Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-05-24
Gsen1Iemen of the Convention !


candidates--Secretary of State, Supreme
Judge and Member of the Board of Public |
Works-to nominate, the Indifferent OBJ
server OF events is likely to attribute to the
action of the Convention not much i'm
portanre. 1t is true that the ticket to be
nominated is not one that comes under the
designation of ''hlghly important" 1t is,
however, impoi tant that most unexception-
able candidates should be nominated, and
the paramount consideration should be:
"Who will give to the ticket the most ,
strength9' and not How can this or that
friend be served?" Nota nomination should :
be madp;. not a resolve adopted, or aspeech
pronounced, that carries with it particle
of lat mt weakness.
The oi ject you aim at is success. Why
do you contemplate success? Is it that a
few Democrats may become the recipients
of office? Not primarily. Something be-
yond and above that is scontemplated-in its
nature aud character most ennobling. The
Union to-day is in as much peril and the
perpetuity of our Republican form of Gov
ernment is exposed to a more deadly dam
ger than when the Confederate cause was
flushed with the hopeof complete triumph.
You are, therefore called upon to re-embla-
zon upon your banners the grand old JACK
soNIAN battle-cry: "1he Union, w the
Eternal 10 must be preserved" 1t was the
cherished belief of our people, when they
responded to the calls of President LIN
COINS administration for men and for
money, that when the Southern people
should realize their impotency to carry out
of the Union eleven Southern States and
with them lay the foundation for mag
nificent Southern Confederacy, andSI
should ground their arms and attest
determination to henceforth conduct
themselves as worthy citizens Of the United
States, the object of the war-the preserva-
ton of the Union-would have been ac-
complished. You so thought, and you
think so now. You are to-day, as you
a ways have been, notwithstanding the as
sertions of your political opponents to the
contrary, the representatives OF the only uh'
conditional Union party in this country; or, to
speak with more directness of speech, you
are in favor of "the immediate and uncondI-
tiondl restoration of The Union under the Fed
eral Constitution" You believe that our \
material and political prosperity as peo-
pie and the glory OF our Government are
dependent upon such restoration. In your
estimation, it is question of such gigantic
stature that it dwaris into comparative in
significance every other consideration. So
believing then, it becomes incumbent on
you to give such point and directness toI
your action to-day as shall essentially con-
tribute to the success of an object OF such
towering importance.
We speak only suggestivcly.
In view of this, is it necessary that the
platform should be elaborate in detail? Is
it needful to do more than declare an un-
changing adhesion to the Democratic Or
ganization, and to its often affirmed princi-
pies as enunciateJ and practically illustra-
ted by the great apostle of American De-
mocracy-THoMAs JEFFERSON? declar-
alton embodying substantially this idea, it
occurs to US, ought TO be acceptable to eve
ry Democrat in the highest degree. 1t
would possess the merit of brevity, direct
ness and unmistakability. 1t would be
equivalent to General GRANTS laconic dec
laration, when he started for Richmond
Il will fight it out on this line" General
GRANT was sensible-so was General Nc
CLELLAN-that if he captured Richmond,
and in so doing vanquished the army that
protected it, necessarily the enterprise OF
establishing the Southern Contederacy
would quickly be abandoned. So, let
party succeed pledged to an observance OF
the principles enunciated and illustrated by
THOMAS JEFFERSON and the Union will be
maintained, the Constitution will be re-
spected. the abuses and corruptions that
have fastened themselves upon the Govern
ment will be abolished. 1t comprehends
the whole.
Particularly appropriate it will be to de-
clare for immediate and unconditional
restoration of the Union under the Federal
Constitution" and to pledge cordial and
active support to President JOHNSON in all
necessary and proper means he may use TO
that end, and in his efforts to secure to the
now eleven excluded States their constitu-
tional right of representation in both
Houses of Congress.
All things considered, President JOHNSON
has done remarkably well. That he has
done things that Democrats cannot COM
mend him for is true; but on the question
of restoration of the Union he has done
matchless work. Looking to the glory of
the Union, and to the happiness of our
whole people, he has risen superior to party
superior to party that but short time
ago was all powerful, arrogant and insolent.
For this heroic and patriotic work, he is
entitled to warm commentator from every
friend of the Union, and it should be un-
prudgingIy given. And so long as he shall
thus continue to labor he deserves the active
support of every Democrat. Mainly upon
the Democratic party he must depend for
support in that work. That party as at
present represented in Congress, is not
sufficiently strong to give to him adequate
support. Hence, the Importance OF action
Conyention-wise to-day that will result in
the election to the next Congress OF more
than two Democratic Representatives. 1t
10 kInk