Year: 1866

National Conservative Convention.


The importance of the Convention. which
we referred to in cur last, called to meet in the
city of Philadelphia, next month, so far as re-
spects the Southern States, Is incalc,lable
Something OF this kind has been needed ever
since Radicalism first developed its policy.
Some move has, by the exigences of the times
been imperatively demanded, by which the
Southern States might be heard in way
more reliable than merely through the press.
Journals are but poor eXponents of the feel
ings of country. unless We could see them
all. Partisan feelings will inevitably color
the statements made by newspapers One
party in the halls of Congress makes use Of
the Conservative press; the other of the Rad
ical. Summers "scrap book" is made up from
the columns of the most incorporate South
ern Journals, and from this he makes mp his
opnionof the temper and feeling of the en-
tire South and his opinion Is the opiNRn of
the radicals. The opponents of Mr.. Sumner
choose the data of their arguments from the
papers representing the opposite ertreme
Both fall into error. The South is neither so
revengeful nor disloyal as Sumner and his
minions would have her, nor is she a suppi-
ant tool to be used by any and all who may
choose to tlo so. The people of the South
want nothing hey ond the Constitution. They
detest all violations Of 1t in the shape of
amendments" The Federal Government
invited the brave men of the north into the
ranks to fight for the Constitution and the
Union' For these they fought and now hav-
ing gained the victory, and forced us to re-
sums ,0ur former relations with the other
States, all We ask Is TO be permitted to do
so Wewere not ut all dissatisfied with the
old Constitution, as Is abundantly attcsted by
the fact that we adopted another almost word
for word the same as the United States Con-
stitution. We ,cere dissatisfied with the JMion
which lad been formed for the equal protec-
tiOn OF all the States, and which had, by the
inlquity Of fanat'clsm, been changed into an
instrument Of oppression. The same puri-
tanical and sa!anical spirit which f,iriously
vowed vengeance against the lawful King of
England, had again vowed to destroy this
Government or control 1t. To do this they
pretended to have great sympathy with the
poor negro. They gained In strength numcr-
ically, until they succeeded In electing chief
magistrate upon the very doctrine the South
had been protesting against for years. To
protect herself the South chose to take her
only remaining chance, resort to the arbi-
trament of the sword, provided this spirit of
discord and injustice should not permit her
to depart In peace. They contended that we
could not 80 out of the Union, or change our
relations, ard by force they have declared that
we are still integral parts of the Federal Tn
ion. Such being the conclusion Of the mat
ter, the South only asks for those rights which
the north declared she could not deprive her
self of. These she wishes without conditions
precedent. If she cannot be trusted without
such humiliating conditions as are offered
her, why take her In at alls Thus far the
South has not been permitted to speak in her
own defence or justification. or to urge her
rights. Let the South. then, be fully repre-
resented In this National Convention. Let
her send Representatives nc's-inen OF prudence.
GOODNESS and abilty-and let them be fully
instructed to urge upon the Convention the
adoption Of some plan Of reconstruction that
will be alike honorable to oil parties. Let
them 20 fully prepared to resist to the utmost
Of their ability, all this doctrine of amend
ments to the Constitution, opposing all those
humilating (" conditions precedent" and with
manliness insist upon speedy overthrow of
folly and madness, and return to reason and
justice.