Year: 1866




| And they are still further repeled by the eager
| alacritv with which the recent Rebels of the
South and the intense Copperheads OF the north,
Ike Fernando Wood ana Vallandie ham, accept
the invitation and prepare to take part in is
proceedings. The repugnance which they feel
to political association with men whose record
Is SO utterly unpatriotc and so obnoxious to
pubic reproba1on, is by no means unnatural
or unjust, and contributes largely u prejudice
the public mind against the Convention and all
connected with 1t. 1t gives color to and con.
hrms the charge that its object Is to reinstate in
Office and IN power men who have been Justly
expelled by the people for their crimes against
the countrv, aud to exclude those TO whom the
country is indebted for ITS salvation.


The Union party must not forget, however
that the PL iladelphi Convention is due entirely
to It's own failure TO comprehend and meet the
necessities of the hour. Wnen the war was over
and the Rebellion suppressed, powerful public
sentiment, pervaiing all parties, demanded the
prompt restoration OF national action under the
Constitution and in accordance with the funda.
mental principles of the Government. II the
Union party had responded to that sentiment,
which was very powerful in its own ranks-if 1t
had co.operated with the President, who did
comprehend and sympathize with it-and had
made the restoration OF union, peace, and con-
cord tile first object of its endeavors, it would
have broadened its own foundations and left
neither motive nor excuse for any such move
ment as that which Is now on foot If Congress
bad, two months ago, admitted to their seats
loyal members from Southern States who
could take the oath prescribed by LAWN
other words If they had admitted the members
from Tennessee and Arkansas, the onls States
which have sent such men, the Phila1elph a
Convention would never have been heard of
Unfortunately the Union party, contrary TO the
Judgment OF very many OF its own members, sur.
rendered itself 10 the guidance of men with
whom other things were more important than
the peace and harmony of the country. 1t fol-
lowed the lead OF men who insisted upon
"reconstructing" the Government from It's foun-
datlons. instead OF restoring the Union which
the Rebellion had Tor the time DESTROYED, and
repairing the breaches which the war had maize
1t listened to tales of the provinces it had con.
queled, the new rights 1t had acquired the
absolute, unchecked power it now enjoyed: and
while 1t as indulging its dreams of subjugation,
OF conhscallon, oil universal suffrage, and the
elevation of the negro race, the enemy onietIv
stepped in and took possession OF the stronghold
OF the Union and Constitution, where all its vic
tories had been won, but which for the moment
ii seems to have deserted


These defaults OF its own have given the
Philadelphia Convention degree OF strength
which it is not wise tor the leaders OF the Union
party to ignore or underrate. BY judicious
couusels at the outset they might have pre-.
vented it. At later stage they might have con
trolled 1t; II is not yet too late to save themselves
from being ruined by it.. But they will make
fatal mistake if they content themselves with
ignoring or denouDcing it. II it should haopen
to be under the guidance of wise aud patriotic
counsels-if the Southern delegates who NAV
particpate in its deliberations should proIer
in their words and their action unmlsfokohle





the adverse result OF the war they waged, and
OF their readiness to adapt their laws their
habits and their whole political action to the
necessities which that result has created-it the
Northern Democrats, who share It's action, should
Cut loose from the men and the measures
which made them so justly obnoxious TO pub
lie censure during the war, and should pledge
themselves to the honor of the nation and to
a liberal policy worthy alike of its history and
its destny-n the platform of principles
which the Convention NAV adopt, and the
1nn m " m mr. gtn oil
sponsive to the enlarged and lofty aspirations
OF the national heart, It may be found that no
party organization, however compact it
may seem to be, and however strongly
fortified by the memory of past services
can withstand its influence upon the senti.
ments and the action Of the great body OF the
American people: 1t is mistake to deem a
merely because it looks so. A political party
like the ice OF frozen lake, melts away from
beneath, and while at evening its surface may
seem to be perfectly solid and untouched by
rIit or seam, the breeze of a single night may
perfect the work which weeks oil SILENT unseen
decay Lave been preparing. DoHbts as to the
continued necessity or usefulness of a party
never begin with its leaders or active workers,
but always with the silent masses who merely
watch and think. while others act and whose ac-
tion, in season OF commotlon, car never be pre-
die ed two weeks ahead. Nor must it be for
goten that the position of the Union party to-
dav is one which it has never held before. The
issues to which it will stand committed are new
10 ITS organization and to the public mind. The
people have never yet been called to vote upon
them, and while they may seem to their Jealous
advocates and authors to be very strong, others
may prove to be still stronger than they.


The Italian army suffered sad reverse the
other DAY because, trusting in the goodness OF
its cause, it marched boldly upon fortresses
whose strength it depised. The Union party
will consult its own safety and the good OF the
country, by not throwing itself against the
Philadelp phia Convention until IT kno vs. a little
more of the nature and strength of its arma nent.


HENRY j. Raymond.