The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-08-22
OF BRUNSWICK.

SYLVESTER LTTTLEF1ELD,.. .......... Alfred
COMMISSIONERS,
ADFBED HULL. ................,....S hapleigh
Unanimity of the johnson Convention
Unanimity was the strong point of the con
vention which was recently dissolved-ir
tears and otherwise-at Philadelphia. Ever,
precaution was taken to secure unanimity
No discussion was allowed. Obnoxious reso
buttons were laid on the table by the presi
dent of the convention, without the fuss o
reading or voting upon them. The resolution
finally adopted according to programme, wer,
printed beforehand, and were not exposed tx
the gaze of the mob of delegates. Harmony
at any price was the ruling passion. As Mr.
Merrill, one of the Maine delegates, well says
eff the Union is worth keeping, it is worth
ished Northern principles" including free
speech and the other principle of knowing
your own mind
Now that the resolutions have been "unani-
mously adopted" it is curious to see how they
are traversed in every direction by the decla-
rations Of the delegates, and of their pretend
ed constituencies. The very first resolution
hailing the return of peace, was four days too
early, as it appears, our autocratic President
having reserved his right to make peace by
proclamation until Monday, while the resolu-
ton was adopted ON the previou. Thursday.
This, however, is only an error of law and
fact, and it may fairly be supposed that the
convention was tolerably unanimous in reioic-
ing at the return of peace with Andrew John
son in the White House. Mr.. Fernando
Wood, who was member of the convention,
though be modestly kept in the background,
has long been known as an ardent peacemak-
er. Here is what he said at Chicago, in 1864,
when peace meant permanent disunion:
: Planting ourselves firmly upon peace plat
form, with candidate pledged to restore peace
and harmony, some great ion-hearted Demo-
GRAFT, the Union shall and will be restored. Now.
my friends, we have had war, we have had
administration, desolation, emancipation and
remedy-to administer the antidote-peace
The second resolution asserts that the war
"has maintained the authority of the Consti-
tuition" To this South Carolina delegate
said-outside, of course-"The Constitution
is not in the question. We fought against it,
and WE ARE AGAINST 1T NOW. Damn the
Constitution; State Rights is the true doc
trine." 5at
The third affirms that representation in
Congress is not only constitutional right,
but "a duty imposed upon the people Of eve
ry State" That duty, very much neglected
by the Southern States of late years, has been
resumed in fraternal spirit quite admirable.
This is the way in which they do it; we COPY
from an electioneering article in Richmond
paper:
Judge Crump it is said, gave three thousand
dollars to the Confederacy. Mr.. Gilmer gave
four years of his life, and risked the whole.
Who gave most? Let the soldiers answer at
the polls.
A fourth resolution invites the people Of
the United States to elect members of Con-
gress, who will receive "loyal representatives
from every State; but what good will that do
the disfranchised communities which persist
in sending to Washington such representa-
tives as the Confederate ice-President! 1--WE
are conscious says the Richmond Examiner.
of no crime and. no error, but misfortune
merely" How many Of these unfortunate.
people would probably be- satisfied with a
Congress which should admit only aloyal rep
There were at PHILADELPHIA.
among others, Lewis B. Parsons OF Alabama,
a member of the Alabama legislature which
in 1859 declared the election of Republican
President sufficient cause for dissolving the
Union; Col. G. G. Langdon, who advocated
raising the black flag; Gen. C. N. Battles a
a Rebel brigadier-all Congressman elect, and
very anxious to see Congress ready to adj
init disloyal representatives.
The fifth resolution declares that ~the union
of these States is perpetual" 1t is to such
features of the political creed adopted at
Philadelphia, that the Richmond Enquirer
referred while the convention was still in ses-
sion, SAYING
The report which we have Of the speech of
Governor Orr, and the anticipated action of the
as stated by the correspondents
leave also room to fear that the heresies of the
Cal, are to be endorsed and declared the creed
and platform of the conservatives of the coun-
try. If this shall be So the result will be due
to the timid, hating policy of the meetings
which appointed delegates. For ourselves, we
y! WIN not emprace heresy on whatever authority
1t may be commended, and shall. in the case sun
posed, be compelled to limit s,tn,,orf of Tie CON-
0etson 70 cooperation in its great aims not con-
cuTre1ce In It's particular declarations f9il77
In the sixth place, the conyention asserts
that the Constitution may be con.titutionally
amended, but only by constitutional methods
As this proposition has the merit of ent;ro
we are inclined to attribute II to
the humble individual who now exercises
the functions of President OF the United
States. Nobody having conceived the matter
before In this mastery way, it is impossible to
Know what the convention really thought
about it, and we decline to indulge in conjec-
ture.
The seventh resolution endorses the civil
rights law, in fragrant opposition to President
Johnson and very large portion of tbe
Southern whites.
The eighth proclaims the national debt |
sacred and inviolable." Gen. Chalmers. a
delegate who won his credentials at Fort Pill |
ow, said in recent speech at Memphis
Our question went into the court of war, and |
was argued and decided against US, and we |
nave submitted like good citizens. We have |
'upmitted to a Governor not of our own choice,
,een lnsnlted by our former slaves, and lost four
nousan1 million dollars worth of slaves, great
I imam tn 9; war debt of the North And ought
ney 10 call upon us to pay their war debt?
Gen. Chalmers thinks not, apparently, and
Robert Mallory, formerly member of Con-
ress from Kentucky, openly declared in ia
or of reputation at Bowling Green the 9th
r day. Mr.. Mallory was also delegate,
The ninth resolution recognizes the SER