Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-08-17
one Weak Point.

!
one Weak Point.
The facts reeited in our dispatches and
correspondence in connection with the
withdrawal of that troublesome mortal,
Yarandigham. from the Copperiohnson
Philadelphia Convention, arc worthy OF
especial note as showing the pitiable char
acter of this anomalous mixture of politi-
cal elements. 1t will be observed that it
was not because Vallandighsm was unable
to endorse, in its entirety and without
qualification or reservation, the call by
notwithstanding was brought together
and vote unqu~estioningly upon every
proposition they might bring forward,
that caused them to desire his absence
from their deliberations. 1t was known
TO every man in that body that the Ohio
traitor would be shoulder to shoulder with
them in all they might do that he had
conc to their meeting with the fixed pur-
pose of opposing no obstacle, however
slight by any act OF his own, to the exc
cation of the objects for which the meet
ing had been called; they know that there
is no act of the administration Of Andrew
johnson, since the developeDent of my
policy that this man Vallandigham
could not fully and freely endorse. The
sole question, therefore, was one Of expe-
diency, and why They felt that they could
offer to the loyal American people no apol-
ogv, no shadow Of classification, for permit
ting Vallandigham to participate in their
proceedings he wanted the great advan-
taee, and with these fellows, the prestige,
of having wrought his treason below Ma
son and Dixon's line, and blistered though
his tongue might be from traitorous ap-
peals against the Government Of the ma
tion,yet his hands were free fromthe blood
of Union soldiers. Here were great def
c]iencies, and they untitled him TO sit be-
side the men whose names viii go down
TO history as the most infamous Of traitors,
and so far as they could be, the most bar
bsrous of vandals. So, too, the Woods of
New York, they who have battled so hard
with tongue and pen in the cause of the
South, during and since the rebellion, and
to the thorough execution of whose de-
mands this Convention is especially dedi-
Gated, were unable to consort with their
rebel friends, and TO "promote harmony,
and "further the patriotic purposes of the
Convention, were left out in the cold.
DO the leaders of this Philadelphia mon
grel concern seriously think to deceive the
intelligent American people by such
glazing hypocrisy rs this We can
not believe them capable Of such utter
blindness and folly. The loyal masses
need no inspiration to enable them
to penetrate the fimsy and superb
cial veil Of gauze that separates these
stones from the balance Of the building.
The letter. Of tho~e-nc- lay buro aha
whole sacrelegious mockery, and stand out
the living, unimpeachable witnesses to
damn to death this whole vile plot against
the liberties Of the American people and
the progress and permanence of Republi-
can institutions in this land. There was
no denial of the right of Vallandigham,
or any Of his ~traitorous compeers who
withdrew, TO take their places in the
Convention, and there can be no
reasonable question but that these men,
had they insisted upon demanding their
places in the Convention, would have
found a majority TO sustain them but the
leaders, fearing that such a burden would
be more than their weak vessel could
carry, succeeded by cajolery, coaxing, and
may be by promises of future reward, in
ducing these men, through pretensions OF a
patriotic desire to secure harmony, in
yielding up their connection with the
Convention. This result they were able
to bring about the more easily from the
fact that these Northern traitors knew
that the cause was safe withouttbem; they
knew that the Convention contained a
majority of Just such as they in heart and
purpose, though of less dangerous record,
and they had no question bat that the acts
Of the Convention would be moulded to
meet their views and wishes. And after all
they resigned but little, fer the ears of the
elect were still opento them.
No, gentlemen of the Philadelphia Con-
v%ention, the American people are not TO
be deceived by this shallow hypocrisy,
and until you can cleanse from the souls
of the rebel horde who are now eongregs-
ted in Philadelphia the blood Of the vic
Tins of their treason, and Danish from
the hearts of the loyal people of the coun-
try the sacred memory of their dead, you
can make no Roadway against the great
Union party. of the nation.