Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-09-27
The Democratic National Con-
reufiOu.

The following article from the South
ern Home, published at Charlotte,
North Carolina, takes the ground that
the Southern States ought not to send
delegates to the Democratic National
Convention. The reasons it gives are
good ones, viewed from its standpoint;
but there arc other reasons just as
strong, why they should send delegates
there. However, we do not intend to
discuss this question now We pro-
cced to give the Southern Homes
opinion;
We have been accustomed TO regard
Mr. Calhoun us the great American
statesman, in pure intellectual great
ness without u rival and without a
peer, One ofhis noted sayings, "mas-
torly inactivity" deserves our serious
consideration at this time. Mr. Cal.
houn borrowed the idea from Isaiah !;
"Your strength is to sit still"
At no period of Southern history,
has there been so much to gain and so
little to lose by "masterly inactivity"
Never before, has il been so plainly a
duty to add TO our strength by sitting
still Ifthe Southern Democracy win
have the prudence, forbearance, good
sense and good taste to keep out Of
the National Convention, they will be
masters Of the situation and no longer
bo twittod with accepting the sitna.
tion," Every motive of sound policy
and deicacy demand Of us to stay at
home and let the Northern Democracy
solve tho problem themselves.
If wo send TO the Convention, our
roslly great men, tho first class think.
crs of the South, they have Confed.
crate record which will make them
odious to the loyal North, will revive
the old hate and bcget as much enthu-
siasm among the Radical hordcs as
the discovery of some new plan of
stealing.
If we send as delegates our small
fry, our moderate Drained, itte.souled
fellows, who were unknown during
the Confederate struggle for freedom,
then We will have men who do not
truly represent the South and who
are unworthy to be entrusted with
her interests. We cannot send Con.
federates and we ought not TO send
the nobodies That is the whole truth
in nutshell, and constitutes, TO our
mind, an unanswerable argument for
staying at home
But there is another reason for this
course. 1t is not at all probable that
the Democratic platform can be so
liberal as to be just 10 the South. The
time has not come for justice, let alone
kindness. If We have delegates IN the
convention, they will either have to
disturb the harmony Of that body by
indignant protests or they will have
TO endorse the wrongs perpetrated
upon the people. Either position
will be unfortunate. We cannot pre-
serve our manhood and our sef.respect
and at tho same time approve OF
the wicked, malicious Reconstruction
measures "conceived in sin and
brought forth in iniquity." Let US
then neither approve or disapprove,
but stand aloof, prepared to act with
the Democracy, If they give us any.
thing like decent platform and do.
cent candidate. We ought not to be
very choice; anything is better than
Radicalism. That Internal party will
be content with nothing loss than the
destruction Of the Southern country,
and the extirpation OF the Southern
people. 1t is then n matter of life or
death with us to defeat that infamous
organization. That must be done, else
the fairest portion Of Gods heritage
on eartn VIII become desoiation.
Let us then not be guilty of the su.
premc folly ofplaying into the Radical
hands by sending ueiegatcs, who must
either be marplots or cyphcrs. "Our
strength is to sit still"