Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1865-09-20
Democratic Record CoptipvtS)
DlsUNION CONVENTIONS.

s.-- DlsuNIoN CONVENTIONS. Fl.
AS indicated by the resolutions quotet
above from the Philadelphia platform o
Jure 10th, 1861, the machinery b,
which this scheme was to be carried out
was that of conventions, either State o.
National. The party therefore commeuc
ed 70 agitate for conventions. The ex
perience of the South had shown how
easy it was under skillful manipulation
with such instruments, to carry State af
ter State into open and armed opposition
to the central authority. A national con
vention might reconstruct the Union on a
Southern basis at one blow, or series
of State conventions could accomplish
the same. result piecemeal, while Grip
pliug fatally the Government in its strug-
gle with rebellion. The machinery of the
party, therefore, was forthwith set to
work.
As early as July 18th, 1861, the pro-
jject was broached by the the Hon. Ben
jsmin Wood in the following resolution
offered in the House OF Repr esentctives.
which received the vote of every Demo-
cratic member:
''ResolpeS, That this Congress recdn,aend-
ed the Governors of the several States to
convene their Legislatures for the purpose of
calling m election TO select two delegates
from each Congressional District, to meet in
general Convention at louisville in Kentucky
ON the first Monday in September next; the
purpose Of the said Con--ntion 10 be 10 de-
wise measures fer The restoration Of peace 20
our country" ...f.
The revolutionary project was allowed
10 sleep for a year, when the disasters of
The Peninsular campaign encouraged an
attemp TO revive it.
Mr.. William B. Reed came forward to
feel the way. Il August, 1862, he pub
iished his "Nindication," in which ne
affected to believe that restoration Of
The aion was impossible, and that all
llat remained for US wss to decide upon
the new leagues which should bc formed
To accomplish this, he preferred seperate
State action.
III the choice be between continuance
hf the war, with its attendant sufeIings and
decentralization, certain miseries and uncer-
tain results, and a recognition of the South
ern Confedcracy | am in favor o. recogni-
tion, of course making the Abolition Party
responsible for tiis dread necessity.
.'if the inquiry he further pressed as 10
how l would arrange the terms of pacifca-
lion and recognition...... | do not hesitate to
say that, dodge or defer L as we may. in my
opinion the dccision-l mean as TO limits aud
possibly as TO deb-must be made by the
States and their citizens, as they did, when
seventy years ago they entered into the Fed
cral CON pact There is no other conceivable
iaodc Maryland and Fertuckf, otter all, !
each For herself will have to determine whore !
her lot shall be cast, and what her pecuniary
liability must be, whether for n share of the |
Federal or of the Confederacy debt, or 1
whether to be exempt from both. Wha. Nary !
land aud ,hsi1i1y Gc, Penntylrdnia md Ohio |
ksre' ,,itc 10 DO. This settles the question |
Of boundaries, and nothing else will; and if
the decision involves tta abandonment of
Is Washington, and leaving it the moment Of
what WAS once the Capital Of great Repub-
lie, be il 20. would rather see it a ruiz
than what il is now"
In November, Mr. Reed returned to
the charge, and openly suggested the
raising Of the standard OF revolt by the
Middle States. .-
.tYet should, in The providence Of God, the
sprit OF topical fanaticism which has brought
hi this misery upon us still maintain its sway
!. may be the destiny of these great Middle Sta
cs to speak, and ifneed be to act, in self defence
IN mainiainacc of all that is left of Constitu-
tional liberty in the fragmcntary and shatter-
ed Union which yet survivcs. They may act /
together. or they may act separately. Within !
Zach of them is the perfect machinery of Gov
ernment, and all that is wanting is an ami
,uating and practical spirit Of local loyalty
It may be that one man can supply that spir-
h and it is the hope that these fugitive
words OF earnest suggestion rather than OF
;ounsel, may find an answer in the heart of
he people, that they arc given to the public
These utteranccs arc valuable as afford
iug u. key to the conferences between
ord Lyons, the English Minister, and
The leading Democrats Of New York, in
1862. The party had been
lated with its success in carrying the
State of New York few days before, and
had been both depressed and irritated by
.hc dismissal Of Mcclellan. Lord Lyons
5ffcial dispatch states:
Several Of the leaders of the Democratic
PARTY sough interviews with, both before and
.rter the arrival of the intelligence Of Gener-
4 Mcclellan dismissal. The subject upper /
most in their minds while they we're speaking
o me was naturally that of foreign medita- |
ION between the North and the South. Many
Il them appeared to think that this mcdita-
ion must come at last, but they appeared 10 be
sry much AFRAID Of ats coming too soon...........
gave no opinion on the subject. | did not
ay whether or not myself thought foreign :
probable or advisable but list--a
ned with attention TO the account given me
f the plans and hopes Of the Conservative {
arty. At the bottom, thought perceiv ed
desire TO put an end 10 the war, even at the
isk of losing the Southern States altogether
ut il wag plain that it vas not though pru-
lent to ayow this desire. Indeed, some hints
/ I drcrncd bet1re the elections were So i'll