The national Republican., 1866-08-01
WHY CONSERVATIVES DESIRE A
REORGANIZATION OF POLITl-
CAL PARTIES.

At the outbreak Of the recent war 1t was
demonstrated that the radical politicians, SO
called, were incapable Of rendering the Gov
ernment much effective service in any great
emergency. Something besides talk, which
is their principal resource, was required to
save. the Union. The solid men Of the coun-
try who were, and are not, politicians, had
to put their shoulders to the wheel and ad-
vance their millions Of round dollars to the
Government in order to save it. Hundreds
Of millions Of hard cash were required to be
advanced by the capitalists Of the North be-
fore any impression whatever was made upon
the rebellion. It is true that GARRISON,
PH1LLrrs, SUMNER, and STEVENS kept pptheir
perpetual talk, but it was as ineffeqf - for
any practical purpose Of the war ~ UoUD's
pitch-pipe was to scare the Delaware Indians.
1t amounted to nothing whatever.
Having advanced their money to aid the
Government to put down the rebellion, they
became very largely interested in the cause
and intensely anxious. when the war was
ended, to have the legitimate fruits Of it
realized to the country. They wanted the
broken relations of the Southern States with
the General Government restored They
wanted the loyal Senators and Representa-,
tives from those States promptly admitted
to their seats in Congress. They wanted re-
Cancellation and peace. An oppressive pub
lie debt had been contracted which was bear
ing heavily upon all the industrial and COM
mercial interests Of the country, in which
most of them were very deeply concerned.
They wanted Congress to wake up to the Sc.
rious importance of this condition of things,
to drop or postpone all minor matters and
projects, and address itself like statesmen to
the business Of reducing public expenses, of
equalizing these burdens, and Of placing the
finances Of the country upon sound and
permanent basis. Perceiving that that body
conld not or would not drop its petty
schemes for personal speculation or political
advancement that some of its members
seemed to be wasting valuable time upon
subjects utterly useless to the country, they
got, after while, entirely out of patience
with the triaers. For several months past
feeling has been forming among them that
something ought to be done to arouse the
people to the subject Of the infdelity of their
representatives, to the end that better men
might be seSf here in their places. That
feeling has grown and extended over the
country until it resulted in the call for the
Philadelphia Convention.
We have seen this storm against Congress
arising for several months, and we have en-
deavoredr in our humble way, to apprize the
leaders in that body Of it. But they seemed
to be SO intent upon their personal money
projects and their plans for thwarting the
purposes Of The PRESIDENT that they would
not heed the warning. They went on from
one step to another in extravaganza and fa-
naticism, therefore, regardless Of admoni-
tions from any quarter, until the conserva-
tive men Of the country became indignant
and resolved to break up their career. We
hoped for different result. We hoped they
would come to their senses before any pro-
ceedings against them should be commenced
But we have been disappointed. They held
up'a little at the last but did not desist
We do not pretend to know how far the
Philadelphia Convention will adjudge it best
to go at the present time. We only know
that the feelings which prompted the call for
it are very extensive and intense. The dele
gates to be sent there will be representatives
of the solid business interests of the country
who will go there to do something to a pur-
pose. Knowing, as we do, that the conserva-
tive men Of both parties profess to uphold
The PRESIDENT in resisting, as far as he has
been able, the tide of fanaticism in Congress,
we expect it will give expression to their
sentiments in this behalf And we expect it
will demonstrate the necessity of toning up
representation in Congress to the standard
required by the present exigencies of the
country. But whether it will recommend
any new organization for that purpose will
depend altogether, we presume, upon the
opinion which shall prevail after all the facts
bearing upon the subject shall be disclosed
That the conservatives who made the
greatest advancements for carrying on the
war desire reorganization Of parties is
reasonably certain.