The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-07-22
The Peonla's Union Convention.

preme Court, and also a candidate for
Canal Commissioner
Two o'clock being the hour fixed for
meeting, the delegates elected asse bied
in the hail of Representatives. Davld
Taggart, Esq, of Northumberland, called
the Convention to order, and moved that
the Hon. William Jessup, OF Susquehan-
ma county. act as president pro tena.,
which motion was unauimo ously agreed to.
The Hon. Francis Jordan, of Bedford,
and James Jones Of LycomiDg, were ap-
pointed secretaries pro tenn.
David Krause and Oscar Snyder were
appointed as doorkeepers of the Conven-
ton.
Lcmuel TODD, Esq moved that COM
mittee of seven be appointed on creden-
tials, which was agreed to.
Mr.. Williamson of Huntingdon, moved
that the secretaries proceed to read the
list of delegates, and that the gentlemen
present answer to their names, which was
agreed to.
Mr.. Purviance, from the committee to
report permanent officers of the Conven'
ton, reported A. H. Reeder for Presi'
dent, assisted by a number of vice presi
dents and secretaries. The report was a.
dopted without debate, and Governor
Reeder was conducted to the chair, from
whence be delivered the following ad.
dress:
GENTLEMEN:-Whcn l look around
mo upon this Convention, and see its
ranks filled with men who have been a.
gain and again endorsed by the people Of
our State-who have been honored with
the public onfdence-who, in places oi
public trust, have repaid that confidence
with meritorious integrity and distinguish.
ed ability-whose talents and whose pow
er have made them the leaders and the
representative men of their respective par
ties upon the great questions submitted
to, and decided by the people, in times
gone by-who have adorned and shed
lustre upon the high places they have
filled, surrounded now by younger men
full of talent and zeal and budding pow.
er, destined to tell upon the future desti.
nies of our State and country-I feel
most deeply impressed with the honor OF
the selection which has called me to this
position, and the thrice worn, threadbare
terms, ofthankful acknowledge ment seem
to be tas;eless, and inadequate return
for your partiality. can only tender
you the sincere assurance that they fall
short of the feeling which they seek te
express.
I have alluded to the high standard Of
ability aud reputation which seems to
have been adopted by the people 10 your
selection. 1t is, however, none too high
for the cause in which We are engaged
none too great for the dignity and honor
of the work committed to our hands Tc
men whose love of country must be star.
tied and aroused by the dangers that be-
set our institutions-whose enlarged un'
derstandings appreciate the evils tha
threaten US, and the remedies to he ap.
pliei-I need waste no time in detail o.
these.
Suffice it to say, that the very essential
doctrines of republicanism are at issue
the right of self goVernDent--the rule oI
the msjority-the right of suffrage, pop.
ular liberty. are all perilled, and their
ringing cry for rescue clangs upon the
ear of the patriot like fre-bell in the
still watches of the night The Ameri
can people had their origin and owe their
pre-emiDent national vitality and won
deful progressive power to the fact that
they are cross grown from the puresi
seed of the prominent nations of the Old
World from the picked men of Europe
with the largest brain, and heart, and
muscle, of all their kind; who lowered a.
boVe all their fellows, and did not bend
before the blast that was sweeping dowr
her main rights, aud were thus driven
from their respective homes to beget
new nation in the new world to make q
new era in the history of man, before
which all the other landmarks of nation.
al biography should fall into insigni6.
cance. Norman, Celt and Saxon, Hun
gariau, Sweede and Dane, the best ol
their kind-pure metal, proven and tried
by FIRE and peril and tyranny, loving
liberty better than native land covered
with oppression and disgrace-s
hands in new league, forgot ancient
feuds, combined their respective qualtie.
in vigorous and healthy fusion, and thus
made great union party, from whose
lOins spraDg the master nation Of tb'
earth.
, The same reasons which drove th,
Covenanters, the Puritans, the Hugenots
and the Lutherans from the graves o
their fathers, have compelled most of III
to turn our backs upon our old associate,
in search of the popular rights and Iiber
ties which tyranny had driven out befor,
us. As We have been placed in their sit
uation, and emulsted their efforts, let Vi
resolve to achieve their result BY beget
ting the master party of the land.
Vain will be this hope, however, unless
We are prepared to trample under foo
all selfshues.; all mere pride of opinion
all tho confa amptihla spirit ~ ,,nnaoascar