The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-09-10

The GOvernOrs' COnventiOn-What AN Acci.
dent Will DO.
The cackling Of flock Of geese saved Rome;
the cackling Of few Governors at Philadel-
phia the other day split the Disunion Conven-
ton and brought the enemies of the nation 10
grief by a mere accident the HERALD OBJ
tanned an exclusive and full report Of the pro-
ceedings and sent II like bombshell right
into the heart Of the disunion camp.
The delegates North and South had been
called together to adopt negro suffrage as
plank in the platform of the radical party; but
when they met in Philadelphis some of the
leading Northern delegates got their heads
together and announced that 1t would
be disastrous to the elections In several
Of the Northern and Western States II
they attempted to go beyond the report
Of tho Reconstruction Committee as laid
down by Congress. They had pledged them
selves, however, to stand by their brethren
from the South, who were rampant upon the
question of negro suffrage and would be con-
tent with nothing less; and how TO get out OF
the dilemma they did not know. A brilliant
idea struck Governor Curtin--he would call q
meeting Of Tho Governors from all the Northern
States, and they would take upon themselves
the responsibility Of cutting the Gordian knot.
One Of the Governors, not thinking that il was
going to be secret meeting, asked the ser
geantat-arIns to send them reporter 10 record
the proceedings, and HERALD special hap
pening to be near by was, in Ignorance OF his
nrofaca;ou,l of9I;aitnna iuvifaJ IN aftap1 40
found himself in tho presence Of some two
dozen OF these august officials, but, nothing
abashed, cody proceeded to take notes Of tho
speeches just as they fell from the lips OF
the speakers They spoke their minds
freely, and all agreed that it would be
policy to abandon "the men in the gap"
rather than run tho risk OF losing
the next Congress. They confessed that New
York, Pennsylvania and Indiana would be lost
20 them il they dared so beyond the policy
set down by Congress, and finally, after due
delibcraiion, agreed 70 let the negro suffrage
plank slide for the present.
Then the question arose "how shall we meet
our Southern brethren in the convention to-
morrow ~ Eve cannot well oppose negro
suffrage in public convention" says the oily
Curtin, and yet SO sure as we support it We
will loso the next Congress-" What was 10 DO
done in this emergency no ono could say, until
finally the venerable Ex-Governor Dutton Of
Connecticut, came to the rescue aud proposed
that the Northern Convention should adjourn
sine die, and attend the Southern Convention
merely as spectators. In this way they could
synpathizc with the advocates Of negro suffrage
without mourning the responsibility attached
to any of their scts which might have u ten
dency to cndan9er the popular vote in the
North. Dutton had hit the nail on tho head,
and the Governors forthwith acted upon bis
suggestion.
At this juncture Morton, Of Indiana, who Is
somewhat prejudiced in regard to what consti-
tutes a live newspaper, discovered tina. there
was q HERALD reporter in their midst, and.
looking rather put out, inquired II tho proceed
ings OF the meeting were not intended to be
confidential Certainly" says Governor Cur
tin, little confused; and, turning TO our ro-
porter, he whispered, Il hope you will regard
it as SUCH" Our reporter was uon-comniittai.
however, and stated that there must be blum
der som where, 81 he had bcen Invited special-
" to do the very thing they now objected 70.
None could gainsay the truth Of his statement
1t was evident however, that be was not wanted
there any longer; SO BIO announced that he
would withdraw from their presence, and,
picking up his note book and hst departed
from the room master Of the situation"
II is true no was not able TO get access to
the remainder Of the proceedings; but
the object for which the meeting was
called had been accomplished before
he left the room, and the following day
the HERALD published the proceedings 10 The
world. The effect Of the disclosure upon the
Convention was like the explosion of Gfseeu-
inch shell. Tie border SL'ies men, seeing al
glance the true state of affairs at the Moth,
forced the reconstruction policy Of Congress
upon tho Convention, and then quietly with
drew 10 their homes, leaving the Gulf States
mon to adopt anything end everything they
pleased. Thus, from this trivial accident, the
presence Of HERALD reporter where no was
not wanted, but where he WAS accidentally on
hand, followed confusion and disruption in a
body which was intended to work dire mis-
chief, but which ended in miserable farce.
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FINE kgTs.