The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-07

were In brisk demand and higher. We quote heavy
prime at 1oc. lokc. fair to good, CSC. &c and
inferior to common DC. q 0Ec.
The Convention in a Fos-A Grand Oppor-
tunity Lost.
The country has for some months past looked
forward with interest and anxiety to tho assem-
bling of the Democratic National Convention
1t has been universally regarded as an event of
no ordinary Importance. The people, weary of
radical misrule, have besought the organized
democracy to cast aside all dead issues, to &C
cept the lessons of the war, and with broad
and comprehensive platform and fitting can
didate to unite all the elements of opposition
and rescue the country from the hands of the
Jacobns and jobbers of Congress who have
run riot in Washington for the past two years.
Never did party enjoy more favorable OPP
portunity to recover its lost ground and to
secure political supremacy for the next quarter
of century, and never was good fortune in
greater danger OF being recklcssly thrown
away. The Convention has now been in ses-
sion in this city for two days. and enough is
known of its action TO render il almost certain
that its strength will be FILTERED away through
the folly and blunders of its leaders, and that
instead Of coming up to the standard of pub
lie expectation it is doomed to take rank with
the worst Of those narrow minded copper
head gatherings that during the war left the
democracy in helpless minority in every State
Of the Union.
| Let us look for moment at The facts. Two
years ago Congress perfected what is known
as the fourteenth amendment to the cOnstitu-
ton, leaving to the States the right to control
the question OF suffrage, but providing that
where any portion of the people shall be de-
barred from voting on account Of race
or color the persons thus DISTINGUISHED
calculating the basis Of representation.
The HERALD predicted for such a policy the
universal approval Of the people, and upon the
Issue of the amendment as full and final set
Element Of the question Of reconstruction the
republicans swept the country from Maine to
California, electing every Governor and nearly
every Congressman throughout the loyal
States. Hoffman and his Tammany hackers in
this State set themselves up In opposition to
this reconstruction policy and suffered dsas-
trous defeat But the Jacobin leaders, as
soon as they had secured power, disregarded
the emphatic popular verdict and inaugurated
an entirely new and revolutionary policy,
usurping the functions of the Executive, raising
the General Of the Army into military despot,
ruling the Southern States by the bayonet,
forcing upon them unqualified negro suffrage,
DISTINGUISHING white citizens, and finally de-
stroyiug the authority of the Supreme Court, in
order that the judicial arm might not be
stretched over the constitution to shield II
from these revolutionary assaults. The coun-
try grew disguised and alarmed at this bad
faith and violence on the part of the radical
Congress, and the result was the breaking
down Of the large majorities of 1866 in State
after State, the redemption of Connecticut,
Pennsylvania and California, and finally the
overwhelming food in New York which sweep,
the radicals from power and buried them under
fifty thousand democratic majority.
This powerful conservative reaction turned
hopefully to the organized democracy as the
nucleus Of movement in the great Presiden-
tial struggle that should complete the work
commenced last fall and give peace to the
nation. But 1t demanded a substantial re-
form-a final settlement Of all the vexed ques-
tons Of copperheadism and niggerheadism,
and complete reorganization of the opposi-
ton on the basis Of recognition of the war
and Of the great changes it had brought in its
train. Especially in New York did the splen.
did conservative majority of fifty Thousand
claim considerations and from the fact that Oh,
democratic leaders and their organs gave coun
tenancs and support to the Chase mover,en
it was believed that they were aroused to tn,
Importance Of the occasion. But 1t seems tina
the popular cry was only echoed by them as
means Of killing of Pendleton. and that Will