New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-14
BEE pHLIApEIPHIA eoNvEaTIoN.

I ably it does, Indeed, the National Demo
cratic party in this State is the people. Its
organization embraces all that body ofopinion
which constitutes the public opinion OF the
State, and excludes only that small fraction OF
our population which, in its sympathles and
its aspirations, has always been IN antagonsm
with the popular sentiment Of Louisiana and
of the South, It is for this reason that the
Democratic State Central Committee could,
without mourning the imputation of imperti-
nent arrogance or insolent assumption, take
upon itself the duty of responding to the adj
dress Of the Democratic members of Congress
BY appointing delegates to represent Louisi-
ana in the Philadelphia convention. If time
and circumstance had permitted, it would
have been desirable to hold a State conyen-
ton for the purpose, or to call on the Demo-
cratic voters in the various districts to choose
representatives. But the near approach of
the day fixed for the convention rendered that
plan impraoticable; and the committee,
therefore, acted disereetly and wisely in as
Stunning the duty and the responsibility which
thus deyolved upon them.
of course, there is no doubt that the dele
gates thus selected will not only be received.
but warmly welcomed by the convention.
Representing the Democratic party they repre-
sent the people of Louisiana If it is really
desired that the Southern States shall be rep
resented in the Philadelphia convention, it is
equally desirable that they be represented
truly and not falsely accurately and not
vaguely fully and not partially. 1t is only
by a representation thus true, accurate and
full, that dignity and completeness can be i'm
parted to the movement for that restoration of
the Union which the organization of the con
templated convention is intended to symbolic.
TWAS, therefore, pre-eminently necessary that,
in constituting the Southern delegations the
great idea Of representing faithfully the public
opinion Of these States, not alone as to their
present status, and their future hopes, but as
to their past history, should be kept constantly
in mind In this State it is the National Dem
oeratie party alone that was capable ofI
oomprehending this leading idea, and of
translating it into an Ineligible form
Other parties, OF rather shadows Of par
ties-for, as we have said, the Demo-
cratic party are the people Of the State
might agree, as to future policy, with the
main body of the people but they lack the
essential element of Identification with the
public sentiment Of Louisiana in the immedi-
ate past to qualify them to fill the positions
Of representatives Of the State, either in
political convention or in a Legislative assem-
bly, Up to the present moment they have
been separated from the mass of the people SO
thoroughly that their relations with the com
munity have been those Of antagonism and
notthose of sympathy. If they had merged
themselves in the Democratic party, they
would have been cordially received as fellow
laborers in a common cause and the distinc-
tons and differences Of the past would have
been soon obliterated by the exigencies of the
present But the attempt to form separate
party, while it confirms the antagonistical |
character Of their previous position, exhibits
in conspicuous Light the weakness and insig-
nifcance Of the organization which now, as
hitherto, has set itself In opposition
to the current Of public opinion
How such an organization can expect to be
recognized at Philadelphia we can hardly CON
oeiye. fits extensive enough to claim to be
a party it is a party for which there is no pos
sible use at this time as an exponent either Of
the actual or the historical public sentiment of
Louisiana. 1t is absurd to suppose that the
people Of the North want information as to the
opinions and feelings Of the minority in the
late Confederate States The character of that
minority is well enough known already
fheir "loyalty" is unimpeachable Their at
achment to the Union always excepting the
mall squad Of radical factionists-i not cues
ioned Nobody brings any accusations against
hem. Nobody wants to deprive them Of any
lights except only as their rights may be in
'olyed in the danger which menaces the whole
population And, finally, they are not the
,eople Of the South scarcely even are they,
n any just sense, a portion of the people
Their opinions, therefore, are Of no moment,
nd Of no value in forming an estimate Of
southern sentiment. Such minority would
'e entirely out Of place at Philadelphia if !
laiming representation through distinctive J
delegations
II it is at all necessary to embrace this class !
# opinion in the representation sent from !.
louisiana, that object has been attained in
" SonotIu slroA " t1s aeleSatlon appointed =
y the Democratic committee. Whoever may
omplain Of the plan adopted by the com !,
littee, certainly the minority have no reason !.
! find fault They are represented, on the =
elegation, quite as fully as they had any :
ght to expect and indeed more fully than
ieir numbers entitle them to. !,
But. if it is not important for the North I
i'd for the convention to know more than is !,
ready known, of the views and opinions !,
the minority, it is important that they !, !
aould be instructed as to the views and y
pirions Of the majority If il is quite
apertiuous to insist on the loyalty Of the y =
Union element, it is requisite to exhibit y
ne loyalty Of the so-called "rebelu !, y
cement If those who represent the :.
cal people of the South should refuse to AZ =
and the convention, we might be, perhaps !,
lstly, accused Of that sullen reousancv u
hich is nearly allied to disloyalty." Bnt y !.
/ sending thither our representative men y !,
zen who sympathize with our past, as thew u :.
e identified with our future-we shall dol !,
that we are capable Of doing, to reconcile :
ast antagonisms, and to regain our rights in !
ie Union. q
1