Year: 1866

the enemy quietly stepped in and took pos.
session of the stronghold of the Union and
Constitution, where all its victories had been
won, but which for the moment it seems to
have deserted.


These defaults of its own have given the
Philadelphia Convention degree of strength
which it is not wise for the leaders of the
Union party to ignore or underrate. By ju'
dieious counsels at the outset they might
have prevented it; at later stage they might
have controlled it; it is not yet too late to
save themselves from being ruined by it. But
they will make fatal mistakeif if they con-
tent themselves with ignoring or denouncing
it. Hit should happen to be under the guild.
ance of wise and patriotic counsels-if the
Southern delegates who may participate in
its deliberations should profer, in their words
and their action, unmistakable evidence OF
the sincerity with which they accept the ad-
verse result of the war they waged, and OF
sheir readiness to adapt their laws, their hab
its and their whole political action to the
necessities which that result has created-it
the Northern Democrats, who share its &C.
ton, should cut loose from the men and the
measures which made them so justly obnoxi.
GUS to public censure during the war, and
should pledge themselves to the honor OF the
nation and to liberal policy, worthy alike OF
its history and its destiny-if the platform OF
principles which the Convention may adop:,
and the action it may recommend shall prove
thus responsive to the enlarged and lofty as-
pirations of the national heart, it may be
found that no party organization, however
olnpact it may seem to be, and however
strongly fortified by the memory OF past ser
vices, can Withstand its influence upon tie
sentiments and the action of the great body
of the American people. 1t is mistake 10
deem party organization solid and unas-
sa,lable rrcrelv boc;alse.it looks so. A pollti-
cal nart7, ike tie ice of frozen lake, melts
,waY from bcacall, and while at evening its
surface alay seem TO he perfectly solid and
untouched by riff or seam, the. breeze OF a sin
Gle night may perfect the work which weeks
Of silent, unseen decay have been preparing.
Doubts as to the continued necessity or use
fulness ola party never begin with its lead
ers or active workers, but always with the
silent masses who merely watch and think
while others act, and whose action, in sea-
son of commotion, can never be predicted Two
weeks ahead. Nor must'it be forgotten that
the position Of the Union party to-day is one
which it has never held before. The issues
to which it will stand committed are new to
its organization and to the public mind. The
people have never yet been called to vote
upon them, aud while they may seem to
their jealous advocates and authorst 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 good
ness of its cause, it marched boldly upon tor
tresses whose strength it despised. The Un-
ion party will consult its own safety and the
good of tho country, by not throwing itself
against the Philadelphia Convention until i
knows a little more OF the na!ure and strength
of its armament.