be yer
: ~ 20 iI3aIH '-i