Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-07-01
Speech of Judge Emmett.

/ Hon. Robert Emmett, Of New York
who was chosen temporary President OF
the Republican National Convention, o.
taking the chair spoke as follows:
He felt deeply the honor conferred OF
him by the Convention. Certainly il Is
owing TO no merit of mine that have
thus been singled out for this compliment
nothing but the zeal which | feel for the
common cause could possibly entitle me
10 1t, and in that respect claim not to be
behind any of you. | can say that my
antecedents have been democratic. For 50
years ] have been allied to the democratic
party, until that party left the OILY prinri-
PIE upon which | could remain with it
| Loud cheers. When our Government
was established, although slavery could
not be sumlnarily abolished, it was believ-
ed by all the great men of the day that it
would die on IN this country. This feel
ing led to the Missouri Compromise
That Compromise was respected il was
honored,; 1t was lauded; it was upheld bv
ali the people of this country, until unfor-
tunately u demagogue found his way into
our councils, Sensations who undertook
10 break down that solemn compact, en-
tered into between the States OF this IN
ION, TO prevent the very consequences
which followed upon its repeal Why,
gentlemen, the incursion into Kansas was
the logical result and effect of the repeal
OF the Missouri Compromise. All the
horrors III Kansas which have aroused
this country may be traced directly aud
logically to that act. Sensation. We
are now met, then, for purpose Of resist
ng, and if possible of subdung h power
and influence of the Administration, and
the party to whom we are indebted for all
these evils. Loud applause. They
have met in Cincinnati they have been
beforehand with us. The great Demo
crat party name which, independent
OF the late acts Of this party, have al
ways honored and looked up to fondIy,
proud that | belonged to it-that great
party calling itself the Democratic party
mas met and adopted its platform, and a
worse counterfeit of true Democratic
platform | never SAW.
Well, they adopted their platform and
James Buchanan. Now, gen
tIemen, | have known him for more than
forty years Intimately. | would defend
his personal character, if assailed but
his political character-if was not in
deadly hostility to that | should not be
here. | blame James Buchanan, after
he had expressed his opinion as TO the
Missouri Compromise, after he had bow
ed down in dvotion to ii as every patriot OF
that day dId-when he found certain men
OF his party breaking down that defence
OF liberty that he had not strength enough
TO resist: He Acknowledges bis accept
ance of the platform, not as free agent,
but be declares that he is bound to every
plank Of lt-an admission that he IS chain
ed to the car Of Slavery, or the Jugger-
naut of Slavery, and that he allows him.
self to be dragged headlong by it. | 10
not understand how man, after a lapse
OF two or three years, can make such a
complete suInmersct as my friend James
buchanan has Oh the subject of the Mis-
souri, Compronis, and tumble himself. to-
dy and soul, into The Cincinnati platform
with SO little scrupulousness. | came here
because my duty required me to come,
My conscience told me that | was allie.
and being so, was bound to come. APP
plause. We are here for noble anu no
~ purposes. They may laugh at us, and
cali It's Black Republicans and Niger
Worshippers. Why, if they were not
rihers and bufloons, they would find some
thing better than that to write. Laugh
ter. They may say we intent to take
under our wings all the odds and ends of
'isms Of the country. BE- it so. Let them
come with all their 'islns and we Will
merge them into that great 'isn-patriot-
ism. Loud applause After further
remarks, Mr.. Emmett concluded: II we
succeed in defeating the nominee Of the
Democratic party and of electing our man,
it will take infinitely more words than ]
could bcstow, and more time than you
could devote, to euumerate and hear emu
merated the blessings which Will how
from it. Loud cheers.