The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-01-05
POLITICAL REvELAr1oas

How A. }. ssaaeed Raynona iAto Al.
senat.x the Phtiads'phia Csnvensis-
2 s.!s. : = 'A' D'''''.' -ns"'s-
Hon. Henry j. Raymond hiss finally been
goaded into the publication of long letter,
in the effort 10 explain why be figured so coli
spicuousIy in the PmIsdelphia Copperhead
Convention Of 1866. His defense is similar
10 that presented BY Father Adam at the time
of the fall, only Andrew johnson and Sew
ard we're the serpents that tempted him.
Following is the gist Of his explanations:
declined, therefore, to be . candidate for
the convention, and consented finally TO 90
into it only at the urgent personal solicitation.
and on the very strong political representa-
tions of the President and Secretary OF State.
gave them, as my reason for not wishing to
60, the certainty that under the call the con-
yention would be in the hands Of men who IN
the South had been in the rebellion, and who
in the North had opposed the war; that j,
would he hostile III teaper and in principle
to the I mon party, OF which was not only
. member, but in which held an Official po-
sition, that could not consen. TO act againss
its interests.
To This they replied, that if the members
OF the Union party refused to take part in the
convention, il would necessarily fall into hos
tile hands, and be used by the Democratic
party TO endorse its principles and aid its for
tunes; but they were confident that if Re-
publican friends of the administration woald
90 into the convention, they could guide i's
action and secure its adoption of national
Union and Republican principles, as they
had been affirmed by the Baltimore conven-
ton of 1864, and carried out BY President
Lincoln. President johnson said he was
very anxious that the convention should not
be left to inare 10 the benefit Of the Demo-
cratic party He knew that party thoroughly
lit had been disloyal to the Government
while engaged in war, and did not enjoy O,
deserve The confidence Of the people. The
Union party, which had carried the eountrv
through the war, WAS the party to restore The
Union, now that the war was over. He
thought the leaders in Congress we're going 10
extremes, and we're entering upon q policy
which would prevent the effective extension
OF the party to Southern States, and that
convention OF this sort, which would demou-
ltraie the readiness of Southern men 10 nc.
eps The principles of the Union party, would
have agood effect upon the party itself, and
lead to the adoption Of more moderate coun.
sells, and put an end to the sectional charac-
ter Of political parties. He said he wanted
the convention TO take precisely the ground
which had taken in speech made Z few
days before in Congress on restoration and
the Union party, every sord Of which met
his approval; and be felt quits sure that II
would 60 INTO the convention, aud write an
addrsss eabhracing those views, il would be
promptly and heartily endorsed By the con-
venticr.
These viess were strongly pressed BY both
the President and Mr.. Seward in copversA-
ton which lasted for an hour | asked them
il il waA designed or desired 10 lay the fonn-
dufinn fcr : new political party. The Pre-
ndent said. certainly hot; the Union marty.
purified OF the extreme doctrines Of its ex-
freme men, and sdhering u the conservative
constitutional ground it had always held, VAS
The party which ought to rule the count, and
restore the Union and, il il woula sct Vi se-
y ip this matter, il could retain power and
administer the governmeht for twenty -five
ysAss 70 come. asked II il vas desired thst
shs convention should support or aid In any
yAy ne snccess Of the Democratic party il
Ne coming elections. The President aid.
certainty not, rs party. All he desired WA
that iha convention should exert . strops
mesal influences upou the Usion party, and
Induce the nomination and election 10 Con.
'gress OF moderate nsea Who were for restoriuS
the Unlon on constitutional PRINCIPLES. .nd
Who would adnit SoutheFn men into Consress
crowded hey can take The oalh reosirei IS
Law. II ves only 10 case vksss The kepshai-
cans should nominate extrens Radicals, tAat
hs .hosld desire the slsesiop Of Derps.aAs i
I seid I'd 1rssident tbst could %, .ef.se
y 90 anything in my power 10 Ala a. object
when, as be had rep1esested Il. seeme6 =
jnst and desirable, aaa hat vonld a inso
~ contention, il elsessA ssd pseussa
eodsssa sor IN ousidsssaioa--ulsh IL IN