The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-25
THE DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVEN-
TON

WHEN men are very hungry they cease to be
choice in their diet. They do not insist upon
mushroomed-b ed-beefsteak breakfasts and cham
pagne suppers, but greedily devour whatever
aliment kind chance may furnish, even if it is as
repulsive as lizards or rattlesnakes. Prompted
by this rsvenous spirit, the office-hunting
portion of the Democracy of Pennsylvania,
who are nearly famished by their prctracted
exclusion from power, manifested at their
convention yesterday determination to re-
gain the loaves and fishes of political emolu-
ment at any price. Their true principles and
predictions were ignored when they nomina-
ted two soldier candidates and threw out what
nearly half the convention was polite enough
to consider "a bait for the niger vote;" but
hunger overcame their scruples. Their faith
full wheel-horses and their true creed were
offered up as sacrifices upon the altar of
availability, and the Democracy are hoping
that their ticket may receive a sufficient num-
ber of votes cast fer it, under false impress
sion of their real character, aims, and pur-
poses, to secure triumph which would un-
euestionably be denied if the faith that ami
mates very large proportion of their organi-
zation was publicly proclaimed. If General
McCandless is sincerely honored by
q majority of the Democratic party of Penn
sylvania for any portion of this military re-
cord, it is only that part which consists of his
petulant letter to the Secretary of War,
made some months before the Rebellion
was finally subdued, in which he declined a
brigadier-general's commission, and expressed
the opinion that the true position of a citizen
was at home. If all his military associates
had shared this belief, the history of the last
seven years would have been fearfully re-
versed, and the final triumph would have been
reserved for Lee instead of Grant, and for the
Confederacy instead of the Republic.
1t is refreshing to find the Democracy
picking out soldiers for its nominees and re-
solving that the constitutional amendments
are all binding and that reputation must be
repudiated; but confidence in the sincerity of
this action is sadly disturbed by the palpable
danger that it is only a new exhibition of the
hypocritical homage which vice habitually
pays to virtue. If the people wish to have
Republican principles maintained, they will
not venture to entrust this task to pretended
converts who have only learned the sound
ness and justice of Republican doctrines by
repeated but vain efforts to combat them.
1t was no easy task for the Democracy to
'tfop over" Fifty-three delegates resisted to
the last the resolution recognizing the validity
of the amendments to the Constitution; and
if that favorite Democratic editor aud orator,
Brick Pomeroy, had been present, the anti
reputation plank would not have been
s.kA khn MIA xUIt
struggle. But the Democracy want to win
Their distinguished candidate for Auditor
General had modestly pointed out path to
victory in his address to the Moyamensine
Association in which he urged the nomination
of men "against whose civil or military RECORD
the tongue of slander dare not wag." He haC
also kindly advised them that mo animal bu
an ass kicks a dead lion;" and til,
veterans in long struggle against freedom
had been most painfully impressed with th,
imperative necessity for flank movement
Another evidence of the prevalence of thi
overruling determination to win at any price
as we'll as by any means, was afforded by tn
enthusiasm awakened in the conven
ton when Alderman McMuilin
the hero of the Fourth ward returns of 1865
nominated as chairman of the Democrati
State Central Committee Senator Wallace
the hero of coffee-pot naturalization papers
If such men can have full sws
in manipulating the election,
will matter little who goes to the polls, WI
stays at home, or how the bona fde votes al
cast. And We can only wonder that a col
vention which reserved it's sincere enthusias
for MeMnllin and Wallace had enough braze
audae.'. 70 corPlain Of the Registry law.