Year: 1864

The Atlantic Monthly on the Presidential


Election.


The -Attantic Monthly for May, litera =
fy magazine, concludes an article on the
next Presidential Election as follows. which
will be read with much interest at the pres
ent time, as Mr. Lincoln has been re-nomi-
mated for the Presidency


As there should be no change made in the
political character of the Government, so
there should be meme in the men who com
pose 1t. To place power in new hands, at
time like the present, would he as unwise as
1t would be to raise IA new army for the pur-
pose OF lighting the numerous, we'll trained,
and Jealous forces which the rebels have or
ganlzed with the intention of making a des-
perate effort To re-establish their affairs.
There Is no reason for supposing that
change would give us wiser or better men,
and 1t lscertaIn that they would be inexperien-
ced men, should they,,all be as many Soiomons
or SolonS. As we are situated. it Is men of
experience that we require to administer the
Government and out of the present Ad-
mlnstratlon 1t is impossible to find men of
the kind OF experience that is needed at this
Crisis OF the nation 5 career The errors IN
to which we fell iii the early days of the CON
test We're the effect Of want OF experience !;
and 1t would he butt o provide for their re-
petition, were we to call new Adminstra-
ton into existence. The people understand
this, and hence the very general expression
OF opinion in favor of the reelection of Pres
ident Lincoln, whose training through four
most terrible yearS-years such as no other
President every knew-will have qualified
him to carry on the Government during 4
second term to the satisfaction of all unselish
men. Mr.. Lincoln shOnesty is beyond ques-
ton and We need an honest man at the head
OF the nation now more than ever That the
rebels object to him is recommendation in
the eyes Of loyal men. The substitution of a
new man would not dispose them TO subms-
sion, and they would expect to profit from
that inevitable change OF policy which would
follow from "a change Of men. As. re the
'onc-telm principle, we never held it i'll
much regard and we are less disposed to
approve 1t now than we should have been
had peace been maintained. Were 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 eX-
ist, it would not be wise to insist uFon a
complete change Of government every four
years. To hold out the Presidency as prize
to be struggled for by new men at every ma
tional election is to increase the troubles of
the country. Among the causes of the civil
war, the ambition to be made President
must be reckened. Every politician has
carried term at the White House in his
portfolio, as every French conscript carries
Marshal baton in his knapsacS; and the
disappointmentS ofso many aspirants sWelcd
the number Of the disafected to the proper
tions of an army, counting all who expected
Office as the consequence of this mans or
that mans elevation to the Presidency.
Were there no other reason for desiring the
re-election!.of President Lincoln, the fact that
it would be the first step toward return to
the rule that obtained during the first half
century Of our national existence under the
existing Constitution should suffice to make
Us all advocates of his denomination for a
second term. The popular voice designates
him as the man Of the time and the OCCASION
and that he will be reelected admits Of no
doubt