Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-10-09
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Il - - - ]. .4-
On the Cincinnati Convention
speech, Delivered at st.
81 Louis on Saturday, June IL,
-sil856. 70 eUeibli ss ,laf.d lAc'' 1of
- After the enthusiastic cheering which
his appearance upon the stand excited, had
subsided, Col. Benton saia: - i.N 49,
C1TIzENs: | appear before You in an un-
expected character of candidate for
the Governorship of the State of Missouri.
Itwas place which l had not sought, but
which I feel bound to accept in the present
condition of the country-its peace greatly
endangered both at home and abroad, and
the services of all good citizens required to
aid in preventing the double calamity of
civil and foreign war The nomination for
President made at Cincinnati encouraged
me in the hope Of seeing these calamities
averted, and has chiefly contributed to my
present course. / went to Cincinnati 10 be
near that Convention first one / ever
approached. l went to see how things
were done, ard to assist a little at a safe
nomination. / found garrison of office
holders inside of thesC Convention, and be-
isieging army of the same gentry on the
outside Of 1T. Packed delegates were there,
sent to betray the people. Straw dele
gates were there, coming from the States
which could give no Democratic vote.
Members of Congress were there, although
forbid, by their duties from being at such
q place. A 'eohort of off ce-holders from
Washington City were there, political eu-
,nuchs in the federal system, incapable of
voting for the smallest federal office, yet
sent there by the Administration TO impose
aPresident upon the people. 1t was a
scandalous collection, excluded by the Con-
,stitution from being even electors of the
President and yet sent here to vote for the
FAdministration-and to vdteupon the prin-
,ciple of the OK that knoweth his masters
1crib-upon the principle Of the ass that
knoweth the hand that feedeth him. Bull
lies were there from the Custom House and
the Five Points in New York-all with
the appreciation of the Administration; for
othet ofice-holders would not be there lab
sent from their duties, and drawing their
pay) without the consent of their employ
ers., 1t was scandalous collection. The
members of Congress were in the double.
breach of their duties. They were neglect
ing their legislative duties, and doing what
they had been interdicted from doing.
Thirty years ago, the nomination of Presi-
dental candidates were taken from Con-
igress on account Of the corruption which it
engendered, and given to delegates, inten-
ded to be fresh from the people and to obey
their will; and the nomination removed
from Washington to Baltimore, to get out
of the reach of Presiaent- making members.
But these members followed to Baltimore,
getting proxies from some delegates when
they could get no appointment from the
people; and to get rid of them-to get
entirety beyond their reach-the Conven-
ton itself was removed from Baltimore to
Cincinnati. Vain effort to escape them.
They followed on to Cincinnati. They
broke up Congress to get to this forbidden
place. Surely the new President will be
yery hard-hearted if he does not remember
them when he comes to the distributing Of
Office. From Washington City came a
new corps, never before put upon such ser
,viee-the office-holders in the city--clerks
in the departments--heads of bureaus
men who have no vote in any federal cleo
tior-political hybrids, unable to act a