The New York herald., 1863-09-04
The Presidents Letter and the SyrRcuss
Convcntlon-Defeat at of the RAdicais.

Convcntion-Dcfcat at of the Radicals.
The proceedings Of the Syracuse Republican
Convention to nominate candidates for the en-
suing State election, which We published yes
terday, are full of interest to the whole
country. They mark new chapter in the
history Of radical fanaticsm, being symptomatic
of its speedy decline and fall. The revolu-
tionary abolitionists were defeated at all
points-defeated in their men, defeated in their
measures and defeated in the Presidents letter
In the very organization Of the Convention it
was evident that the sceptre had departed from
the hands of the radicals. They were COM
PEELED to accept a compromise man as
temporary chairman, and for permanent chair
man an adherent of the conservative Sec
tion. In the ticket there is still stronger
evidence of weakness in the radical backbone.
Except COchrane and Olc0tt, both oonserva-
tives, all the nominees were formerly whigs and
Seward men. The fact Of the republicans
seeking to strengthen their ticket with the
name of James 7. Brady, democrat, for Az
torney General, was significant enough; but
when he emphatically declined, the circum-
stance Of their then unanimously nominating
General John Cochrane another war democrat,
spoke volumes. We are also informed that
there is complete revolution in the material
Of the State Committee, the anti-radicals and
Seward men having large majority. Mayor
Opdyke could not be elected member OF it.
In the resolutions tho radicals have been equal
y discounted. The emancipation proclamation,
| the Con6scation act, the arbitrary arrests, the
| suppression OF the freedom Of speech and Of the
| press in the loyal States Of the North, the In.
demnity act and the Conscription act, have not
been endorsed. The Emancipation act received
only qualified endorsement, sggh as ALMOST
every man is willing to give j, and the other
measures were completely ignored. All refe.
renee to the emancipation proclamation was also
omitted in the regular series Of resolutions as
reported by the committee and adopted by the
Convention. But radical having moved as an
additional resolution motion Of endorsement
Of the emancipation proclamation, the discus
sion Of the question was about to lead to tre-
mendous row, when member adroitly moved
an amendment which completely took the sting
out of it. endorsing it only las war measure"
an amendment which the radical minority were
glad to accept, in order to save them from a
more direct and overwhelming defeat As a
war measure, says the amendment, 1t is "thor-
! oughly legal and justifable.' That is just
| what we maintained all along and to make
| the emancipation Of the slaves within the lines
of our army illegal and justifable" IL needed
| no act Of Congress, no proclamation of the Pre-
sident. This is the political part of the pro-
clamaton-the only part that has ever been
condemned; and this the Syracuse Convention
have not ventured to approve. On the con-
trary, by limiting their appreciation to the
measure in its military bearing they tactly
condemn II in its political aspect, in which it is
only calculated to produce prolonged resist
ance to the national arms while it IL unattended
with any compensating advantage whatever.
BY passing over in silence the other party
measures which have been so discussed in the
public journals, in public meetings, in the
highways and in domestic circles, they virtually
| abandon the whole radical platform But they
| ought to have come out explicitly and squarely
against it. They ought also to have denounced
the mbecile mismanagement Of the war, both
naval and military.
These sentiments, both OF the President and
the Convention, indicate the rapid and resist
less power ofpublic opinion. The republicans
not only throw overheard the radical platform
lately in the ascendant, but eschew even their
own distinctive principles, changing the very
name of their party. What comment on the
weakness of party and on the doings of the
radicals in Congress and In tho Cabinet for the
last two years. Now let us see what the Con-
venton about to meet at Albany will do.