Year: 1864

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The last Atlantic Monthly contains
an article on ''The Presidential Elec-
tion," which closes with the following
excellent reasons for the reelection of
President Lincoln: r''c


AS there should be no change made
in the political character of the gov
ernment, SO there should be none in
the men who compose it. To place
power in new hands at time like the
present, would be as unwise as it would
be to raise o new army for the pur-
pose Of fighting the numerous, we'll
trained, and Jealous force which the
Rebels have orgrnized with the inten-
tion of making desperate effort to re-
establish their affairs. There is no
reason for supposing that a change
would give us wiser or better men, and
it is certain that they would be mex
pericnced men, should they all bo as
many Solomons or Solons. As we are
situated, it is lnen of experience that
we require to administer the Govern
ment; and out of the present Admins
tration it is impossible to find men of
the kind of experience needed at this
crisis of the nations career. The cr-
rors into which we fell in the early
days of the contest were the effect of
want Of experience and it would be
but to provide for their repetition,
were we to call new Administration


into existence. The people understand
this, and hence the very general eX-
preston of opinion in favor of the re-
election of President Lincoln, whose
training, through four most terrible
years-years such as no other Presi-
dent ever knew-will have qualified
him to carry on the Government du-
ring second term to all unselfish
men. Mr.. Lincoln's honesty is beyond
question, and we need an honest man
at the head of the nation now more
than ever. That the Rebels object to
him is a recommendation in the eyes
of loyal men. The substitution of a
new man would not dispose them to
submission, and they would expect to
profit from that inevitable change of
policy which would follow from a
change of men. As to the 'one term
principle we never held it in much
regard; and we are less disposed to
approve it now than we should have
been, had peace been maintained
We're the President elected for six or
eight years, it might be wise to amend
the Constitution SO as to prevent the
reelection Of any man; but while the
present arrangement shall exist, il
would not be wise to insist upon q
complete change of Government every
four years. To hold out the Psesiden-
cy as q prize to be struggled for by
new men at every national election is
to increase the troubles of the country
Among the causes of the Civil War the
ambition to be made President must
be reckoned. Every politician has car


ried term at the White House in hif
portfolio, as every French conscript
carries a Marshal's baton in his KNAPP


sack; and the disappointment of sc
many aspirants swellcd the number o.
the disaffected to the proportions of al
army, counting all who expected Office
as the consequence of this mans OF
that mans elevation to the Presidency
Were there no other reasons for desi


ring the reelection of President Lin


coin, the fact that it would be the frs


step toward a return to the rule tina


obtained during the first half century
of our existence under the existing
| Constitution should suffice to make vi
advocates of his nomination for sec
ond term. That the Baltimore Con


vention will meet next month, and tina
it will place Mr.. Lincoln once NOR


before the American people as candi
ldate for their suffrages, are facts nov
as fully established as anything wei
can be that depends upon the future
and that lie will bc reelected admit
! of no doubt. Tho popular voice desig
mates him as the man of the time ant
the OCCASION and the action of the Con
vention will be nothing beyond a for
NAL process, that shall give regular ex
preston to a public sentiment which
Is too strong to be denied, and whicl
will be found of irresistible force.


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