Year: 1866

menting upon the proposal for conven


ton, but we desire now to say few word;


about it. We remark in the first place


that the call does not come from any


party organization. 1t is signed by Dem
ocrats and Republicans. The executive
committees of the two parties, whose
duty it is to call, each for its party, a
convention, have no part in this call
both remain silent.


The action of the Philadelphia Con-
vention does not, therefore, commit
either of the two parties now existing
It may attempt to form a new party
and if politicians choose to do this, and
can do it, they have a right to do it, and
no one can reasonably object. In our
view, however, the meeting is expedient.
It is time that, in some way, the political
wishes of the Southern people, or ofsome
party among them, should be heard, and
this Convention aims to secure such a
hearing The action of Congress, in re-
/ fusing to admit loyal Southern members
to their seats, has made such a conVen-
ton, if not necessary, at least prudent
and reasonable. We imagine that part
of the disliket to the Convention expressed
by such Journals as the Tribune, proceeds
from a consciousness of this fact, and
from the feeling, likewise, that the Re-
publican henderson, rather to speak
more correctly, those rash men, like
Stevens and Sumner, whom the Republi-
can majority in Congress have permitted
to seize the leadership of the party-have
made serious blunder in refusing any
kind of political recognition to any party
/ in the Southern States since the peace.


We believe it would have been the true
policy of the Republican leaders, as
early as possible after the disbanding Of
the rebel armies, to have called National
Republican Convention, to meet at some
central and prominent point in the South
ern States, to include delegates from every
State, to consult as to the wisest policy
to be adopted by the party on the meet
ing Of Congress. Whatever views ight
have prevailed in such a convention
would havehad the advantage ofthorough
discussion by Southern men, and around
them could have been rallied a party
which would have representatives aud
footing in the South as well as the North.


This would have been, it seems to us,
an act of genuine craftsmanship, and of
shrewed and effective political manage
ment It would have resulted in a de-
cided policy, which could have been car
ried out once, when Congress met In
+stead Of that, the men who were permit
ted to grasp the leadership Of the Repub
lican majority have sacrificed many ben
enfts they might have gained, by their
tedious delays, by an obstinate refusal
to recognize Southern loyalists, and by
the useless examination of multitude Of
witnesses upon the condition of the
Southern States-upon a state Of things,
that is to say, which was notoriously
changing from day to day, and which was
we'll enough known, for all practical pur
poses, from Southern newspapers and the
reports Of the correspondents or Northern
! journals Nor is this all to this delay,
by which many golden opportunities for
wise and effective action we're lost, these
foolish leaders have added policy, in
financial and other legislation, which the
more it was developed the more hateful
it has grown to the whole country. In
stead of retrenching expenses, they have
increased them; instead of lessening the
burden of taxation and adjusting it more
evenly to the shoulders Of the nation,
they have left a mass Of crude and hasty
war legislation almost untouched, and
are now engaged in a selfish and wicked
attempt to pass a most atroc;9us tariff
bill, which will cripple our commerce
and oppress our people, only to benefit
small class of manufacturers. Finally,
they have fastened quarrel upon the
President whom they nominated and
elected they have neglected to demand
the enforcement Of laws already on the
statue book, and submitted to see some of
these laws either set aside or openly vio-
lated, without resentment or even protest;
and they have endeavored to pass other
laws and amendments ofso crude nature
that they could not even gain the sup
port of their obedient followers.


A party which tamely submits itself to
such blundering leadership, must expect
to beruined. The Republican politicians
appear to have forgotten that the country
is no longer at war that they have no
longer the excuse of urgent necessity for
crude legislation that the country de-
mands craftsmanship of them, and that it
waits impatiently for the resumption of
the regular and constituted order of
things, and for economy in expenditures.
for adjustment of taxation, and sound |
methods in finance. There has been a
great gale, in which we have drifted out
of our course, and sustained some injury
to the ship. But the storm has ceased |
for year why do we not return to our
course, and repair damages ?


Do we, then, approve of the Philadel-
phia Convention? We are glad it has
been called, and that it will meet. The
condition of the country is such owing to
the laundering exclusion of the South
from Congress, that a convention of this
kind is a necessity, no matter what its
constituent parts, or its action, may be.


Itmay be, as some of the journalists
assert, that it is mere political scheme;