The Davenport gazette., 1848-10-12
SPEECH OF HON. RUFUS CHOATE,

SPEECH OF hon. RUFUS CnOATE,
Ar THE WHIs SrArE CONVENTION, IN Mass.
cannot suppose, Mr.. President, not
withst anding the great and overwhelming
kindness OF this call, that il can really be
the wish Of the Convention to hear from
me, at least my thing in the nature OF n
speech. Considering, certainly, how little
time VIC have left, how much important bu-
siness remains for the Convention To do,
and considering, most of all, how anxious
you must oil naturally be To listen, rather
than 10 me, TO those public agents ot ours
who honor us with their presence to-day,
and who can speak SD instruc,ively upon
tho great subjects vi the hour; at least do
not feel at liberty to detain YOU ut all
Elsewhere, and ut other moments, on other
fields and other days, may try to scatter
the seed OF few thoughts; but not now.
and not here.
Al the same time, Mr.. President, that
respectfully decline 10 make speech,
admit very strong desire to present my
self for few moments to this Convention,
(applausc) in the character Of n witness,
and not Of an advocate. Sir, ] had the
honor, by the favor OF a portion OF our com
mon constituency, TO be member al the
Philadelphia Convention; personally, per
haps, aud temporarily, panied aud disap-
pointed member; and yet lrclnce At an op-
por,uni,v, here to-day, to tos,it. and to de-
clare on my veracity. and my honor, tha,
according To INV best knowledge, and to IN,
utmost knowledge md belief, no nomna
tion was ever more fairly made, (applause:) J
no nomination was ever made more exact
" in accordance with the nsages of the
representatives Of the grea, parties like
this In similar Conventions assembled.
M, fellow citizens, he tina, seeks n pre-
text for abandoning his irienis. his flag.
and his nomination, must tind another rea-
son than the mode in which that nomination
was made. There is no doubt ut all that
every gentleman who went into iha, BODY,
came there, in the first place, with pref
crence of his own. There is no doubt tina,
one indicated his first preference by his
first vote. Some oi US adhered TO that first
vote; and some of ns, again. upon more re-
Election, aud more consideration, upon n
wider view, exactly rs vas expected, aud
exactly rs WINS intended when VIC were sent
there, exnctly as a convention Of wise. hon
est, and honorable men il intended to do,
changed that vote aud rallied upon the nom.
inntion.
Here is the resul, before YOU to-day. 4
fair nomination, in all respects. sir, or n
nomination more exactly in accordance
with the usagcs of the party, aud the Gus
toms of the land, has never been cxempliii-
cd since the organization Of this govern.
inent. Sir, the truth Of this matter is, thu,
ihcv who criticise the proceedings Of TINT
Convention, forget one grent thing, that
never should he forgotten, and that is, tina,
tho Philadelphi Convention, was, at last
essentially. ratfying Convention; and
that was all, sir. The people nominated
Gen. Ta,ler long before the sitting oi the
Philadelphia Convention. The people were
beforehand with the politicians in that great
nomination. (Applause.) And the people
are stronger than the politicians. (Renew
cd cheering.) The summer soldiers, ant
sunshine patriots should remember That.
Aud, sir, il is not quite Justice TO the pop
ular judgment OF this country to say thai
long succession Of triumphs, from palo Alto
and Resaca dc Ia Palma 10 Ruena Vista
were tue reason Of his nomination.. Those
glories attracted the public attention Il
Gen. Taylor. Undoubtedly that attention
led to inquiry; aud what was the resul, O
that inquiry? That he had been oil hi
life long Why in his general opinions
md in his private and social connections
he had been all his life long giving hi
youth, his manhood. and his approaching
nge 10 his country, serving for years in tn
camp, Inodcstly, yet conspic,iously. incor
ruptiblo n Fabius or Cincinnntus, u ma,
Of strong, deep, sound common sense, will
clear head aud large heart; aud, sir, th'
great heart Of the people, instinciively IN.
macnc,ically clave TO him upon that discov
cry. The free press every where took hin
up. Conventions in the free States. ever,
where. Trough. him forward. Public sen
timcnt began to rally in his behalf; and
appeal to cvery man here present, It tn
incmbers Of the Philadelphis Convention
were not surrounded. penetrated, bat'cd il
public opinion, which came, we know no
whence, which we could not resist. whicl
no man in the Convention, 40 party, M,