The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-07-04
The Proposed National Union Conven,
ton.

as to the propricty Of sending delegate
from the late Confederate States to tn
National Union Convention in Philai.cl
phia.
We have expressed wish 10 sec IL.
South represented in the Philadelphia Con
vcntion. We desired To- sec the Radica
party rcbuked by the cOnvocation am
assemblage Of a council of wise men IRON
every State in the Union. To refuse 4
send delegates would be {" strip the Con
vcntiou of its national character, and max,
tia bv.word among the enemies Of on
peopic. Indeed, we can imagine no goo,
object that could be accomplished by
convention OF men from only the same
States which are already represented il
Congress. 1t would be merely counter
part of THAp. STEvEys's Congress, an,
would not present that contrast whicl
should be brought prominently before tn,
eyes Of the people. The spectacle Of 4;
large body of statesmen coming from every
part OF the Union, and representing the
northern division, must exercise q Won,
dcrful influence in removing the veil o
prejudice which now obstructs the vision
of the people Of tie latter section.
Objection has been made To The terms oI
the call. The language assumes that the
Union is indissoluble for any cause, and
that the national laws are Of perpetual and
binding obligation. We like this sort OF
doctrine Is little as any other paper or
person and We have no more idea now
than We had before the war that the
trainers OF the Constitution intended to
establish consolidated, national govern
mcnt. But what they did not do, the war
has done and, whether we like or dislike
the fact, il is none the less true that this
IS now, to all intcntS and purposes, i con-
solidatcd nation, with 4 ccutral head of
unlimited powcrs-unlimned, we say, be-
cause constitutional limitations arc not
worth the paper upon which they arc writ
ten. 1t is impossible that ii can be other
wise; Tor either the States must them
selves judge Of the "mode and measure of
redress for violations of the Consttu-
tion--wlich right involves that of ScccS-
sioE-or else the Federal Government is
The sole judge, and, being the judge, will
OF course never decide its own acts to be
unconstitutional, or its own usurpations to
be anything more than the legitimate en-
eTcisc Of powers conferred by the Consti-
luton.
Now, we all know that tie -. - 80.
800, ,;.,u Iu-ua, ~ children practlcins
vocal exercises and exultan,L YIil6pte of the
II ffth t6 States constitute large majority
of the population of the United States.
We also know that even the Democrats in
those States, with on exception here and
there, deny the right Of secession; and
that the strong arm of military power ha'
decided that there is no such right left tf
anv State. What then shall we wait for Il:
condition precedent to union between
ourselves and the conservatives OF tho
North. Shall VIC demand an acknowlcdg
ment of the right of secession Why, Thu
would be the every error OF the moon.'
No one will pretend to say that We Cal
reasonably expect dead issue to be thus
revivificd. And if We cannot, and ough,
not to, demand this concession, what Other
condition precedent, less than this, would
mean anything Shall we ask the con
servatiyes To declare that the Federal
Government is ono OF limited power
Why, the northern Democrats did that in
County Conventions, and State Conven.
tons, and National Conventions, for years
and years before the commencement OF
the late war, and Yet when the time OF
trial came they all went over to tho con-
solidationsts, and with money and men
and speeches and votes, and in all manner
of WAYS, swallowed all their fine words, and
declared 10y their acts that the powers o.
the Federal Government are unlimited
And So il would be again, whatever theil
previous professions might have been
There is no middle ground possible be
tween consolidation and the right of sc
cession and it is idle to seek such ioun
dation for our political future fabrics. For
we repeat, if the States cannot rightfully Sc
ccdc, they are helpless. They cannot dc
iend themselves within the Union whel
they arc in minority; and when they ar,
not in q minority they of course have
nothing to complain of, since minoritie
pass no laws.
II, then. there are no conditions prccc
dent which we can reasonably require a
the hands of the northern Conservative
before entering into party relations wit
thcm--none, we mean, which can poSsibl
have any value in protecting us in the III
ture-why should we not make the best q
i, bad bargain, and unite with the oppo
nents of Radicalism in their efforts to pu
down the pestilcnt faction which no,
hangs like an incubus upon the nation
Shall we prate about dead distractions
Shall We waste our breath advocating TN
rights of the States, when We know tina
Ne thereby merely play into the hands
our enemies.
The mere proclamation Of sound States
rights doctrines by men who set no higl
estimate upon them, and who either do no
understand them or are too selfish to stan'
by them in their time of trial, cannot b,
Al object upon which the South should in
sist. We realiz~ in the fullest sense tina
this is q consolidated cmr,irc. There is n