The national Republican., 1866-07-09

with the National Convention. 1t was called
by . lew discontented, disappointed members
of the party, for mischievous purposes. 1t
d intended to bring the copperheads INTO
power again at Washington, but will fail III
its objectH--Rochester Democrat, July 6.
Before we undertake to determine what
the Republican party may or may not do,
according to usage in such cases, II will be
necessary to determine whether there really
u such national party in existence. We
insist that there is not A party by that
name was organized in 1856, and nominated
JoHs O. FREMONT for President and party
by that name met by delegates at Chicago
in 1860, and nominated ABRAHAM LINCOLN
for President; but it never convened as a na-
tional body again. The war ensued, which
created Q high national necessity for drop
ping partisanships Of all sorts, and placing
the Administration of President LINCOLN
upon higher grounds. The support of all
the loyal men Of the North, without respect
to party designations, was needed by the
Government in order to enable it to meet
the crisis. Democrats as well as Republi-
cans were called for, and Democrats as well
as Republicans responded. HoLr, WALKER,
DIX, DICKINSON, BANCROFT, BrrLER, Cushing,
CAss, SIoKLEs, GRANT, SHERMAN, and thou
sands Of other Democrats responded to the
Presidents appeal and rendered their SER
vices and influence to the Government And
from the summer of 1861 forward to this
hour such men acted with and belonged to the
party of the Government. The result was that
the term Republican was dropped as being
unsuitable for further use under those pecu-
liar circumstances. There was never any
formal Christening, so far as we know, of the
Union party, although it was born at Balt
more; but proper respect for the Demo
Gratis who came into the work of saving the
nations life at that critical period restrained
the most violent Of Republicans from putting
forth that partisan designation. And thus
it was that the term Republican was dropped
and its national organization suffered to go
down. This must be known to every public
man in the country who possesses any knowl-
edge whatever Of the history Of politics
during the var.
In proof Of this we desire to remind our
ECuucTo VI tuC iuSt tuut tuC INutlOuhl Dultl-
more Convention of 1864, which nominated
LINCOLN and JOHNSON, was not Republican
convention. It was National Union Con-
vention Of delegates called together as Ma
tional Union delegates from the several
States and congressional districts. The term
Republican as a party designation was
treated as being utterly obsolete. If the
term were used in any Of the States for local
purposes it did not enter into national con.
Germs. The committee appointed by the
Baltimore Convention to inform the candi-
dates Of their nominations and to conduct
the canvass was styled 1.-THE National Union
Committee" and no national committee
styled Republican is anywhere in existence.
We thus have made good our statements
that there is no such thing as a National
Republican party in existence, either to ap-
prove or disapprovc Of the call for the Union
Convention to be held in Philadelphia
But our Rochester contemporary undoubt.
edly means by Republican" those radical
members of the Union party who have broken
away from the Baltimore platform and the
Constitution-who, like FoRNEY have strayed
away from the fold and the appointed means
of grace-and who have already, like the
Jews whilst Moses was in Mount Sinai, set
up golden calf for their worship, contrary
10 the law and the Prophets; and il he means
those we have no quarrel with him whatever.
The call is for unconditional Union men; and
such disunionists as we have referred to would
have no legitimate business there. With
these remarks we will proceed to notice the
remaining passages in the extract.
"Noas called by yJe,0 discontented, dis.
appointed members Of the party for mtschier.
ous purposes" Let us see. There has been
in this city, for long period, a political or.
ganization called National Union Club.
1t is body of loyalists who supported Pres,
ident LINCOLN with the same earnestness that
they now support President JOHNSON. 1t
occurred to that body of men that the recent
secession Of the radicals from the parent
family, and the presumptuous claim that
they have carried of the litany, rubrics, and
creed Of our party with them, was q sufficient
reason for national gathering of loyal men
for consultation. In this we think they acted
wisely. 1t is high time that we came to an
understanding upon this important subject
Most Of us desire to know whether the origi.
nal faith Of the National Union party is to
be preserved, or whether this new congres.
sional party Of radicals shall be permitted to
corrupt and load it down with their whims
and heresies and crush it to the earth. 1t
was not called either by discontented or dis.
appointed members Of the party, nor for mis-,
chievous purposes, unless an effort to reas-
sert the doctrines Of the Union party is OBJ,
noxious to that criticism. 1t was called for
purposes as pure and as holy as the Consti,
tuition itself
"H is intended to bring the Copperheads
into potoer again in Washington" Instead
Of this it is intended to prevent just that re.
suit. So long as the war Democrats shall
be content to act with us, we will continue
to be the governing power of the country.
But il the Union party shall be so attainted