Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-08-04
President Johnson's Convention.


the Union party. Had the doctrines of the
Democratic party. as held at the commence
ment and during the whole of the late civil
war, been followed by the Government, in
stead of being now free and united people,
the States would have been riven into dis
cordant fragments, with no possibility of re-
union. but BY the submission, on the part Of
the Northern and free States, to such terms
OF vassalage as the aristocratic lords of the
South should have condescended to have
imposed upon them. With these facts, pat
ent to all men of sufficient intelligence for
reflection, it is refreshing to witness the at
tempts of certain renegades from the Union
party to combine with the copperheads and
rebels, and form a new political concern.
which they are to christen the National Un-
ion party, and foist upon the great unsophis-
ticated masses as the regenera,or of the coun-
try, and savior of the liberties of the people.
The call for the convention which Is to as
semble all the disaffection and disloyalty in
the country, has gone forth; and on the l4th
instant there will meet, in Philadelphia. such
gathering of copperheads and rebels as will
rather startle and open the eyes of the few.
deluded, but genuine Unionists, if any such
be there. who may have been inveigled into
attendance. Though the call prescribes that
the delegates shall be chosen by the ELECT
ors of the several States who sustain the
Administration" etc.. yet the Democratic
Central Committees of Pennsylvania, New
York and Wisconsin have taken the respon-
sibility off the hands of the electors and have
appointed delegates to represent the Democ-
racy of their several States in the convention
To appoint the delegates, by central commit
tees. is an easy and safe method of securing
the attendance of full delegations. The
electors of the several States might not feel
sufficient interest in the movement to take
the trouble to duly assemble in District and
State conventions and elect their own rem
resentatiVes; and, besides, delegates thus
chosen from the people might prove refracto-
ry, and not work up to the programme
This fear is ebviated by appointing the dele
gates, who are doubtless selected on account
of their eminent and peculiar fitness for the
position; and any fear which may be enter
tanned. as to their not being allowed to take
their seats in the convention, because. not
elected in pursuance of the call, will proba-
bly, prove groundless, for the reason that
delegates of the electors choosing will not be
present to contest the seats. So there is
nothing to prevent the conven ton from being
harmonious, which if it is not, the fault will
lie with its protector and managers, who have
every chance to have it all their own way.
President johnson, and his friends whose
names are appended to the "call, must have
thoroughly understood what they meant
when they embarked in their crusade against
the Union party. He and they are not
guileless innocents, who are led astray, una
ware, by designing men, but are old and vet
eran politicians, accustomed to all the tricks
and artifces of political warfare; and it is
not to be presumed that such call should
appear to emanate from them, and with their
sanction. without their perfectly understand
ing into what company it is to bring them.
1t has been decided that, under the call,
are eligible to membership in the convention,
and we are informed that A. II. Stephens, of
Georgia, the ex-Vice President of the late
Southern Confederacy, will be a delegate
from his State. The convention will be a
precious crew, and all of its members will be
prepared to sustain that part of "my policy"
which contemplates the destruction of the
Union party, and the surrender of the Gov
ernment into the hands of the traitors who
failed to destroy it by open and armed rebel
lion. When the eventful l4th day of August
shall have brought the convention together,
If the President and his friends do not throw
themselves into its arms, it will not be from
any scruples of conscience on their part, or
from any sense of the shame of deserting and
betraying that great loyal party which trust
ed and placed him and them in their present
high official positions, SO much above their
merits, but because the new concern will
have failed 10 come up to their fond antici-
pations, and, with the solid front of the low
al masses supporting Congress. Vallandigham
and his associates in crime can be of no po-
litical use to them. Should they, on seeing
the awful precipice toward which they are
advancing, and over which they contemplate
throwing themselves, become frightened and
draw back, they cannot plead, in extenuation
or excuse, that they never intended, when
issuing the call for the convention, to enter
into alliance with the enemies of the country
for well they knew that. however worded,
that call addressed not the loyal citizens of
the country. who supported their Represen-
tatives in Congress, but only such as had
been open rebels in the South or crawling
copperheads of the North. and such weak,
worthless mercenary Unionists as could
be driven by official frowns, or purchased by
Executive patronage. No such excuse will
avail them. Their record is made, for all
time, with the loyal people and when His
tory recites the tale of the Great Rebellion.
the treason of Johnson and his friends will
fill its blacklist page. The attempt to des-
troy the Union party will fail. It's vitality
is TOO tenacious to be impaired by any effort
of the copperhead party. 1t bore the coun-
trythrough long and fearful war in safety,
and 1t has the principles and strength to car
ry i, on to tranquility and prosperity. Call
ing names has lost its potency. The cry Of
"fanaticism" and ''radicalism" will no more
break the ranks of the Union party than that
of ''abolitionist" could defeat its armies on
the field of battle; and the t-eachery of him
who should have been its leader will only
close its ranks, and lead on its column to
more certain victory.