Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-22
The Opposition state Convention in
Pennsylvania.
From The Harrisburg Herald. ]

From the Harrisburg Herald
In pursuance of a call issued by the differ
ent charmen of the Republican, American,
and Peoples State Committees, "a Convention
of the people assembled in the House Of Rep
resentatives, at Harrisburg, on Wednesday.
the 18th day of July, for the purpose of noEi-
mating Il candidate for Judge of the Supreme
Court and also a candidate for Canal Com
missioner.
Two O'Clock being the hour fixed for meet
ing the delegates elected assembled in the
Hall of Representatives. David Taggart,
Esd of Northumberland, called the COnvrn-
ton to order and moved that the Hon VIM.
Jessup, of Susquehanna county, act as Presi-
dent pro tenn, which motion was unanimously
agreed to. The Hon Francis Jordan, of Bed
ford. and James Jones, of Lycoming. were
appointed Secretaries pro teri.
Mr. Purviance, from the committee to re-
port permanent officers of the Convention
reported A. III. Rreder for President assisted
by number Of Vice Presidents and Sccreta-
ries. The report was adopted without debate
aud Gov. Reeder was conducted TO the chair
from whence he delivered the following ad-
dress:
GENTIEMEN-When / look around me upon
this Convention, and see its ranks filled with
men who have been again and again endorsed
by the people of our State-who have been
hOnored with the public conference.-the, in
places of public trust, have repaid that con-
fidence with meritorious integrity and distin-
guished ability-whose talents and whose
powers made them the leaders and the repre-
sentative men of their respective parties 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
power, destined TO tell upon the future desti-
MES of our State and county, feel most
deeply impressed with the honor of the selec-
ton which has called me to this position and
the thrce-worn, thrcadbare terms of thankful
acknowledgment seem to be stale, tasteless,
and inadequate return for your Partially. |
can only tender you the sincere assurance
that they fall short of the feeling which they
seek TO express.
| have alluded to the nigh standard of
ability and reputation which seems to have
been adopted by the people in 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 To men whose love of country
must be startled and aroused by the dangers
that beset our Neutrality-suspicious. enlarged
understandings appreciate the evils that
threaten us, and the remedies to be applied
l need waste no time in detail of these.
Suffice it to soy. that the very essential
doctrines of republicanism are at issue-the
right of self-government-the rule Of the
malority-the right of suffrage, popular
liberty, all are periled, and their ringing cry
for rescue clangs upon the ear of the patriot
like u fire-bvll in the still watches of the
night.
The American people had their origin and
owe their pre-emnent national vitality and
wonderful progressive power 10 the fact that
they are cross grown from the purost seed of
the prominent nation OF the Old World-trom
the picked men of Europe, with the largest
brain. and heart, aud muscle, Of all their kind,
who lowered above all their fellows, and did
not bend before the blast that was sweeping
down her main rights. aud were thus driven
from their res pectIve homes to beget new
nation in u new world, TO make new era in
the history of man, before which all the other
landmarks Of national biography should tail
into insigniticence. Norman, Celt aud Saxon,
Hungarian. Swede and Dane, the best of their
kind-pure metal, proven and tried by fire
and tyranny, loving liberty better than a
native land covered with oppression aud dis
grace-sIruck hands in new league, forgot
ancient feuds, combined their respective
qualities in vigorous aud healthy fusion,
aud thus made a great Union party, from
whose loins sprang the master nation Of the
earth.
The same reason which drove the Cove
nanters, the Purtans, the HuguenOts, and the
Luiherans fIom the graves oi their fathers,
have compelled most Of us To turn our backs
upon our old associates in search of the popu-
lar rights ahd liberties which tyranny had
driven out before US. As we have been
placed in their situation, and emulaied fheir
efforts, let ia resolve to achieve their result
by begetting the master party of the land.
Vainly will be this hope, however, unlesss We
are prepared TO trample under foot all selfish
pess; ali mere pride Of opinioai all the con