The New York herald., 1864-10-27
rae Chicago Ceaveatisa Turned In

The letter from vallandigham. which we pub
lish In another column this morning, is . new
proof OF our repeated assertion that political
conventions are mere conglomeratisns of
roguery, humbuggery, deception and intrigue.
Irritated at the attack made upon him by Con-
fidence Cassidy, Of the Albany Argus, vallan-
digham spitefuIly turns the Chicago Conven-
tion inside out and exposes its rascality. If
somebody would be good enough to serve the
Baltimore Convention in the same way it would
be found just as outrageous humbug. What
the Chicago Convention was, all the political
conventions have been for the past twenty years.
They may be briefly and truthfully described
as great congregations Of unscrupulous politi-
clans, among whom bargaining takes the place
Of principle and expediency is substituted for
patriotism.
Mr.. Vallandigham informs US that there were
two "rings" In the Chicago Convention. One
Of these was the Northwestern, or copperhead
ring, which was led by Vallandigham himself
The other was the Eastern ring, which was led
by Confidence Cassidy, the butcher boy Of the
Regency, and may be called the brazenhead
ring, on account Of the immense amount Of
VI USo IA VIC iuOCo VI O0ocAOy ouO sCh
Vallandigham was backed by the Eve hundred
thousand men in buckram, who, according to
Judge Advocate Holt, Mary Ann Pitman aud
Horace Greeley, constitute chosen band of
Northwestern conspirators. Cassidy, on the
other hand, was backed by Dean Richmond,
Peter Cagger, Governor Seymour and
| the rest OF the Regency. Seymour was
a compromise candidate for chairman,
being supported by both rings and the real
battles occurred, as Vallandigbam hints, upon
tho platform and the nomination. With the
triumphant air of mighty conqueror Vallan-
| digham announces that he won the platform,
| and that he "wrote the second-thc material
resolution, ard carried it through the sub COM
mittee and the general committee in spite OF
the most desperate and persistent opposition
on the part of Cassidy and his friends" This
victory, Of which Yallandigham seems SO proud,
| will stamp him as more Infamous than ever. 1t
is the Chicago platform, and particularly the
second resolution Of it, which is so unpopular.
The second resolution calls the war failure
and pirates about the cessation Of hostilities;
and it is this which Vallandgham glories in
having written and carried through. In this,
Vallandigham, like Dogberry, writes himself
down an ass. If Mcclellan be defeated he will
/ owe his defeat to that second resolution; and il
be be elected it will be 10 spite Of the Chicago
platform. Thus Mr.. Vallandigham incurs the
odium OF McClellan's defeat, il he be defeated,
and debars himself from deriving any benefit
from McClellan's election, in case Little Mac
carries the day. We thought that the Ohio
martyr was more sane thaa this. We did not
imagine that the great copperhead, like the
small vipers, would sting bimself to death
because Confidence Cassidys fire grew o little
| hot
Mr.. Vallandigham goes on to say that he
voted against General Mcclellan on the first
ballot-which was very complimentary to the
hero Of Antietam-but afterwards changed his
vote and tried to injure Mcclellan by voting
for him. Then he asserts that he has spoken as
often for McClellaA-which we are very sorry
to hear-as any other democratic orator. He
denies that he was ain miserable minority at
the Chicago Convention although his faction
polled only twenty-three and. a half votes-and
insists that he managed the entire concern,
with the exception OF McClellan's nomination,
and that he not only built up the platform, but
even defeated Guthrie. Of Kentucky, whom the
Eastern ring desired to have for Vice President.
II this be true, 1t completely justifies all that
we have ever said Of the deceit and swindling
Of political conventions. It shows, too, how
snch contemplate and insignificant wire
puller as Val!andigham can hamper the move
ments and damage the prospects Of such can
didate as Mcclellan. Here is q mean and
reasonable resolution put forth as the platform
OF great party, and yet It turns out to be
written and carried through, " in spite of the
most desperate and persistent opposition" by
a halfcrazy, half-rebel peace politician! Here
is an officer, patriot and q gentleman, like
General Mcclellan, called upon to endorse an d
sustain the silly concoction Of malicious little
copperhead! We could ask no more damn
ing commentary upon the political convention
system. Instead of representing the people
and the sentiments Of the people, It
represents only such fellows as Val
landgham and such sentiments as their
lunatic or traitorous pens choose to put
upon paper. It is we'll that General Nc
Clellan had the manliness aud the independ :
ence to throw aside the Chicago -vallandig-
ham abortion and lay down true Union plat.
form Of his own, and II is we'll also that
Pendleton has at length discarded vallandig-
ham and all his works 10 letters which endorse
McClellan's platform. Every intelligent demo-
crat knows that if Mcclellan had been nomi-
mated without any political convention or
political platform he could be elected much
more easily, and that the Chicago Convention,
with its disgracciul resolutions, has been al
most the sole obstacle in his progress to the
White House. Every intelligent. democrat
knows that vallandigham's presence at Chi
sago, his share in the platform, his vote for