Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-06-26
THE PLATFORM SOUTH OF Ha1IoAiL ROAD.
! From The Cincinnati Commercially tlia
The Action OF the Union state Com
.. J..5t... ,,,,f ventiOn. -fy 49,.

The Action OF tho Union state Com
U L-yir.. o,od ventiOn. f,yy ate .,..
The cordial Endorsement Of the Adminis-
tratlon by the first State Convention OF the
Union party assembled after the policy of
reconstruction had been made manifest, is
an event OF, great political consequence.
Every politician In the country has read, or
will read, the proceedings Of the COnven-
tion with unusual interest. That body af-
forded the first opportunity, that has been
improved, of anexpresson of public opin-.
lon upon the new questions. ~ l''
e or course we do not pretend that there
was not a disposition shown to evade the
rugged issues. All parties, with the respoi
sibilities and emoluments of power, are
careful Of the phraseology of their plat
forms. and commit themselves as little as q
/ possible TO rigorous doctrine. 70 be sure,
there are differences of opinion in every
party, however strict the views and desp0tic
the rule of organization, and It would be
strange II, under the circumstances of the
country, four hundred men could be coll
lected who would agree about all things.
A debate In open Convention of the ques-
tion of negro suffrage would have resulted
In an explosions. Hence the adoption OF u
rule referring all resolutions to the COM
mittee on Resolutions, without reading and
without debate. This is the old Democratic
gag, found necessary by that party when .
1t had power and was responsible for things.
1t means simply that the transaction OF the
business of the Convention shall not be
made impossible by wearisome resolu-
tions and harangues. 1t chokes off the
spouters and the scribblers, and gives
the men who do the work chance to get
at 1t. Y.
Very likely, the Democracy will scold
about the adoption of their old tactics by
the party in power, but as there was no
special anxiety to please them as partisans,
their displeasure may not give serious in
convenience. flH a 's..a.-
The actual question before the Conven-
tion, was whether an expression should be
given in favor of or against negro suffrage.
1t presented itself distinctly, included in
the inevitable proposition to indorse the d
Administration. The Administration of
President johnson could not be unequivo-
cally approved without disappearing of the
radical programme of insisting upon negro
suffrage at once and at all hazards. Every
body understood this before the Convention
assembled. There was not primary meet
ing in the State where the mater was not
considered. rs''gJ -1H..
The exclusively "earnest' men, being lit
tie more demonstrative than others, had
done so large proportion OF the talking
through the country that they overestimat-
ed their strength, and were shocked at the
scanty reckoning they made when the count
was taken at Columbus. Out of four hum
dred delegates there were twenty-three who
might fairly be classed as radicals, and sew
eral of these could hardly be named "earnest
men,"
Gentlemen of radical tendencies, with o
propensity to enlist under the banner of
| Mr.. Ashley and proceed summarily to break
| down the President, were rather conserved
than otherwise when they heard the news
| of the action of the army delegates, who
| unanimously adopted resolution instruct
ing their representatives in the committee
on Resolutions to insist upon an unequivo-
cal Endorsement of the Administration
There were no words wasted in this resolu-
ton of the soldiers. To Instruct, to insist
upon that which was uneQuiuocdL meant
business. 1t meant, too, that which we
have been telling the people for some time,
that the fighting men who had conquered
the South, were not in favor of reconstruct
ing the Southern States upon the basis of
negro suffrage. The soldiers whohave been
at the front may not be educated up as fast
as some of those who have not kept their
company may desire; but there they are,
and they have spoken for themselves. .'''-
The sessions of the committee on Resolu-
tions were otespecially harmonious. The
debate that was restrained in the Conyen-
tion broke out in the committee-room, and
there was free and emphatic exchange
of views. The army delegates were quite
peremptory, and It is even complain
ed they were a. little rough. in obey
ing the Instructions to insist upon un-
equivocally backing up Andrew john
SON. The representatives of the West
ern Reserve had a resolution which they
were prepared to stand and die for, pro-
nouncing the times exigent and propitious,
for the taking of an advanced step''-and
the advanced step meant negro suffrage
North and South, and especially the latter,
and that rightaway. For time, it seemed
that if the advanced step could not be got
into the platform, the committee would dis
agree, and two reports would be presented
to the Convention, and the cry would be .
havoc, and the dogs of war would slip. o.
Fortunately, every body was prepared to in-
dorse the Declaration of Independence, and
the unity of the party was maintained. 9Yn'
We must remark, however, that though
the radicals made but slender showing in
the Convention, there was no lack of the
deepest anti-slavery feeling in 1t, and that
few were found who did not freely admit the
unreasonableness of the prejudice against
the negro, and express a strong desire that
1t should be eradicated. 1t does not fol-
low-though some of our contemporaries
exhaust themselves and the patience of
their readers in trying to make 1t appear
that 1t does-that a sincere anti-slavery,
man must jump whenever an advanced
step" is suggested by any one who mistakes
the cravings of the maggot of vanity for d
the pangs of conviction, and is persuaded,
+ whenever he has notion, that he hasa 4
mission also. One may be an Abolitionist
now without becoming an impracticable. ,,
There is not only no necessity, but no ex-
cuse longer that they should be Identical. ".
The sober masses of the people may move 8
slowly. ! 1t is, not unknown that great !,
bodies generally do SO. But they will move
surely, and thereby make haste. The bust
ness view OF the case at Columbus, that d
ruled the action Of the Convention, was p
that we should expend our strength, not in, ,
seeking wildly to do all things desirable,
, suddenly, not in dissensions about theories;
not in climbing the centuries, and becOmsgi
ding distracted about the issues of the fu-I1
i ture, but, in accomplishing the greatest at-o
tainable good. That is the common sense !,
of 1t, and the application of common sense b
to public affairs Is statesmanship.lO noijsIslo
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