Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-03-12
sneeeh of Wilson Reilly.

4
with the following eloquent remarks ~
! SResolced, That the Hon. James Buchanan,
being the 6rst and only choice of Pennsylya-
MIA for the Presidency, the President of this
! Convention do now appoint Committee o.
twenty-five, one from each Congressional dis
trict. with instructions to report to this Con-
vention, subject to its appreciation, the names
of fifty four delegates, four Senatorial Dele
gates from the State at large, and two Repre-
sentative Delegates from each Congressional
District, to represent the Democracy of the
State in the National Convention. to be held
at Cincinnati in June next and for the pur-
! pose of advocating, with earnest sincerity,
| before the delegated power of the Democracy
of the Union, the true position abd sentiments
of the people of the old Keystone Common
wealth, the committee report no person as a
| delegate, nor shall any person be chosen as
such delegate, who is not known to this Con-
vention to be the firm, consistent, and, under
all circumstances, reliable friend of our nom
inee. and Who feels no other pl eference.
And further, that the said committee be in
structed to report subject to the appreciation
of this Convention, the names of twenty y-sev-
en- persons, two Senatorial and one Represen-
tative, from each Congressional District as
candidates for Electors of President and Vice
ed ty the Democratic party at the next cleo
ton.
Mr.. PREsIDENT-Eight years ago, at a
Convention held in this town, / spoke and
voted against the appointment of delegates
favorable to the nomination of James Buchan-
an to the Office of President of the United
States Four years later, at Convention
held in this Hall, / again spoke. voted and
axartad tho Etfla ,,AuaDoa 7 ,ooe,oesol 80
defeat the friends of James Buchanan from
appointing delegates to the National Conven-
tion who would be favorable to the nomina-
ton of that same great man to the same high
Office; and with thirty-two others, signed
and sent forth to the world protest against
the mode adopted by Mr. Buehanan's friends
in selecting those delegates That protest, if
it was not designed, was at least calculated in
some measure to injure his prospects before
the National Convention.
In thus opposing Mr. Buchanan, acted in
all good faith and sincerity of heart towards
the Democratic party, believing at that time
that his nomination would be the sure precur-
sor to q total defeat of the Democratic party,
aad the certain destruction of its hopes for
yerrs to come. did not hate Mr Buchanan:
but loved my party and its principles more
those principles which, if properly carried
out here, | am persuaded viii perpetuate not
only to our own people the blessings of the
free institutions under which we now live but
whose benign influence will widen and spread
until the world shall feel its power, and man
kind everywhere shall stand redeemed and
discnthIalled, as we do at this day, from all
kinds Of tyranny. Applause. | believed
then, sir, that the time and circumstances de-
manded the nomination of Lewis Cass, that
great and good man, that wise and pure pa
triot and statesman, whose fame is in all the
world, and will live in the hearts of his coun-
trymen as long as they love virtue. liberty and
independence. Great applause. | believed
that the American people then had seen and
felt the wrong they had done that man and
that they were ready and eager. aye, that
their very hearts leaped within them to do
hin, justice, and wipe out the foul stain of in
gratitude which had fixed upon their charac-
ter by his defeat If he had been nominated
| have not the least doubt but that he would
have been triumphantly elected [ have not
lost / pray God [ never shall lose, one iot or
little of the admiration, yes. the love that |
have for Lewis Cass; that man whose every
public act is written in letters of living light
on the proudest pages Of our country's best
and purcst history. But sir, Lewis Cass has
be a candidate at the approaching Presden-
tial canvass.
Where then shall we find another equally
worthy and capable of being the standard
bearer of the Democratic party. | have
thought anxiously of the many capable men
we have i'll all the States. | have studied
with some care, the private character and the
public acts of those, who, it is thought, will
be most prominent before the National Con-
vention at Cincinnati. l have endeayored,
and with the best wishes of my heart, to be
right to discard all prejudices, not TO be mar
minded or selfish in my choice; and /
say here, on my conscience, and with due
respect to all others, that there is no man now
living, with one or two exceptions, who, in
all the qualifications necessary to make a sue
cessful candidate, and after success has been
attained, a safe, judicous, and patriotic Pres
ident, is comparable with James Buchanan.
In every emergency he has been found
ready, willing and able to defend the light,
and to expose eand defeat the wrong. In the
most intellectual political body of this nation,
at time when the Senate of the United
Stateshad more really and truly great men in
it, than at any other period of our history.
and perhaps more really great men than ever
appeared in any political body of the same
size. James Buchanan, Pennsylvania ia
vorite son stood amongst them the acknowl-
edged equal of the mightiest of them all.
When Massachusetts, South Carolina, Ken
tricky, Michigan, Missouri, and other States,
were represented by very giants James Bu-
chanan grappled with the strongest and came
out of every conflict with honor to Pennsylva-
MIA and to himself. TApplause