, 1863-12-02
Letter Of tho Now York Democratic
league to tho Chicago War Demo-
cratic Convention.

The following letter has been addressed to
the Chicago War Democratic Convention by
the New York Democratic League:
OFFICE OF THE DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE, |
New YonE, Nov q, 1868,
To the President and Members Of the Democratic
Convention to be Assembled at Chicago, Nov.
18th, 1865:
GENTLEMEN Nothing could be more gr:lt-
flying to the Democracy of the nation than
the notice Of the assembling Of your conyen-
ton. The great Democratic heart of the conu-
trE is yearning to be disenthrllled from those
influences that have been bringing reyilement
and disgrace upon the name Democrat. It is
useless for Democrats to cling to the basis Of
the past. We shall be carried forward by the
ine1orable logic Of eyents. We shall be
obliged to reason truthfully In the end, and
the only question is, whether our country
men will learn to reason rightly and act just
II through Judgment and foresight, or further
walt to Be brought to their senses through
calamity. ....
Craftsmanship will be obliged to 60 to the
bottom Of all questions on the humanitarian
principle. There arc seven millions of white
people in the South, and four millions Of col,
ore1 people who require disenthra1lment.
They viii reqhirc labor to be placed on the
by the free states Of the North. They fave
T hitherto been placed under the ban Of social,
political, educational and industrial disability
By IN oppressive aud discouraging pro-slaye-
r. policy. Look at tho Industrial and educa-
tional tables appended. In these tables you
may see the results Of that policy which has
taken decent shelter from the heads Of fami~
lies. It las taken decent raiment from their
bodies It has. taken palatnble food from
their tables. It has taken education from
their children. It has rendered them igno-
rant and subject to political debauehmcnt,
until the South had nearly ceased to be q
component part Of national strength in con-
nection with the american idea Of civil nber.
ty and free government.
If Democrats will rise to the magnitude of
the issue as 1t exists between the Democratic
Unlonists Of the South, struggling for politi-
cal existence under the old national ensign
on ;the one hand, and the anti-Democrafic
to abrognte the Democratic principle in
Southern politics.. perhaps they may grow
wiser In the direction Of their sympathies.
In this conflict between the Democratic md
anti Democratic forces, we shall be very sure
to 20 to the bottom Of the question and touch
firm ground. There is no halfway house be-
tween true Democracy and the platform of
the traitors that any man Of principle can
now stop at. It VAS burned down By the fire
on Fort Sumter in 1861. Men haTe been
yainly running about since to find mateFlals
to build it up. ..-..
aSlayery and Democracy are incompatible" :"
says Mr.. Garnett. "Lct rs seek to eradicate
every yestigc Of radical Democracy, every
feature tending to make ours popular gov
ernmcnt,'' says the Southern Literary NesseH-
ger. ave have no special objections to roy
atty when restrained BY constitutional bar
aration from the North (says Mr: Spratt) WILL
merely adjourn the contest. As this Southern
Democracy gzapples slavery in It's homes and
on It's hearthstones, slavery is like the Thru
cian horse that bore its rider from the field,
and escaping enemies abroad, will be forced
its enemies at home.'' "An Hereditary SEN
ate and Executive Is the political form best
suited to the genius, and most expressive OF
the ideas Of the Sonth," says De Bows Re
rfc.e- On such IN issue as this, Involving q
conspiracy against free labor and the fnnda.
Democrats doubt where to place themselves !?
There Is one plank spacious enough to make
| O platform on which all true Democrats can
stand-that clause In the Constitution which
guarantees Republican Government to the
people Of MI the States. The future work to
be done on :that platform viii be cfectually
| to remove all antagonisms of true Democracy.
We have IN issue upon us that will test the
strength Of democratic principles. All the
| anti-democratic forces Of the South leagued
with the active hostility Of the antt-demo.
cratic Influences Of western EnroPo arc, and
| hare been against us. We have suffered much
calamity and expended mucl, blood and treas
sure from not understanding the real issue
| better We may suffer still more from DIS
| tracted and divided North. Il we can. afhll-
| ate in tlte North on the true issue which the
| traitors have distinctly raised, and take the
appeal to those mosscs Of the South whose
| rights have been conspircd agninst, the work
| Of healthy restoration will soon be accom-
| p1ished. But remember, gentlemen, the
Southern Unionists now demand bcneticent
! policy which sha1l make the South q free
bouth, and the democratic South the future
political South.
We trust that your convention may Lay hold
Of the great and true issue. It may not DC the
| case that you will be enabled to see matters
| from the same southern standpoint from
which wo have been obliged to contemplate
them. We hope, nevertheless, that the gTeeat
political morale now involved in the conflict
|. Of political forccs, will be distinctly brought
| out and made the basis Of future political
action. It would afford us much pleasure To
be able to harmonize with all WHO stand by