Des Arc citizen., 1866-08-25
THE PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION.
Letter from Hen. c. L. valIandlgham.

To the Democratic Central Committees of the
 Third Congressional District of Ohio
 GENTLEAlEN--Assur by competent au- thority, that it is no part of the secret, as it certainly is not of the avowed and public pur- pose of the Philadelphia National Convention of August l4th, 10 propose any measure look irg 10 the present ultimate disbanding of the democratic party, l accept the appointment as one of the delegates to that Convention from this district, and, accepting, desire to add q word of explanation.
 l am well aware that by the great mass of the democratic party, here and elsewhere, the convention is regarded with extreme jealousy and distrust. Nothing could be more natural; nothing more just. They who stand forth to the world as the managing agents of the move ment, were among the chief supporters of the late Mir. Lincoln and of the party by which he was first and second time chosen President. There is not one act of wrong, oppression or outrage committed during the last five years upon the democratic party or the individual members who compose it, for which they are not directly remotely responsible. Some among them spent a lifetime in raising the storm of civil war which for so long ragged with the fury of the hurricane all over the land-that storm whose lashings yet threaten to engulf whatever is left of the original. form ofour federal system, the rights of the States and the liberties of the people. Through the agency of these men, and of others with them, arelgn ofterror, scarce surpassed even in the darkest periods of the French revolution of '89, smote the land, wrenching hearts, desola- ting Eomcs, and destroying, in it's course. not only political and personal liberty, but the peace, the quiet, and the security of every hcarthstone, those only excepted where dwelt the sycophants and minions of dcspotic power Not democratic househo old in Ohio, perhaps anywhere. escaped without injury to person or property, or, at least, without insult or wrong 10 name, to family and to reputation Dis persal of public meetings, suppression of newspapers, prescription in all the social, re- hgious and business relations of life, calum- nies prosecutions, mobbings, stripes, stonings, arrests, Imprisonment, military commissions, exile. death-these were the bitter fruits of the teachings and policy of the men who now invite democrats to sit in friendly council with them in the Philadelphia Convention That such an invitation, from such a quarter should be received with suspicion and distrust, if not with keener, stronger emotions, is but an in stinct of nature and whoever consents, offers up high and holy sacrifice to magnanimity and patriotism But wise men do not heark en to the voice of passion, and patriots never
 
 try to the impulses of revenge. Providence has made possible, in spite of the evil policies of the past five years, the restoration of the constitution and the Union, and with them, of free federal government, and public and per sonal liberty. The tide i'll the affairs of men which leads to fortune, is now setting in, and it must be taken at the flood. As to all who in good faith accept the situation" and would even yet avert the natural and legisi- mate fruits, North and South, of civil war, the past must be forgotten, antecedents ignored, and the great issue of the hour made the sole test of present fellowship and cooperation. Save the ship first. Strive then for the mas tery He who cannot attain to the night of this great argument, is too much of partisan to be anything of q patriot.
 On every side dangers encompass us. The late war, indeed, is over: but the evils of which all wars, and civil wars especially, are the prolific parents, just now, begin to be felt. In good faith and earnestly, as believe, the President labors day and d.night to avert 10 mitigate these evils. His is the rare, but wise, healing exalted policy of conciliation, magnanimity-the policy of the Christian and the statesman. That of the republican party represented by the congress may be summed mp in two words Fee cicti&-''Wo oe to the con quered'-thc unwise, narrow, irritating, peace destroying policy Of the barbarian and pirate Between these two the country must now choose, and the life of the republic hangs upon the choice.
 am not unaware that handful of mischicv- ous and cyil-disposed persons of the replbli can party, now among the professed friends of the President, but themselves of peculiarly odous and unpatriotic record and antecedents, pretend to set up tests for admission to the Philadelphia Convention, as against certain men--n fac. all menDof the democratic par ty. The combined indecency, presumption and folly of this pretense, together with the mingled treaehery and hypocrisy of the mo- tiyes which prompt it, render it too contempt ible for further notice. If the Philadelphia Convention is to apply any other test than the present status and principles of the delegates upon the one great question of the day, as set forth in the eall-above all, if t is 10 be per verted to an inquistion, on either side, into the record and antecedeuts of the men who shall present themselves with the ordinary credentials of membership. then, appropri- ately, it should be assembled in the temple of discord, or, far better it had not be assembled at all. Upon the heads of those, of either par ty, who shall first stir these fountains of bit terness be the evils which shall follow.
 C. l., VALLANDIGHAM.
 DAYTON, Ono, July 30, 1866.
 6