New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-12
TIE pE1LApELPHIA CONVENTION.

The address Of the Democratic member of
Congress tends, in great measure, to Itelieve
the perpleMties and resolve the do. tbts en-
gendered by the original call for Convention
to be held at Philadelphia. That call, while
it seemed to be dictated ygood motives, con
tanned much to which the people of these
States could not subscribe much which they
must of necessity reject much which was not
| only repugnant to their views and feelings, but
actually prohibitory Of any political assooia-
ton with its originators. As the basis of a
new party organization and a fundamental de-
claration of party faith it never could COM
mand either the assent or the liberation of the
Southern people. And yet it was put forth by
persons who claim to be adherents Of the Pres
ident's policy, and who seem to be influenced
by sincere desire to restore all the States to
their constitutional relations with the federal
government Their desire and their design
undoubtedly are to find some ground on which
all the antagonists of radical despotism may
safely stand-not only the Democrats, who
already possess an efficient and powerful
organization, but the so-ealled conservative
Republicans who find that support of the
President is no longer consistent with exist
ing party relations The ground which they
chose was, however, not the ground on which
theFpeople of the South could find any sort of
footing. This movement therefore, if it had
been limited to their own efforts, while it
might to some extent have divided the Repub-
ican party, could not have effected any
thorough union of the elements which eonsti-
tute the opposition to radicalism. Nor is it
at all probable that the proposed convention
will involve dissolution Of the Democratic
party. That organization is perfectly willing
to cooperate with any party, or fragment of a
party, in the great work of reconstruction,
and of saving the remnants of public liberty
from the deadly assaults of the Republican
eonspirators but it will not, we fancy sur
render its integrity for the mere sake of graft
flying the personal vanity of those who
wish to form new party, and act
under a new name. Indeed, in the
process Of disintegration which would
follow such an abdication Of its funo-
tons, much more might be lost by the old
party than would be gained by the new one.
If the Philadelphia convention see fit to CON
stitute new party either as subsidiary to the
Democratic party, or as auxiliary to it, or as
an ally in approaching political contests, there
is no question that the Democrats will be glad
to enter into any arrangements contemplating
concert of action with the new organization.
1t is in this sense alone that delegates of the
Democratic party can consistently appear in
that convention.
| It is fortunate for the purpose in view that
the Democratic members of Congress have, by
their recent address, changed the complexion
worn by the movement when it remained
under the shadow Of the original call The
Democratic address speaks directly to the
Democratic party /; and the suggestions of its
signers are certainly entitled to much consid-
Grafton When they advise the party in all
the States to send delegates to Philadelphia
we in the South can afford to sacrifice much
of our repugnance to take part in federal pol
| tics, and to forego our natural indisposition
to appear in a body from which, on the
theories which prevail in Congress, we might
be extruded as impairment interlopers. 1t
must be remembered that this convention is
held expressly for the purpose of putting the
stamp Of public reprobation on the radical as
sumption that the Southern States are only
subject provinces not entitled to representa-
ton or voice in the government The an
/ tagonism between the views on this point
entertained by the radicals and the opinions
held by President johnson and the Democratic
party, could not be more emphatically ex-
pressed than by the admission to a general
convention of the delegations of the Southern
States, on equal terms with those of the So
called loyal" States
We presume therefore that all the Southern
States will be represented in the approaching
Philadelphia convention. No public moves
ment has yet been made to send a delega-
ton from Louisiana, but we presume that
proper delegates viii be chosen in due time
There may not be opportunity to hold State
convention for the purpose and therefore,
the power of selection may appropriately be
exercised by the committee. All that public
opinion will require in the matter is that the
| gentlemen sent to Philadelphia should be per-
sons fully identified with the interests and the
history Of the State-in other words that they
should be emphatically representative men.
We do not wish to appear under false colors
either in the Congress Of the United States or
in q party convention. Another requirement
is, that as the appointments are to be made by
"a Democratic committee, on behalf of the
Democratic party, the delegates should be gen
tlemen thoroughly identified with the Demo-
cratic organization. Otherwise they would
have no right to speak for the Democratic
party, norfor Louisiana at ALL since here the
Democratic party is the people.
THE CoNsPIRAToRs
Nothing shows more clearly the inlpudeneo
Of the pretensions set up by the eonyentionites,
hhnsn Al,a fnnA 4lanA H..