Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-14
THE PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION.

To-day there assemblies at Philadelphia a
| Convention whose deliberations will proba-
bly, affect, for veal or woe, thedestinies Of the
country, and the interests of every man who
claims American citizenship. 1t is not in
the accepted use of the term, a political
assemblage. If it answers the requirements
of the occasion which convened it, and meets
the expectations Of the great mass Of the
people who are looking with anxious solicit
tude to its action, it will not degrade itself
into mere party convOcation. 1t has
greater objects than those which mere party
organizations are calculated TO accomplish,
and If the men who compose it comprehend
clearly these objects and their duties, its
| proceedings will be characterized by purer
and more elevated tone than is usually OBJ
served in such bodies The importance Of
the matters which has made necessary this
National Assembly should impart to its
demeanor a gravity and decorum, tempe
rance in debate, an avoidance Of everything
Of a sectional or partizan character, and a
sublime patriotism similar to that exhibited
by the Continental Congress which met in the
same city, ninety years ago, TO consider the
relations Of the Colonies TO the mother gov
eminent; for the question Of wisely read
iusting the severed relations between thirty or
fort millions Of people living in immediate
contiguity, and restoring over them as one
nation truly REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT,
cannot be held secondary to that which en-
gagged the attention Of the men who declared
independence, and fashioned the model Of
the greatest republic that has ever fourished
in the tide of time. 1t is the duty Of the
men Of to-day 10 preserve and maintain in
its integrity the work Of the great men
whose wisdom conceived and perfected the
scheme Of government which, justly admin
istered, is capable Of such bvneicent results
as is the American Constitution. 1t is now
being made, in its very foundations, the
object Of a radical assault 1t is in danger
of overthrow, not by arms, foreign or do
nestle, nor by the grasping ambition Of one
man, seeking to install himself as dictator
or monarch, but by insidious causes as sure
in their operation as either of the former,
and which, if not arrested will certainly
and speedily effect its destruction.
The Convention, we believe, is composed
in the MAN, Of good and true men, who are
lifted above the role Of the partizan, and who
have gone to Philadelphia to consult with
uprightness and sincerity for the good Of the
country Itwould be strange however, il
in so large body there was not some fac
tious material. We trust that it is an in
significant element, and that :he preponder-
ance Of wisdom and true patriotism there
assembled will devise measures to place the
conservatism Of the country on high vantage
ground, and rescue il from the hands Of
radicalism; and devoutly hope that harmo-
ny NAV pervade The deliberations Of the
Convention. In this connection we intro
duce sensible article from the New York
World Of the 10Th inst:
We trust that there will be sufficient good
| sense at Philadelphia 20 steer the Conven-
clear Of all irrelevant questions. We do not
Of new party, and hore no attempt will be
made 20 digest party creed. The Conven-
ton ought TO present 70 the country the one
paramount issue which occaSioned its call,
and abstain from expressions Of opinion
on other points, however important those
points may, by some part Of il members, be
deemed The immediate restoration Of the
Union by immediate admission Of The South
ern States 10 Congress- is the sole issue which
should be carried into the fall elections
and that the people may give q clear and
unequivocal verdict on this, il should be
presented with the utmost simplicity. There
Is no question on which political parties
heretofore divided on which men may not
differ, who nevertheless agree IN thinking
the Southern States entitled 20 immediate
representation. Il would only cause en-
barrassment and tend 10 defeat for the Con-
venton to lay down a platform on such
subjects.
There are two questions which viii seem
20 many members 80 closely connected with