The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-18
Fronl khe Times.

HTOH Htt 4ttSo
The positive refusal of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee to call the National Conven-
ton of the party which has been demanded
by so many State and local Conventions
throughout the country, was probably felt to
be a necessity of the political situation. At
the same time it furnishes proof of the chaotic
condition of the once compact and united De-
mocratc organization. The continued and
almost uninterrupted defeats it has everywhere
met with for years past, have assurediy con-
tributed to this.
But tits doubtless owing still more TO the fact
that the party, as whole, can settle upon no
policy competent to the occasion. On hardly
any point do the Democrats of the North agree
with their fellow Democrats of the South
To demand simply that Southern representa-
tives be admitted to Congress is easy enough,
but every one feels what short distance
this now goes in the way of settling the diff
cult questions that require solution. There
are political and civil relations to be adjusted
which this would not help. There are points
of law, lOYaltp, justice, and estate rights" to
be established which this would only embar-
rass. And yet even in regard to this appa-
rently simple matter of the admission of
Southern representatives, the Democracy of
the North and South would not agree-or at
least would not dare to puJiiciy agree. Even
the Democracy in the North would not con-
cede (publicly concede) that there should be
some loyal qualifications for representatives.
They would not be willing (publicly willing)
that the old Rebel leaders should be
allowed to come back and occupy places in
the Senate and House.
But the Southern DemOcrats-if we may
judge by their action-take entirely opposite
ground, and consider the point an important
one, too. In the elections they held last year
for Senators and Representatives, they elected,
in a large number of cases, men who were
prominently connected with the Rebellion;
and they did this, too, although they were
aware that the Congressional oath stood in
their way. They constantly tell us that the
Southern people will not consent to punish or
degrade those whom they selected as leaders
in the days of their difficulty, and that Con-
gress has no right to exclude members on that
ground. AS the national Democracy could
not agree even upon this primary question, it
is hard to see how they could expect to agree
upon the profounder matters that agitate the
country and affect the party. To construct a
political platform that would be at all aceepta-
bic in the different sections and States would
be an impOssibility.
1t was discreet, therefore, in the party lead
ers to refuse to call the Convention, even
although this refusal will create great dissats'
faction and tend still mors to demoralize the
party. They expect that by another year, or
by the time for the National Convention to
nominated Presidential candidate, things will
look more hopeful for harmonious action, and,
therefore, they direct the Democratic rank
and file in the North and South to wait and
work as best they can. Time may justify
them in this expectation, but events will have
to travel faster than time, if it does.