American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-07-24
A Small Renaissance.

About eighteen months ago-that .
is, on the 10th January, lS6S-a
Convention of the Constitutional
Union party was called by the Elk
ecutive Committee, to meet i'll Jack
son, for the purpose of thorough or
ganiZation, consultation, AMI action.
BY the terms of the call, all citizens
OF the 5 ate who were IN favor OF
"Peace and Union under the Con
stitutiou," without regard to former
political associations, were invited
to meet together and take counsel
for the common good the object be-
ing, to secure, it possible, cordial
cooperation between the "Consti
tutional Union men and all other
opponents of Radiealism, OF what
ever previous persuasion OF party
designation. The phraseology of
the call was sufficiently comprehend
sive to embrace all who were 0ppOs-
ell to the rabid measures of the Rad
ical Congress then in session-and
it was responded to by men of both
the old political particS-Whig and
Democrat-(or, more properly speak
ing, Unionists and Secessionists)
who, only short time previously,
had advocated the acceptance of the
reconstruction measures of the Rump
CONGRESS-.
The Convention assembled under
/ the call of the Executive Committ,
of the CONSTITUTIONAL UNION
PARTY" aud it was fondly hoped
and supposed that its deliberations
would be characterized by concord
and harmony, and that the ICON
sTITUTIoNAL UNION PARTY would
form more perfect union, perpetu-
ate its principles, and move on in the
triumphant accomplishment of its
patriotic purposes. But alas for the
mutabillty of all human things-the
uncertainty of all human calcutta
tions! The Convention had scarce
ly organized when firebrand was
thrown into its midst by the propt :
sition from Il member ian old Seces
sionist, of course, )that the delegates
then in session should adopt THE
NAME, and espouse the distinctive
principles of the Democratic rarity.
That all members of the Convention,
of whatever previous party name or
creed, should forthwith, by resolution,
become Democrats This motion
fell like bombshell, like handgre
made, in the midst of the Convention.
and where all should have been COIL
cord and harmony, confusion, dis
cord and di>sension Immediately pre-
vailed. A spirited and somewhat
acrimonious discussion sprang up,
and, after stormy session, the Con
vention adjourned Ito Angelo's), to
deliberate in private, and cool off !
Upon reassembling, the resolution
aforesaid was submitted and adopt
ed, by small majority-and thus
the CONSTITUTIONAL UNION PARTY
of Mississippi VAS killed-the de-
funct Democratic party made alive
again-and all Radicaldom rejoiced
greatly thereat, for they imagined
they saw in the schism, the split in
the Convention, certain victory
for themselves.
But they reckoned without their
host. The boilers from the Conven-
ton, and the dissentients from its
action throughout the State, were
too patriotic to permit this division,
rs to name and policy, to endanger
the success of Conservatism, and
ensure the triumph Of Radicalism in
this good Commonwealth: and so,
in short time all was harmony
again among the Conservatives
they went into the contest against
the Radicals on the adoption of the
mongrel Constitution and the cleo
ton of State officers and Congress.
men, and, after Il hard-fOught battle,
came out glOriously victorious.
This is our little Renaissance
But what is the sequel-and what is
our point? Here it is: After break
ing up the CONSTITUTIONAL UNI
on PARTY in the manner aforesaid
after sticking Tor mere name
caviling for the ninth part of g
hair" in their dogged determination
to have it " Democrat" and nothing
else, even at the risk of destroying
the Conservative party and leopard
ing the best interests OF the people
these very men who were prominent
i'll that movement-whOc could lister
: TO no name but DemOcrdt-wht
could do battle under 10 banner but
that of Dcmocrdcy-have-" tell il
not in Gath, publish it not in the
streets OF Askelon Not only aban
doned the name, but the principles OF
that party, and are to-day in l'rater
nal embrace with the moderate
Republicans" under the high sound
ing ana cuphoneOus appellation o
" National Conservative Republican
party" Scarcely a paper we TAKE
; up says word about DCmOcrdt-tht
name is utterly ignored, and thu
principles of the party tabooed-;
: half dozen hitherto Democratic pa
pers have minated their intention
to act with the q" National UniOl
; Republican party" have hoisted TIT
name of ,Juupp Dent. of the Distric