The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-08-18
TIE CLOSING DAY.
THE PLATFORM AND ADDRESS.
The Feeling and Demonstrations o.
Northern Sentiment.
How they stand mp for SOUTHERN Rights.
WHY WE SHOULD SUSTAIN THOSE WHO
FIGHT FOR US.
From our Special Correspondent.
PHILADELPHIA, August l6, 1866


Knowing that your columns will be
crowded with the Address and Platform of
the Conservative Union National Convcn-
ton. shall only write you brief notice
of the last days proceedings of that body.
Never was an asscmblage Of the kind
conducted with better Judgment and more
perfect harmony and order. Not word
from the beginning to the end occurred to
mar the good and fraternal feeling that pre-
vailed. Speeches were not desired. The
members preferred the private and social
intercourse with one another. They only
wanted TO listen to those private short
spceches that told the condition of the
country and the wishes Of the people-cs-
pcciallv of the South. These kind of COM
municatons were sought and listened to
with deep interest. And they had their
effect in shaping the policy of the Conven-
ton. This meeting of the Representatives
of the Nation was, in short, a rciinion of
lately separated peoples, and the time was
given to generous sentiments and fratcrnnl
feeling. No man would have been per-
mittcd to introduce the Earring notes OF
disputation or controversy. The body had
no ear for that, and would not have tole-
The wicwam to-day was more crowded
than on either of the preceding days. a
large number of ladies graced the scene
with their bright faces and gay attire.
There were present among the delegates
Young men who had hardly attained their
majority, and a large number of venerable
men with heads as white as snow, all alike
absorbed in the objects of the Convention.
In fhrpp
generations, periodically united i'll the
grand effort to recover the liberties of the
present and hand them down to posterity.
Among the older members were Francis
Z. Blair and Duff Green, who were once
bitter adversaries in the party press of the
Federal capital, but who now, so near the
close of life, shook hands with great cor
diality.
The proceedings to-day were confined
to the reading of the Platform and of the
Address, and then adoption. The rest of
the business occupied but few minutes.
A committee was appointed, two from
each State, TO wait ON the President and
present him with a copy of the proceed
ings Of the Convention, Of which McSSrs.
James Barbour and George W. Boiling, of
this State, are members, and Revcrdy
johnson, of Maryland, chairman. A Ma
tional Union Executive Committee was
appointed, OF two from each State, of which
Mcssrs. J. +. Johnson and L. C.. Robinson,
of this State, are members, and Mr.. James
II. Crowell, of New Jersey, is chairman.
The Resident Executive Committee OF
Washington consists of nine, of which Mr..
Charles KNAPP is chairman, and Messrs.
Montgomery Blair, Charles Mason, Ward
III, Lamon, John L. Coyle, A. +. Perry,
Samuel Fowler, Colonel James X. O'Bierne,
and Cornelius Wendell, members. a
finance committee of two from each State
was appointed, with Charles KNAPP chair
man, and L. w. HUBBARD and George Blow,
Jr., of this State, among the members.
Thanks were voted to the chairman OF
the Convention, to the citizens of Phila-
delphia, to the members of the press, &C.,
and the Convention al ourncd amidst vo-
ciicrous cheering and mutual consratula-
lions of the most cordial and tclicitouS de-
scription.
The most animated scenes ofthc day were
the outbursts of feeling with reference to
the Platform and the Address adopted by
the Convention. The former was presented
bv Mr.. Senator Cowan, of pennsylvania,
and was received with great applause and
unanimously adopted. Three tremendous
cheers were given for Mr.. Cowan.
The Address was very long, and was
read by Mr.. Raymond, of the New York
Times, the author. 1t was listened to very
patiently, and was applauded heartily up
on the reading of several of its sentences
relating to the South. am sure you will
notice particularly the sentence which in
substance declares that if the southern
people were to submit without complaint
TO the humiliation sought to be imposed
upon them by the Radicals, they would be
degenerate sons Of their heroic ancestors,
&c. This sentence called down the house
in the most sudden and uncomfortable out
burst of applause that ever heard. 1t was
not participated in by the South for very
proper and delicate reasons. The North took
the matter in is own hands, and such ap-
plause rs prevailed for about five minutes
/ neve Aeard. The sentence was, on mo-
ton, read again, very deliberately and en-
phatically, and again the assembly repeat
cd its laundering appreciation.
lean say, with entire truth, that through
out the proceedings of the body, whenever
decided declaration touching the equal
rights Of the South, and the deprivation
and wrong she suffers at the hands OF the
usurpers in Congress, was uttered either
in speech or in paper read before the
Convention, the northern members evinced
the same warm and vociterous approval of
il. 1t is in this respect that the wishes
and opinions of the Convention were ex-
hibited in q clear and unmistakable man.
ner. 1t was most grateful to the southern
members.
And now that the Convention is over,
and its members returned to their homes,
it may be truly saia thatit was body un-
exampled for the number and weight of
character of its members. 1t was COM
posed of all parties, and for the time all
party feeling was forgotten in the great
and absorbing question Of saving the ma
ton from revolution and ruin.
suppose that there are persons at the
South who would complain no matter
what was done in such body, and sup
pose some will oppose its acts now. But ]
do trust they will meet the approval Of the
people at large, and the better and more
sensible portion Of the press. This Conven-
ton is our only salvation. If it fails, we
are at the mercy Of the most merciless
party that ever cursed O nation. The
northern men In this Convention are our
friends, who have for eight months strug-
gled with radiealism and fanaticism for
the protection Of the rights Of the South
and nothing would be more unwise or more
suicidal than to wound these friends by
blow from behind, while they struggle
with the yindictive and INSCRIPTIONS Radi.
Gals to win our rights and restore the Con-