Year: 1864

the extraordinary intimation thrown out |
by Mr.. Secretary Seward, in his recent
speech at Auburn, to the effect that, in the
event of General McClellans election, the
country would not be safe in the hands OF
the present Administration 'during the in
terval which must elapse before the new
Administration can cOnstitutionally come
into power" has produced an impression
on the public mind as painful as it is pro-
found. We do not know that we have ever
read anything in the history of politics
more calculated to startle and alarm the
friends of constitutional liberty than this
deliberate menace held IN terror 0ver the heads
of the people to deter them from the free exercise
of their conscientious opinions In the pending
election. When it first met our eye in the
report of Mr. Stewards speech we almost
refused to believe the evidence of our sense
of sight, and we read again and again the
paragraph in which this intimation is given,
lest we might have possibly misconceived
its meaning. But the language is clear and
unmistakable. 1t admits of no doubt and
no cavil. We once more reproduce its terms
for the cool inspection of the reader. Mr..
Seward says: t.-


IF such thing could happen as that the
Chicago candidate, nominated upon such an
agreement, should be elected President of
the United States on the first Tuesday of
November next, WHO CAN voUCH FOR THE
SAFETY OF THE COUNTRY AGAINST THE REB-
ELS DURING THE INTERVAL WHICH MUST
ELAPsR BEFORE THE NEW ADMINISTRATION
CAN NCoNSTITUTIoNALLY COME INTO POWER! 1t
seems to me that such an election WOULD
TEND EQUALLY TO DEMoRALHE THE UNION
and TO inrite the insurgents TO TeneC their efforts
for its destruction"


. This language is nothing more nor less
than threat that if the people, in the ex-
ercise of their free choice, shall declare
their preference for General Mcclellan over
Mr.. Lincoln in the approaching election,
the latter aCiU no longer hare The aglU or d6ttHy
to preserUe the safety Of q Government achOSe
hOnOrs and emOluneRtS he is no Longer TO en-
joy A more astounding statement never
fell from the lips of any man III any age OF
the world, and if such statement, coming
from such a source, does not open the eyes


of the people to clear perception of the
maxims on which the Government is at


present administered, it can only be be-


cause they are smitten with judicial blind


ness. ---...


In the last presidential election there was


probably no one thing which lent more Wig


or and determination to the adherents of
Mr.. Lincoln than the standing menace of
certain Southern politicians that in the


event of his election they would proceed to
dissolve the Union. The spirit of the North


was stirred and It's pride wounded by this
appeal addressed to the fears rather than


to the Judgment of the people. What, then,


must be the feeling of the same people


when they are deliberately informed to-day


by the premier of the present Adminstra-


tion, that, in venturing to vote against Mr..
| Lincoln's retention of power after the 4th
| of March next, they must first consider
this momentous question: ''Who can vouch


for the safety of the country against the
rebels during the interval which must
! elapse before the new Administration can
constitutionally come into power?"


This be it observed, is no question of


ours. We should never have thought of


raising it. Even if our opinion of the per


sonal ambition" of Mr.. Lincoln was equal


to that which Mr.. Senator Wade and Mr..


Representative Davis do not hesitate to i'm
pute to him in the face of the country, we
should not have conceived it possible that
any question could arise as to the loyalty of
| Mr.. Lincoln's devotion to the Union and
the Constitution during the interval speci-


fled. But Mr. Seward plainly and distinct
| ly puts this portentous question before the
country. And we wish it to be perceived


that it is question which solely concerns
the integrity and the honor of the
Administration. 1t does not at all


relate to the comparative ability of the Adj


ministration to preserve the safety of the


country in the event suggested any more


than before it, for the military power of the
government in the one case will be the same
as in the other. Moreover, since we are
now assured that the military power of the
insurgents is effectually broken. it follows
that nothing but positive and willful treach-
cry can betray the cause of the country into


the hands of the insurgents during the pc
riod as to which Mr.. Seward raises this


question in the minds of the people. Does
he suppose that the American people are
likely to be propitiated towards an Admin
istration respecting which such derogatory
suspicious are excited by its most distn-
gushed spokesman-suspicions which its
most distrustful opponents could not have


thought of cherishing until they were sug-
gested by this most nntOward intimatiOn?
Or does he suppose that the American peo-
pie will be frightened from their propriety
by this threat-insomuch that they will vote
to continue the power of the Union in the
hands of its present disposers, lest, perad-
venture, if that power be withdrawn in a
constitutional way by the sovereign will of
the people, its present possessors, in their
spite and passion, may betray it with the


Union and Constitution into the hands of
the enemy? No, Mr. Seward, the people
may not think highly of Mr.. Lincoln's ca
pacity or administrative skill, but they are
n0tquite prepared to suspect him OF this tre-
mendous treason. They will, therefore,
vote according to the dictates of their own
understandings and consciences, unawed by
the threats, as we hope unseduced by the
Establishments, of power and place. But if
in any minds the suspicion which has been
thus justified should find ,alpdging and take
root, it could only serve to Strengthen the
resolve of a magnanimous nation that rul-
ers of whom such premeditated treachery
was even supposable, should be held to have
already forfeited all right and title to the
continued confidence of the people in the
places which, on such a supposition, they
have already dishonored nTtheir thoughts
and BETRAYED in their hearts. % ll3li j. lB /
I'VE have again adverted to, this painful
topic, not so much for the purpose of point
ing the public attention to a most impru-
dent utterahce, as for the sake of impress
ing on all, and especially on men who oc-
,ctIpy high official stations at the present
time, the Importance of speaking with de-
+: liberation and caution on subjects of COM
manding public interest at this critical
epoch OF our history. We grieve to say
that the Secretary State does not seem in
his Auburn speech to9have rightly inter
opreted the duty of one who essays to be
Che guide of the people In the present diff
cult emergency. He ascribes to portion
of the people in theloyal States who cer-
tainly embraces nearly one-balf and who
may be proved to be a large majority of the
voting population, acomplicity, either will
lfi,l. ot.1 ionorof fst with the inenrcanto who