The Philadelphia Convention and the Radicals

Radical leaders are trying to manipulate the outcome of the Philadelphia Convention by ensuring the attendance of extremely violent and destructive Democrats.

Radical leaders here betray more anxiety in regard to the Philadelphia Convention than they dare admit. It is said they will endeavor to defeat the objects of the convention by manipulating southern wires through such instruments as Hamilton of Texas, Brownlow of Tennessee, Holden of North Carolina, and others, to secure a southern delegation to the convention of the most violent and ultra southern rights fire-eating malcontents, in order that, if possible, a row can be created. They argue that the reception of such delegates will destroy the influence of the convention in the north, while their rejection will be equally damaging to the new party in the south. The game will certainly be attempted, but will be met by counter-action on the part of the conservatives to secure moderate representatives from all the southern States; failing in which, they will boldly close the doors against any others,

“The Philadelphia Convention and the Radicals,” Reconstructing Virginia, accessed March 29, 2023, https://reconstructingvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/249.