Instead of exacting only secondary places he boldly asserted the highest claims.

He appealed to the people and directly urged upon his associates, "that we, who are the true representatives of the greater portion of the true Constitutional men of the States, shall not exclude ourselves from the Democratic Convention." This spirit found a hearty response, and a large number of Confederate officers appeared in the National council of the party; of whom the foremost were Generals Forrest, Wade Hampton, John B.Gordon, and William Preston.
The Convention met in New York on the fourth day of July.

Besides those active in the rebel armies, there were several leaders who had been conspicuous in the civil councils of the Confederacy.

A.H.
Garland of Arkansas, Benjamin H.Hill of Georgia, Zebulon B.Vance of North Carolina, and R.Barnwell Rhett of South Carolina were the most widely known.

Louisiana sent two delegates whom she has since advanced to the Senate--Randall L.Gibson and James B.Eustis.