Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-08-20
REPUBLICAN STATE CON
VENTION.
From the Ohio State Journal.l
COLUMNS, Aug. IL, 1857

From the Ohio State Journal.
Columns, Aug. Ia.Is57.
At Ten O'Clock this Iorning the conven-
lion met in, the Theater and was called 10
order by Hen. VIM. Dennison, j., Of Co
Iumbus, Chairman of the State Central
Committee, and on motion Hon. David Hea,
ton, of Butler county, was elected Chair.
man pro TEN, and the following gentleman
were chosen Secretaries: John K. Green ol
Hamilton county, NJ. Rider of Piqus, H. T.
Brown of Athens, Isaac Haslett Of Stark.
Mr.. Heston, on taking the chair remarked
as follows:
This call 10 preside over the preliminary
deliberations of this great Conventioa hai
been without moments notice, and TOTALLY
unexpected. ! confess that / feel the re-
sponsibility of the position, and deeply ap
preciate the honor that has been conferred
At other times it has been my lot to NEE
with the Representatives Of the people, q
the capitol OF this great Commonwealth, 4
consult for the public good, but his oece
sion transcends all others in importance.
Never,since the days of the North Amer
lean Revolution, has there been period o
such deep and Overwhelming interest I
the American people. Our good old Con
stitution, framed by our venerated Fathers
has been trampled in the dust. Instead 0
being an instrument to extend the infinit
blessings of liberty, it has been disgracefull
construed by an erfra- Judicial decision, to D
most potent weapon to extend the gian
evils of Human Slavery. The sentiment
OF our eminent jurists and statesmen kav
been spurned with contempt. In the abuse
name OF Democracy, Slavery is now. TO b
extended to all the Territories of the Union
To satisfy The craving appetite Of the Slay
power of the Soutl, war is to be commen
ced on the labor OF the white man, as dis
graceful as it is unparalleled in cruelty. T
turn back this swelling tide of tsrannv an
oppression, is the noble mission and tn
high purpose Of the Republican Party.
In the intelligent and earnest countenan
ces now see before me, stheresis a sur
promise of a mighty revoiutior for the pub
lie good. The rights OF Ono, thel"6rst bor
of the Ordinance of 49," which have bee
so basely treated by the authorities q
Washington, will be gloriously viLdicate
by this day IS work. p
One short week ago this very spot wa
offered as willing sacrifice to the moloc
of Slavery; to-day it is made redolent wit
the shouts of unconquerable freemen! Ii
US act unitedly anc firmly, and our gallan
State will stand at the head of the Reput
.ican column.
Il thank you most cordially for this distiI
guished honor.
As soon as the Committees had been. o.
pointed there was call from all parts of tt
house for Senator Wade. Mr.. Wade can
forward at the call and spoke for nearly O
hour.
MR.. wADE's SPEECH.
Mr.. Wade said:-A Republican ought
be always ready to give his evidence for tt
faith that is in him.. We know what we
come here for. 1t has been said by Il
Chairman that since the days OF the Rev
luton no more important questions hay
arisen than those the consideration
which has brought us here. The remal
was tr e and Just. No man who has take
cognizance of events of late years, who b.
not been impressed with the fact that Il
principles OF the Declaration Of Indepel
dencc, the principles which the men of III
day wrote down from their hearts, have bel
receded from-that there has been a res
ton going on. Areaction from The G,
given principles of freedom of '76, to tho
OF an opposite character in this our day.
Here Mr.. Giddings suggested that t
committees which had been appointed HI
better retire and attend to their duties, al
leave the Convention in session to listen
the speakers.
Joseph NJ. Root said that was al! very We
but the committees didn't want to reiil
they wanted to hear Mr.. Wade.
Mr.. Wade proceeded. He said he W
trying to call the attention of the Conve
ton to the reaction which has been goil
on for the last ten years against the print
plies of the Declaration of independence, u
til now i; had reached its worst point,
lowest depth. He said he believed the De
lara,on of independence to be the voice
Almighty God speaking through his Great
beings in formula of words. 1t reveal
nothing that was not as old as the Bib
The sell-evident truths Of the UNIVERSAL
of mans right to seli-government, and y
there are men in our day, who say that VIII
the Fathers@of the Revolution there decla
| ed to be seif-evident truths were in fact 81
evident lies.
/ This has been done even in the Unit
States Senate by so-calied Democra;
Senator, and he thought.when he heard hi
lus speak, that there were signs of a
oIause from the other enators of that part
4 What would have been thought OF the ma
who, in '76, had arisen in their Congre
and opposed the Declaration, and had call
the proposition that all men were bo
equal, &c. &c, self evident lie! He wou
have been regarde as a tory, and he won
have been as perfect tory as ever W
tarred and feathered.
Mr.. Wade then proceeded at consider
BILE length and with great power, to she
how the party calling itself Democratic. h
settled down into the most arrant advocat
Of federalism.
The Republicans Of the olden time !
garded the reserved rights OF the States
their polar star, and their sheet anch,
t They were callee Republicans. Their c
ponents, who had not that faith in the {
pacity of men for self-government, we
called federalists. They were for stro
Central Government, out nothing which
now contenied for by the so-caled Dem
rrats of our day. 4
Mr. Wade then went on at sconsiderat
length, to discuss the Dred Scott decisio
He spoke OF it as disgrace TO human n
ture and as false to the principles Of t
Constitution as it was to history.
I'VE find we have not time nor have
room to give full report of this speech
we intended to, but we have full notes OF
and shall refer to it again. Mr.. Wa
spoke with great earnestness and with tt