The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-08
The Democratic Convention and Its DOings
Yasfardav.

Yesterday.
| There have been few National Democratic
| Conventions, since these super constitutional
and potent assemblages were first inaugurated,
so harmonious and good tempered as the one
now held in this city. Up to this time there
has been nothing but good feeling, though
different delegations and sections have their
preference for candidates. and though six bal
lots were taken without nomination. Judging
from the temper of the Convention yesterday,
there is reason to believe the same good feeling
will continue, and that the work will soon be
finished harmoniously. The most earnest and
compact body of delegates are the friends OF
Mr.. Pendleton. They are Western men, and
earnestness, directness of purpose and frank
ness are their characteristic qualities; but they
are equally patriotic and resolved to defeat If
possible the radical party. They have cast q
vote of one hundred and twenty-five and half
for their candidate, and that was the highest
on the sixth and last ballot. This is long
way from the two hundred and twelve
votes required by the two-thirds rule. 1t
is little more than one-third; yet it ap-
pears to be all the positive strength
| Mr.. Pendleton has in the Convention.
Should he fail to receive the necessary number
| of votes, after another effort or two, we have
no doubt his friends will rally upon some other
man without bitterness of feeling or factious
and useless opposition. We think the temper
of the Pendleton men and of the Convention
justifles such an expectation. Next to Mr..
| Pendleton President Johnson received the
highest vote, which was sixty-fve, and on the
first ballot. Then came Hancock, who began
with thirty five and half on the first ballot
and reached forty seven on the sixth and last
ballot. The rest of the votes were scattering
among Church, Parker, Packer, Reverdy
johnson, Doolittle, Hendricks, Blair, Adams,
English, Seymour and Ewing.
The platform of principles, which was
enthusiastically received. 1t Is much more
explicit and direct on the negro suffrage ques
ton, on taxing the bondholders, on the pay
ment of the debt in lawful money according to
law and on the atrocious policy of the radical
party and Congress, than was the first draft Of
it as published yesterday. We denounced it
then as weak affair. but think the committee
has shown good sense in giving 1t more strength
and directness. Still it might have been
more explicit on the amendments to the consti-
tuition in articles thirteen and fourteen, which,
after all, are the final settlement of the negro
suffrage question. However, on the whole 1t
is good platform, and in the main one which
we have been advocating for long time No
one can complain that it does not cover good
deal of ground; for it embraces all the political
questions of the time. The platform will do;
but the most important thing now is to find the
right sort of candidate Platforms amount to
little; elections turn upon the candidates.
We referred 10 the good temper of the Con-
vention, and we were more struck with this
when noticing 80 many Of the same men as
delegates who were at former Conventions
where the strife of factions and sections ragged
intensely. Many of the same men are here
who were at Baltimore when the fight upon
Cass, Buchanan and Douglas ended in the
nomination of poor Pierce-the same men,
both from the North and South, who were at
Charleston in 1860, when the Convention
broke up and when the rival factions
divided, lost the election and brought
on the war. The Douglas leaders, who
would not give up their candidate nor
compromise are here, but in a very diff
terent mood. Richardson, that entant terrible
of the Douglas and Western democracy,
mounts the benches in Tammany Hall in the
very same linen blouse he wore at Charleston
and displays the same vigorous eloquence, but
he is no longer factious or partisan; he will
yield everything for the cause. True, he
could not help speaking against the two-thirds
rule, which slaughtered Douglas and so many
other chiefs Of the party, and which, as
he asserted, led to the election of Lin
coin and the war; but he was very
amiable and yielded gracefully to the
will Of the Convention. Then there are
those same Southern fre-eaters of old who
used to have their own way, and who ut
Charleston smashed up the Convention be-
cause they could not have it there but they
are now as mild as doves. The war has made
terrible havoc in the personal appearance of
many Of them and has certainly sobered them
down amazingly. Full Of talent, as they
always were, they have become sober and have
learned wisdom by sad experience. They say
little, but no men are more intent on making
the best nomination or in establishing per-
petual peace and harmony between the two
sections Of our country. They realize the fact
that the issues which formerly divided the
North aud South are dead and can never be
revived. In word, there is no sectonalism
in the Convention and no bitter partisanship.
What, then, is to hinder harmonious nomi
nation2 Mr.. Pendleton's friends will yield
when they see their candidate is not acceptable,