The mountain Democrat., 1864-01-09

Il will be remembered that some four or
Eve months ag" there was general move.
ment $50 sAid) by the Union planters and
Others in Louisiana, having in view the
restoration Of that State to the Union. -
A convention was held in which rcpre>cn-
tatives met from over forty parishes. This
convention sent on delegates to Washing.
ton in order to confer with the Federal
authorities upon plan for the restoration
of their State TO the Union upon the basis
Of the Constitution, and which wocld Sc.
cure to the people of that State their
rights, both as regards persons and prop.
erty. They had been told that the obj ect
of the war was to restore the Union, aud
their action put to the test these profes.
EionS They doubtless expected that the
Administration would wclcnme them with
open arms, and perhaps slay the fatt, d
calf for their entertainment. What, then,
must have been their astonishmen; and
disgust when told by Mr.. Lincoln that the
State Of Louisiana should not come back
TO the Union until slavery hal been abol
ished, and that he would provide the mode
and dictate the time for doing that. Thus
the Administration by its acts gave the lie
to its words in favor of the Union, and
proved what Democrats always contrndcd
that the chief object was, not the rcstora
ton Of the Union, but the abolition Of
slavery. White men having thus tried
their hands at restoration of Louisiana
: the Union and having failed, it seems
that the negroes have taken the matter in
hand. We find the following among late
dispatches from the East:
NEw ORLEANS, December 18th.
AT a late Convention of the Free State men,
called for the purpose oil eectinK delegates To
the CoaveAtiO1 OF Union men Of Slave States
TO be held at Louisville, Kentucky. u delegation
OF colored men were admitted TO seats in the
Convention, and the Convention was opened
with prayer by cOlored preacher. An ad-
jOurned meeting Of the Convention will be held
on December 22d. at which an effort will be
made TO have the Convention held in New Or
leans.
II the getters up of this dispatch de-
sired to throw ridicule on Union move.
mentS al the South, we do not know how
they could better accomplish the object
than by picturing the negroes as leaders
in this project of Convention of the Tn
ion men Of the South. At the same time
tulS ACllOH SHOWS IuaI Ine Union men
down South begin to understand the Ad
miniStration better than formerly They
desire the success of their schemes and
when they bring the negro in;o the fore
ground they know they are touching Mr..
Lincoln in weak place. The Admins
tration might refuse to hear the prayer Of
the white population Of Louisiana, but
how can it turn deaf ear to the demands
of the negro. We should think that our
Abolition friends would be delighted with
this New Orleans Convention. 1t is al
most the realization of the political mil
ienium. Negro delegates admitted to
seats, debating political questions on
perfect equality with white men. a ne
gro minister is chosen as the medium
through which the Convention address
the Deity. Mr.. Lincoln must be delight
ed. Mr. Seward must be delighted. -
Wendell Phillips must be beside himself
with joy. The white men of the South
under the leadership Of the negroes =
What splendid chance for restoring the
Union! We await the final result Of this
mingling Of colors in political conventions.
Marysville Express.