The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-09-15


existing political parties Any one or all
of these things may be done by the Con-
vention--but none of them are embraced
or proposed in the call for it, Those who
may do them in Convention or support
them when done, will Of course be respon.
sible for their action. If the Convention
should take steps hostile to tho Union
party, no one could longer adhere to both
Ii IL should make hostile nominations, or
adopt hostile platform, no one could
support both. But until something of
that sort is actually done, it is not easy to
see why any man of ouy party may not
90 into consultation with his fellow citi-
sens, from every party aud every seotion,
without forfeiting his party relations.
The idea that members of Congress have
any right, in caucus or elsewhere, to issue
DEGREES of expulsion or exclusion in such
u case, is simply absurd.
At the same it is evident that the Phil.
adelphia Convention is regarded with
great disfavor by all sections of the Union
party. That party is not disposed to for
get that it was the only political organi-
cation upon which the Government relied
during the war, and that it saved the in.
tegrity of the nation against the armed
efforts of the rebels in the South and the
political hostility of the Democrats in the
North. 1t feels, therefore, that it is now
entitled to control the Government as
against both these parties, aud it is not
disposed to cooperate with either Of them
or to accept their cooperation in any po.
litical action whatever. They objected
to the first call for the Philadelphia Con-
vention, that it would admit all Southern
rebels who would not accept the Union
they had tried to destroy, while 1t cxclu-
ded many of the men who had saved it.
they object to the second call, that while
| il excludes all Union men who insist on
guarantees and conditions Of restoration,
it expressly hands over one-half the Con.
vention to those who opposed the Union
party In the election of lS6i-giving
them in fact, the preponderancc, inas,
much as in eleven States the Union par
ty had at that time no existence, and can
now, therefore, have no representation
And they arc still further repealed by the
eager alacrity with which the recent reb,
els of the South and the intense copper
heads of the North, like Fernando Wood
and Eallandigham accept the invitation
and prepare to take part in its proceed
lings The repugnaace which they feel to
a political association with men whose re-
cord is so utterly uupatriotic and SO OBJ
uoxious to public reprobation is by nc
means unnatural or unjust, and contrib.
utes to prejudice the public mind against
the Convention and all connected with
I IL. IL gives culUr to aud cuuGrms thc
charge that its object il to reinstate in
office aud In power men who have been
justly expelled by the people for their
crimes against the country, and to exclude
those to whom the country is indebted fol
its salvation.
The Union party must not forget, hc"
ever, that the Philadelphia Convention
is due entirely to its own failure to com
prehend and meet the necessities Of the
hour. When the war was over and the
rebellion suppressed a powerful public
sentiment, pcrvading all parties, demand
ed the prompt restoration Of national &C
tiGn under the Constitution and in &c
: cordance with the Fundamental principles
OF the Government. If the Union part,
had responded TO that sentiment, which
was very powerful in its own ranks-if i
had cooperated with the President, wh'
did comprehend and sympathisc with it
, aud had made the restoration Of union
peace, and concord its first object of en-
deavors, il would have broadened its OWL
foundation and left neither motive no
excuse for any such movement as tina
: which is now on foot. If Congress ha'
two months ago, admitted to their seat
4 loyal members from Southern States VIII
j, could take the oath prescribed by lawn
: other words, If they had admitted tn
e members from Tennessee and Arkansas
L the only States which have sent sucl
T men, the Philadelphia Convention woul
e never have been heard of. Unfortunate
ly, the Union party, contrary to the jude
ment Of very many of its members, sui
r rendered itself to the guidance Of me
}, with whom other things were more in
portant than the peace and harmony c
: the country. 1t followed the lead Of me
e who insisted upon "reconstructing" tn
u Government from its foundations, instea
d of restoring the Union which the rebe
|, lion had for the time destroyed, and re
a pairing the breaches which the war ha
n made. 1t listened to tales of the provir
!. ces it had conquered, the new rights
e had acquired, the absolute, unchecke
Is power it now enjoyed and while it wa
,, indulging its dreams of subjugation, {
e confscation, of universal suffrage, an
+ the elevation of the negro race, the en'
y envy quietly stepped in and took posses
y sion of the stronghold of the Union an
IS Constitution where all its victories ha
n been won, but which for the moment
T. seems to have deserted.
These defaults of its own have give
n the Philadelphia Convention a degree 1
st strength which it is not wise for the leac
:e ers Of the Union party to ignore or III
II derrate. BY judicious counsels at tt
y outset they might have prevented it. A
later stage they might have tontrolle
n it; it is not yet too late to save then
y. selves from being ruined by it. But the
d, will make a fatal mistake if they confer
y themselves with ignoring or denouncin
ID it. If it should happen to be under Il
c. guidance of wise and patriotic counsels-
t, if the Southern delegates who may pa
DR. ticipate in its deliberations should proff
" in their words and their action, unmist
E. BILE evidence of the sincerity which the
ct accept the adverse result of the war tht
= i II