Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 13.djvu/44

 36 W. C. WOODWARD that McClellan would be surrounded by more competent and honest advisers than those by which Lincoln had been, and that the war would be prosecuted with more ability and vigor. He voiced his objection to the mixing of the slavery question with that which was the prime object of the war the preserva- tion of the Union. However, as far as the Chicago platform itself was concerned, he said it consisted of vague and glitter- ing generalities, and that he had no unity with the "peace bait" if it meant recognition of the Southern Confederacy. Indeed he pledged his best efforts to Lincoln toward bringing about a successful termination of the war. On the other hand, Judge Deady, who at the opening of the war was a radical, pro-slavery Democrat of the Breckinridge .school, supported Lincoln in 1864. The following keen char- acterization of the situation is found in a private letter written by him to Nesmith, November 12 : "I took no part in the election of consequence, but voted for Lincoln. This change of Presidents every four years to make a new deal of the offices, is the curse of the country and is as much the cause of our present troubles as all other things combined. Besides I have no very exalted opinion of Mac at best. He is neither one thing or the other. Mr. Lincoln I think a pure man, means well and is gifted with as much good common sense and saga- city as often falls to the lot of men, particularly Presidents. . . . The people are the authors of most of Mr. Lin- coln's mistakes (if they be mistakes) and as usual now seek to hold him alone responsible for them." It is evident from the contents of the newspapers prior to the November election that there was felt a vague alarm over the country at large of a Copperhead conspiracy of some nature that might result in revolution in the North in case of Republi- can success at the polls. That this alarm was strongly felt in Oregon, is clearly shown in the following notice which ap- peared in the Daily Statesman, November 10 : "The Mayor of this city has called a meeting tonight for the purpose of conferring in relation to the apprehen- sion which is generally diffused, of an armed outbreak. It has been thought best by men of all political organizations