New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-08-14
Me- pEIIAprIrFEA coNvENTIoN.

The convention Of friends Of the admins
tration meets at Philadelphia to-day. It is, IN
all respects. remarkable assemblage-te
markable, that it indicates the salient initial
point Of movement which Will probably
result in driving from power the party which
has SO long ruled the country, and kept IL SO
long divided; remarkable that it is the first
conspicuous antelope of that reunion for
which the President is so zealously laboring
and which seems to present the only rational
hope for the preservation of public liberty
in this country; remarkable that it illustrates
that crystallizaton Of thought around the
great central idea of Constitutional resistance
to radical usurpadon, sectional despotism,
Congressional corruption, and revolutionary
audacity which is necessary to any effective
conduct of the impending struggle.
Yet, whilst we know the general object of
the convention, and knowing the object APP
prove it, we cannot form any notion of the
means which will be taken to accomplish the
purpose in view. The convention will be
composed, to great extent, of men thor
oughly conyersant with party movements,
and party strategy, who know the value of
organization and the great power and infu-
ence Of old party associations and traditions
1t will, on the other hand, embrace many
members of little experience in such matters,
but possessed of sincere desire to aid the
President in concentrating his policy of re-
construction. Between these classes there viii,
in all probability, be some difference of opinion
as to means. There viii, likewise, be other
differences, arising out Of the previous political
antagonisms Of the constituent elements
Of the convention. There viii be delegates
representing all shades of opinion with ref
erence to the questions of the last five years,
and even claiming to represent oppositepolit-
zeal parties. Whilst this is favorable and
encouraging symptom from one point of view,
it may prove troublesome in another. The
very completely Of composition which must
necessarily characterize such an assemblage,
may augment the difficulty of arriving at a
perfectly satisfactory programme of arrange
ments. Coalitions are sometimes strong, but
they are seldom lasting and it is especially
difficult to effect them when one party insists
on its antiquity, its prestige and the number
Of its adherents, and the other claims equal
consideration on the ground that its adhesion
is absolutely necessary to secure the victory.
The position first referred to is that of the
Democratic party the other is that of the
conservative Republicans. The Democrats do
not seem at all inclined to give up their organi-
cation andsacrifice their old name for thedoubt
full advantages Of a new one; and the conserya-
tive Republicans appear to be equally unwilling
to merge their political entity into that Of the
Democratic party. Precisely in order to ac-
commodate these differences, and to devise
some means by which the numbers of the
Democratic party, and the influence of the
conservative Republicans could be made avail
able in the struggle against radicalism, the
Philadelphia convention was called. What
plan will be adopted of course, we cannot
,redict; but we Ebeieve, and we certainly
sincerely hope, that something definite and
Elective will be accomplished. The elections
in the Northern States are too i'm
,ortant to be hazarded BY misstep. All par
les agree that on them depends the issue Of
he struggle which the country is waging with I
he radicals. If the government is to main
ain even a semblance of its former form if
he rights of the States and of the citizen
re to be hereafter respected at all, if they are
lot to be sacrificed to the vindictiye fury of
n ambitious and interruptions party, the
oming elections in the North must show that
he next Congress viii contain, including the
southern members, majority of administra-
ion men. This point is so well understood
hat the convention will do nothing to hazard
uccess; but will subordinate all party ambi-
ions, and all personal ambitions to the main
purpose in view.