Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-06-09
THE CLEVELAND CONVENTION.

Our Administration contemporaries, in giving a
place to the proceedings of the Cleveland Conven-
tion, which has placed Gen. FREMONT in nomina-
tion for the Presidency, accompany them with OBJ
scrvations that are, SO far a, they have met our
eye, universally respectful to the purposes and
motives of the men who participated in that poll
tical assemblage. We have not yet met any direct
imputation on the patriotism or loyalty of those
who have thus been the first to place themselves
in opposition to the reelection of the present in
cumbent, and to a continuance for another Presi-
dental term of the principles and policies which
have marked the course of the Administration.
Indeed there are Republican journals, like the
New York Evening Post which find in the action
of the Cleveland Convention nothing more than a
natural and justi6able expression of certain po-
pular discontents with the Administration" To
this effect that journal says:
:" The whole significance of the Convention at Cleveland
lies in the fact that it expresses certain popular dscon
tents with the Administration II not to be denied that
its arbitrary arrests Its suppression of journals its
render Of gives without Judicial warrant and its prac
ticsl abandonment of the Monroe doctrine have produced
wide and deep feeling OF apprehension and dsapprova
The ambition Of all the genuine lovers of democratic gov
ernment this country has been n to conduct the
in such manner as to to the world that the most
gigantic revolt that recorded be put down
by the energies the people without disturbing the fun
damenta institutions OF the nation at any without
in the slightest degree infringing their spirit The
and happiness depends upon the rigid Observance of all
those guarantees of natural rights and liberties which
the peculiar glory Of State and Federal itutons,
JEALOUS of the slightest appearance of departure from
them and ready to vBdcate them by their suages
As expression OF this feeling the proceedings Cleve
land oughl to be needed; but political party manf.s
taton it amounts to little more than annuncation
of the private opinions of so many individuals"
Our Republican contemporary, in thus assigning
to the Cleveland Convention the useful function
of giving expression to "certain popular discon-
TENTS" and in avowing the opinion that to this
effect its proceedings Sought to be heeded," pro-
ceeds to urge the following reasons why prudent
men should not be in haste to mark out the pro-
gramme Of political operations with regard to the
next Presidency
But this is not, in opinion, proper time for open
ing the political campaign. We desire to see all party
operations aud movements postponed until the military
campaign which Gen Grant has brilliantly begun has
clos d. On the results o that it must be clear 10 the
meaDest capacity the character aud direction of future
political movements must greatly depend Should Graut
meet with disaster aUober year Of and other
qu+nces scarcely to be hnted at here must follow but
should he be successful the single duty before the public
set civil Institutions going again with renewed vig0r
and stronger foundations In either event the people
should be allowed the last moment 10 choose the
be entrusted with the high aud dcult tasks o the
crisis
q We have hoped, therefore, all along, that party
nominations would be made until the autumn. We have
hoped that by that time the way would be clear for
mpauon which should couciate the good will Of all pa
triotc aud that with common accord. and by
effort, the republic would be placed in the new
channels which the rebellion has dug tor IT, to sail til
umphany onward 10 it's OF universal free dom
tcp and order Our system Of government IN its proper
scope ard interpretation the most beautiful and beneh
that devised; what defects it has likely
to be corrected by the experiences OF the rebeon but
the fundamental pncple-the assertion OF human rights
the main eud of all aud above the inerpo
son Of any goverhmen-oi State rights, not an ele
ment OF dangerous hntagonsm To the Federal power but
necessary counterpose to an oppressive centralza
ton aud OF national uy, and forever the pledge
of national power peace and prasperityare never TO be
reliuqushed On these essential points We believe the
country be rallied almost unanimously and we depre
cate all premature and hasty party movements and pa
cuarly all movements made in the interests OF special
didates that likely t. interfere in the accomplishment
of this desirable and noble end"