The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-08-13


gathering Of representative public men and
eminent citizens from all parts OF the Union
than has ever taken place in the country since
the formation of the governments that is, it
| will become so IL those who meet in conven-
ton at Philadelphia do their work we'll
Though this body Is not called together by law
and its action will not have the force of law, 1t
may, nevertheless, exercise the greatest infiu-
ence. Nor is it to be convention to make
nominations for offce--for the Presidency, for
Congress or for any other Office. II will be,
strictly speaking, conference, a spontaneous
assembly brought together by tho necessities
| OF the times in which the patriots and leading
minds Of the republic will confer as TO t best
means of saving the country and government
ON the revolutionary and destructive meas
! ures of a powerful faction. The convention
| system itself, which makes our presidents, gov
ern0rs and legislators, and which, in iact, con-
trolls the whole political machinery Of the re-
public, has no foundation in law. II sprung
up spontaneously and from political necessity.
Yet while it Ia without legalized existence it
has become all powerful. The conventions
Union originally met only to discuss i'm
postant political questions pertaining 10 the
government. Our own admirable institutions
were the result rather than the direct object OF
these conventions of patriots and great men
of that day. Difficulties Of sectional and po-
litcal character distracted inc new republican
communities, and the fathers of our country
! said, let US meet together in convention 10 talk
! over these matters and to see what can be
done to give peace, unity and permanent
good government. They met simply to discuss
Inc absorbing political questions Of the day,
just az the Philadelphia Convention will meet
| for the same purpose, This resulted in the
/, glorious institutions we have lived happily and
| prosperously under for nearly century. The
! Convention that will meet tomorrow has not o
| constitution to make or governments to estab-
| iish az they had, hut it has not the lcas i'm
| portant duty to perform Of preserving that
| conssitutio and government from the destruc-
lion with which they arc now threatened By
revolutionary Congress.
| TIE accounts we have received from all
parts Of the country relative to the temper
| and purpose which animate the people who
| have interested themselves in the Convention,
and az TO the character and disposition OF the
delegates, give us nope Of the happiest result
| A few obnoxious and troublesome follows, snch
| as Vallandigham and the Woods, who have
more ambition than patriotism may try to
make fuss and give trouble, but VIC believe
the overwhelming majority OF the conservative
/ aud patriotic men will soon silence them We
think the Southern delegates especially will
crown down those agi.ators who would raise
unnecessary and troublesome issues. They
have paid TOO dearly for agitation and have too
much at stake no; TO avoid discord.
The thought Of assembling this truly national
Convention WAS happy one. For more
than 1--we years the people OF the North
aud South have been separated, 6rst BY
foolish Act Of attempted secession By the
latter, and since by bitter and unscrapa-
lous faction who got control Of Congress.
Like the prodigal son the Southern people
have suffered from their folly, aud after being
whipped into q sense OF their error they desire
10 come back 80 the family circle The utter
h0pelessness Of their former theories and cause
could have no other effect, for such DISPOSE
tiOn L. in accordance with reason their interests
aud the philosophy Of human natnre. Every
humane citizen, every conservative who desires
peace and harmony in the republic, every
statesman who sees the evil Of prolonged ex-
clusion Of the South from representation in the
governmental naturally say, let the wounds
OF our country be healed, lei the Union be
as complete NJ il was before the war. But
radical majority IN Congress say NO, il shall
not be SO; we will keep the South uurepresent-
ed and the country in dangerous disorganized
state because we are afraid OF losing political
power. Under these circumstances the next
best thing to be done, undoubtedly, is TO bring
the representatives of the people from all sec
tons together in q national convention. 1.-THE
radicals Will not let them exchange views and
harmonize in Congress they can do 30 in this
assembly. The people will thus be enabled TO
see and rejoice over return 10 former frater-
nal relations. The Convention will be . stand
ing protest against and condemnation Of the
conduct of Congress- and must have the effect
Of eniiyhiening the public ss to .l,e character
aud purposes OF that body.
But in order that these good results may
follow the Convention, there must be no at
tempt made to revive old party organizations
or rivalries. II the conservative republicans
enter the Convention with the purpose of swal-
lowing up the democrats and using them for
their own old party purposes, they will commit
grave mistake and damage the cause they
have espoused. The same may be said Of the
democrats; and the caution is more necessary
TO them, perhaps, because they may be more
tempted to swallow mp the republicans; for,
though they are divided, there IL still .
powerful democratic organization. But this,