The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-08-18
YORK COUNTY.
The phiIahelrhia Convention.

The Philadelphia Convention.
"Sam," said a doubtful African, exhibiting
a fifty-cent shin-plaster with ominous darE
spots on the back, sis dat bill counterfeit p
Sam, an oracular black Bunsby, inspects thu
document and replies slowly, "Yas, de bills
counterfeit, but faint A GINEwINE coUN
TERFEIT." The convention which has JUS
adjourned in Philadelphia is precisely such :
counterfeit. 1t was counterfeit, so far as il
claimed to be Union convention. 1t was
not genuine counterfeit, because 1t repre-
scented no constituency.
Everybody knows what the johnson ele-
ment of that convention from this State was.
The johnson State convention was held in a
bedroom at the Preble House. The district
convention at Waterville met in the Town
Hall, and the FOUR delegates SUNK away to q
lawyers Office. At Bangor the arrangements
were better, and the SEVEN delegates assem-
bled in the back Office of a Copperhead law
yer, without displaying their nakedness to the
public. So much for the Third and Fourth
Districts. elf there were any Conventions
in the other three districts they were so strict
ly private as altogether to have escaped notice.
The dozen men who have managed the bust
ness represent nobody but themselves, and
their proceedings at Philadelphia are of no
consequence whatever, except in the way of
securing appointments for themselves and
their friends. The convention was not even
a genuine counterfeit so far as they are con-
cerned. -.+ fe9 aat
, There are only two parties in the United
States, and they are the same parties which
exist at this moment in every civilized coun-
try. The political question which shakes the
world is the question Of political equality
Glass privileges are arraigned and everywhere
questioned never before. Liberals and
Conservatives, Radicals and Tories, are names
which in America are beginning to supplant
the old party designations. The Republicans
hold more firmly to their old nomenclature,
but the Democrats are more and more willing
ly dropping out of use name which has be-
come for them meaningless, absurd, and to a
good few Of the more advanced "Conserva--
tiyes," even offensive. The Philadelphia con-
vention, so far as it represented anybody ex-
cept the delegates, represented the Tory par
ty, the Copperheads and Rebels of the last
five years. There was an absurd report that
the Democratic delegation from Maine was
excluded by the Committee on Credentials
stupidity absurd, because the same days dis
patches announced that DR.. Woods, appointed
by the Democratic State Convention, was
serving at Philadelphia in the arduous capac-
ity of vice-pres ident. Nobody was excluded,
except Fernando Wood, Valandigham, and
ID. P. Deane, and these men only from mo-
tives of policy. Yesterdays Advertiser dis
closes the feeling Of the party, quoting with
undisguised satisfaction the account OF the
applause which Vallandigham's name won
from the convention. The convention REP
RESENTED only the old Rebel Copperhead al
lance Look at the record of the North Car
DINA delegation, which we published yester-
day morning every man of them an original
secessionist, and most of them Office holders
under the Confederate disagreement! With
such a delegation from North Carolina, the
Confederate Gland of steady habits" what
can we expect OF the rest! The famous pas
de deux of Gen. Couch (appointed by the
Democratic State Convention) of Massaehu-
sets and Gov Orr of South Carolina, was
simply celebration of the happy reunion Of
the ''long lost brothers. SO cruelty separated
by the unexpected preference of the Northern
people for war rather than dishonor and dis
union.
Having seen WHAT this convention was. we
shall be better able to appreciate what it has
done The Democratic party has once more
met in national convention, and done--noth-
ing. There has been no discussion-no COM
parison ofviews. This vast assembly of dele
gates from every State and Territory in the
Union, got together in Philadelphia, organized
according to setprogramme and adopted aset
OF resolutions prepared and printed before the
convention met, and discussed only in COM
mittee What binding force or what sgnii-
canoe OF any kind have such proceedings as
these! The whole thing is a show and pre-
tence. Does anybody believe that mems
opinions respecting the extension of the sui.
frage will be influenced by the spectacle of
Massachusetts, Copperheads and South Caro-
lima Rebels marching arm and arm9 sWhon
did they NOT train together?" asks every
horest farmer, as he looks up from his news
paper. When, indeed! The resolutions are
oil no Importance whatever. The purpose Of
tne convention is to help replace the Southern
hepeis and their Northern allies in political
power ana nobody who does not desire to aid
IN prngmgl about that result, will be caught
in the web of resolutions passed under gag
rule by convention acting under an assum-
ed name.