Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-02-07
Opening Of the Spring Political
Trade.
[From lIerper's Weekly.l


The first movement Of the political year
is usually the Convention of the Connecti-
cut Democrats. 1t has been awaited this
year with some curiosity, for it offered an
opportunity of studying the effect OF the
great popular verdict in the late elections,
That effect seems to have been very much
like that Of an arrow upon rhinocsros. -
The Convention had scarcely organized
when it cal ed upen Mr.. Isaac Toucey to
open the proceedings with speech. MIR.
Isaac Toucey is an historical character; that
is to say, history will mention him as the
Secretary of The Navy in the treacherous
Cabinet of Buchanan, who took good care
that the navy should be useless to the Gov
ernment at the most critical moment: He
was a worthy companion of Jeremiah Black.
and John B. Fioy ID, and Howell Cobb, and
Jacob Thompson. His counsels to his po
litical friends in Connecticut were, there
fore, peculiarly valuable. Mr.. Isaac Toucey
is probably considered by them patriotic
patriarch. He told them that. in his opin'
ion, the Governments was imperiled blythe
revolutionary acts of one of the CO ordinate
branches of the Government. Indeed
and when the Government wasimperiled by
the armed conspiracy of jefferson Davis,
when Floyd had sent off the arms and Ioucey
had sent off the ships. wherc was Isaac
TouceyP When brave and loyal men were
marching by hundreds of thousands, and
fighting and falling for the imperil Govern
mept, where was Isaac Toucey2 When a
word was to be spoken for the Union sol
diers, Isaac Toucey was silent. When there
NAV be chance to encourage the vanquish
od rebels to persevere, Isaac Touoey finds
The Democratic Convention having been
thus opened by rebel chief, who, if not
in arms, had done all that he could to make
those arms successful. the resolutions were
introduced by Mr.. Eaton, the chief Cop
perhead director in the State during the
war. They affirmed fully the doctrines Of
Alexander II. Stephens. This was at least
consistent. The Democratic party have
long received their articles of faith from the
Southern leaders, who at last rose in rebel
lion; and it is not surprising that. with the
seryility which has become second nature,
tbey now turn to those leaders for instruc-
tions in a policy which will make the rebel
lion as nearly successful as possible. After
the resolution. the Hon. James Brooks, Of
the New York Express. and the Hon. T..
ri Seymour, the late Copperhead candidate
fer Governor, who steadily justified the
rebellion, addressed the Convention.
About the same time the Ohio Democracy
assembled in convention. and Mr.. George
H. Pepdleton was elected President. This
gentleman was The author of the pleasant
saving: "Gentlemen, if you cannot or will
not reconcile your differences, let the seced'
ing States denart in peace" Mr.. Pendle-
ton was the Vallandigham half Of the Nc
Cellau ticket in 1864.
While these meetings were held there Sas
a Democratic supper in Washington, to
which Mr.. Thomas B. Florence escorted the
President of the United States, and which
was addressed chiefly BY Jeremiah Black
the Attorney. g Genersl who advised Presi.
Ssot % Buoh snan that the Government had
no right to "coerce Ststss."
Heres richnsssl', quoth Mr.. Squeers.
Here are the originsl. conspirators sgainst
he Upiou, who persistently opposed the
vsr and assisted the rebellion, grevely warn
iug us that the Governmept Is in danger
from thsss who have aAsedit, and that Y