Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-07-11

movement had not been inaugurated. Ii
the proposed Convention proves a success,
il will, of course, appoint a National Gen.
tral Committee, with the usual power TO
call Conventions, and will proceed TO perfect
its party machinery by appointing local COM
mittees in the several States. Ii 1t chooses
to hold Its conventions at the same times
and places as those of the Democratic par
". mutual committees cf conference may
bring their actions, as distinct bodies into
harmony. If things shall take this turn,
and reach this result, the new movement
may serve a good purpose. 1t will then
form an important branch of an allied army
against the common enemy.
The political value of this new movement
depends upon two possibilities. President
johnson may identify himself with the par
ty it proposes to organize, and give it his
vigorous support. This is one possibility.
The Union. loving people of the United
States may regard with great partiality and
favor party organized in oppositian TO the
radicals, and of which the President ac-
knowledges himself as the head. This is
the other possibility. If both of these pos
sibilities should ripen into facts, the move
ment now inaugurated may prove of great
public utility The reluctance thus far
evinced by the President to separate him
self from the political party by whose votes
he was elected, has been the chief difficulty
of the political situation. But for this, the
Democratic party land with it his policy
would have triumphed in the spring cleo
tions. In consequence of this, the infiu
ence and prestige of the President have been
used to elect radical governors and legisla-
lures, So far as the purpose of the Phila-
deiphia Convention Is to construct a bridge
on which the President can retreat from the
party affiliations by which he has thus far
been bound, all conservative citizens must
approve Of it. We presume this will he
the practical effect OF the Philadelphia
Convention, If the numbers, courage, Ell
thusiasm, and geographical distribution of
its members shall furnish evidence of a
strong popular support.
1t Is not IN the power Of few public men
10 inaugurate a political party at their will
Parties are not made, but grow Political
deep, but it avails nothing if the spirits
will not come. IF the people shall regard
this movement with favor, nothing can OBJ
struct Its success. 1t is their prerogative TO
form new parties; and on them it depends
whether the new movement shall be a sue
cess, or the futile effort of leaders who have
no following. The ends it proposes make it
respectable; and the favor and Endorsement
of the people will render It important. For
ourselves, we shall be gratihed by all indi-
cations that it is likely to receive q strong
popular support.
From the n Y Tribune, Republican,
The Union party of lS6l-5 disowns this
Convention-repudiates the authority of
Randall & Co. TO call it-refuses TO attend
or countenance it. Not ten Of the so mem
bers of Congress chosen by the Unionists OF
lS64-5 give this Convention any sort of coun-
tenance while, on the other hand their ad-
verSarles have, To a man, made haste TO rat
lty and second the call. and to urge their
party to be fully and ablyrepresented there
IN. Forty Of their chosen represent fatives
and Gen. l.. II. Rosseau have united in this
recommendation; and We presume the half
dozen whose names do not appear were alb
sent from Washington, and viii sign on
their return. Thus the Randall Copven-
ton will be essentially a gathering OF those
who resolved. at Chicago in 1864. that the
War tor the Union had been failure, and
nominated accordingly. The Journals which
upheld the Rebellion to the last are nearly
all urging that .'the South shall be fully
and strongly represented; so we shall have
ar Philadelphia a full Convention of those
W ilO lldlItdIliSu the IlSDtIlOn. ana lnDStl
who insisted that it should not and could
not be put down, but a very small percent
age OF those who insisted that IL could and
should De. NJ eantime, the cooling and bill
ing of the predestined compatriots of 1867 8
goes on with ever-increasing fervor and re-
ciprocal delight.
From the Philadelphia Telegraph, Republican
The address of the Democratic members
of Congress to the country is weak affair.
1t lacks the vlgor and bitterness of Demo
cratic speeches against the war and against
the Government during the Rebellion, and
falls to make up IN argument what it lacks
in spirit Of course. it assails the policy of
the Union party but that we expected.
We have not succeeded in pleasing these
gentlemen since the war frs. broke out Ii
is too late to hope to do so now. Dangers
threaten the Constitution, they tell us.
and so they have told us periodically for the
last five years. They said SO when we COM
menced to ''coerce" the Rebels, when we
freed the slaves, and when We put arms into
the hands OF the blacks, with which to fight
for the country. 'SThe citadel of our liberties
is directly assailed, theycry. We think we
heard similar remarks from Mr. Vallandie-
ham and other Democrats when the writ OF
habeas corpus was suspended by President
Lincoln, and when the Rebel spies at the
North found themselves somewhat arJitra-
rt}y arrested. In short, We have heard all
this talk before. 1t has lost the charm of
novelty. 1t is as stale as last years al
manac.
The Union people understand the Consti-
tuition OF this great country truly better
than these Democratic politicians do. They
have quite as much interest in preserving
the citadel of our liberties as the men
have who gave aid and comfort to the re-
bellion, and declared the war failure !"
The Union party saved the country. when
the leaders OF the Democracy had plunged