The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-03 00:00:00

THE TAiLII.INY CONVENTION.

(Front the Anglo-American Times.)
Some of the English papers have discovered a
desperately revolutionary purpose in the Tammany
platform. They maintain that the intention is
avowed of neutralizing the work of the war, and
of re-establishing the Union as it existed ten years
ago, with a modification of slavery. But these
organs confound the Democratic declarations and
charges against the Republicans with the platform.
In the first place, the Democrats have persistently
denied the right of the General Government to use
force against secession. They denounced the sub-
atitutionof papoef paper
them oney
legalfo de
rtceonin, denying the con-
stitutionality
rs. They always
interference with the
domesticdeclared itnhsetitiultleiognaliot of
of the
the
South. They have up-
held Free Trade, and represented high tariffs as
injurious to the interests of the country. Recon-
struction
painted as diabolical ;
the blackthey ,
s h haveeeln
white man's neck ; the
n anosimplythe
inferior seated, like the Old Man of the Mountain,
on the shoulders of the superior. Yet, strongly as
the Conservatives have affirmed these charges, they
make Tammany platform. In-
deed, little
asis showelsewinhetrh
elsewhere said,
eaid,
the labour of the
Convention ended in the production of a mouse,
although in this we fear we wrong the little cheese-
nibbler. The difference between the fire and fury
of the declarations and the platform is that which
marks a strenuous Opposition when suddenly trans-
ferred to the Treasury benches. To hear them,
when hungering for office, the listener is persuaded
that unless quick action be taken in turning out the
Government that was ruining the country it would
be too late. Yet, when they find themselves in the
pleasant pastures, those who had been stirred up to
indignation, and expected radical and sweeping
changes, are astonished to see the indignant de-
nunciators placidly browsing, or contentedly re-
posing in the shade. We can thoroughly under-
stand why indignant declamation should not be the
ground of action in office, but we cannot see why
the charges should not be embodied on the platform.
The right of secession is declared to have been
settled by the war, as well as of slaveholding, and
therefore is given up. But war cannot decide the
right of a question ; it merely shows the
power by which it is backed. The Spectator main-
tains that the platform is an open avowal of
the right of secession, a declaration of the States'
Rights' doctrine, which would undo what the most
costly war on record effected. We believe it will
be found in practice that no great change would
be effected even if the Democrats succeeded in car-
rying their candidate, unless failing HORATIO SEY-
MOUR, BLAIR became President. But even then he
would conveniently forget the manifesto to the Mis-
souri delegation, which led to his election. However
violent the talk may be those who will realize the
change arc the office-holders, whoever gets in ;
and this in our opinion will extend to the only point
in which the Tammany platform joins issue with
that of Chicago—namely, the manner of paying off
the bonds. The Nation says—" Oat of the hosts of
principles which it has upheld at one time or another
during its long and checkered career ; out of that
vast collection of grievances which it has accumu-
lated since 1860, and in describing which it borrows
the language of the oppressed in the worst of past
ages, it produces nothing worthy of being em-
bodied in a positive proposition and fought
or at the election. It has no reform to
call for ; it does not offer to carry any reform
out, either in the administration of the Government
or in the machinery of the administration. It goes
into the canvass simply to maintain the doctrine
that, wherever in a national promise to pay money
the word coin' is not mentioned, the debt shall be
paid in 'lawful money of the United States'—that
is, in another promise to pay issued by the same
debtor—and that the representations made in ex-

planation of the original instrument by the officers
of the Government, and the understanding of those
who lent the money, and which has remained undis-
turbed for four years, shall count for nothing. Such
a battle-cry' as this coming from any political party
would be singular enough ; there was only one thing
needed to make it by far the most singular battle-
cry of history, and that was, that the party raising
it should be a party which has always maintained
that paper money issued by Government is not and
cannot be ' lawful money,' and that, therefore, the
currency in which it calls for the payment of Go-
vernment debts is not simply inferior in value to
coin, but has no value whatever ; and this one thing
the battle-cry in question has. The Democratic
party, after many changes and reverses, at last takes
the field in support of a compound swindle, made up
partly of fraudulent bankruptcy and partly of utter-
ing counterfeit money." It really does surprise when
the platform is compared with the charges against
the Radicals, which Senator DOOLITTLE sums up
very forcibly in his letter discountenancing a third
party movement. One would suppose, to read
what he says, that to the Republicans is due the war,
that they alone kept the Union divided, establish-
ing military despotisms, and forcing down the
credit of the Government till the United States
Bonds sell for far less than those of Brazil. But
this is mere declamation, which the Radicals retort,
so that it simply amounts to " you're an-
other." Have the lately reconstructed States been
restored to their rights in the Union and in the
Constitution ? If not, what are the rights omitted ;
if so, what is the use of the first article ? As no
one has been punished for political offences, as the
Freedmen's Bureau is being abolished, as the Army
is being reduced, as everybody deman Is the expul-
sion of corrupt men from office where no corrupt
men are to be found—at least, ticketed " corrupt"
—as everybody demands equal and lighter taxation,
as all are agreed bath in America and abroad on
the subject of naturalization, it is difficult to dis-
cover where, except in the payment of Bonds, the
parties join issue. But it is asserted by the Demo-
crats that both platforms, even on the subject of
the Bonds, mean the same thing, and if so, as the
platforms are declared to be identical, would it not
be as well for the candidates to toss up for the
Presidency, and save the nation from the Fall cam-
paign? The truth is that platforms are like the
speeches of sovereigns, very vague. The parties,
in reality, differ widely—and although the Demo-
crats have failed to embody this in language,
and will not revolutionize the Government, even
if they succeed in carrying the election, yet
it has an overwhelming interest, and will,
perhaps, be the most hotly contested yet
seen in the United States. PENDELTON gives a
hearty and single-minded support to the Demo-
cratic ticket, and so does HENDRICKS ; DOOLITTLE
evidently regards the man as a traitor who attempts
to split the party or swerves in the least degree
from the single object of defeating the Radicals.
The Southerners will go as a unit for the ticket and
platform, whatever may be the decisions of the
" so-called" Legislatures of the lately reconstructed
States, and although GrL is the favourite, the
Tribune very justly warns its party against over-
coufi lence, and impresses on it the necessity for
hard work.