Year: 1864

ham and Fernando Wood relieved themselves


of speeches. and that was about all the con-


vention amounted to. But Vallandigham and


Wood represent nobody except themselves.


Their opinions upon any political subject are


not worth the space occupied in recording


them. Vallandigham tries hard to be mar


tyr; but this fast age has no sympathy with


martyr over a week old. For day or two


the Ohio copperhead was generally pitied;


but now he is bore to his friends and q nui-


sance to his enemies. He has assumed that


absurd role of man with q grievance, and


makes himself exasperating to his political


associates and ridiculous to the Indifferent


looker-on. As for Fernando Wood, his ap-


propriate sphere is that of a ward politician,


and he displays himself to singularly bad ad-
vantage whenever he vainly attempts to ap-
pear like anything else.


| The Peace Convention was fasco, more
over, because the proposition to send out
side delegates to Chicago for the purpose of
lobbying the convention into nominating
copperhead was summarily voted down.
This lobby business was the sole object of
the peace movement. Kicked out of the
Democratic State Convention, and utterly ig-
nored at the recent meeting of the Democrat
ic State Central Committee, the Woods made
up their minds to have little party of their
own. Since the Democratic Convention re-
fused to send them as delegates to Chicago
they resolved to get up a peace convention
and go to Chicago as delegates from that.
i R,lfn fha f0
have any delegates, and so the scheme falls
through. It must be evident to every one of
ordinary sagacity that all the maneuvering
of the Woods is designed simply to enable
them to sneak or climb into position where
they can make bargains with the democratic
leaders. They itch flor their accustomed
share of the county Offices and the municipal
patronage, and that share is the price for
which they propose to sell out The money
they may obtain from rebel agents and Brit
ish agents is part of the consideration; but
the county Offices help to keep them on their
feet and give them show of power. This is
what the organization of the Mozart Hall fac
ton meant and this is what the organization
of the bogus peace party means. We shall
see what lodges they will next try in order
to secure their usual share of the spoils next
fall


We are very much inclined to believe the
current rumors that the Woods are endeavor-
ing to effect bargains with both parties. 1t
seems almost certain that there is some sort
Of an understanding between them and the
Lincoln clique. No one will deny that they
are really strengthening Lincoln by their
present course; and it is almost absurd to i'm
agine that they are doing this without being
paid for it. But if Lincoln's friends have
paid them anything, or if the democrats agree
to pay them anything Lincoln and the demo-
Gratis will be very badly swindled The
Woods are political Peter Funks. Their only
capital is an unlimited supply Of brass.
They make great fuss about their party in
the columns Of their advertising sheet the
Daily Fe,os; but their party exists mainly on
paper. The Woods cannot even control Mo-
zart Hail. That concern is now divided
against them. So little power have they that
Mozart gave them the cold shoulder at the Al
bany Convention and sent other delegates to
Chicago. The Young Coons who used to
blow like bellows for the Woods, now blow
like Boreas against them. McKeon, whom
they hate, and who hates them, runs the May
ors Office, which was once their stronghold.
Tammany Hall, which has been nearly ruined
by her former affiliations with the Woods,
now keeps them at distance, stands out
boldly for the war, and has the opportunity,
if she has the good sense, to cut loose from
them entirely. 1t is clear, then, that the
present situation of the peace cabal is not
very favorable for selling out at high figure;
but the Woods rely upon the ignorance of
country customers, and they desire to go to
Chicago to catch these gudgeons.


II the legitimate delegates to the Chicago
Convention wish to know the true strength Of
the peace party let them remember with what
hearty unanimity the people have voted down
that party at every State election. Now, if the
peace patriots have no chance in State elec-
ton, with all its confusion of issues, its
wheels within wheels, what chance have they
at Presidential election, where the issues are
broad and distinct? The peace men threaten
that if they are not represented either upon
the ticket or in the platform Of the Chicago
Convention they will bolt. But what if they
do bolt? What can they do by themselves
They cannot 60 for Lincoln certainly; and it
they nominate q candidate Of their own
everybody will regard it as flank movement
in favor of this administration, and treat it
accordingly. A few thousands is large es-
innate Of the number Of votes that the peace
men could carry with them in an independent
movement against the democratic party; and
what do few thousand votes amount TO
when scattered over all the States in Presi-
Dental contest? Never have we seen polti-
cal bubble SO pulled up and SO easy to crush