The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-08-01
Speech of Daniel s. Dickinson in favor
of Breckenridge and Lane.

| OALdiy VI 4NO" AOlh SACJ iASAN q iAAN0S ---~~
ing to ratify denominations of BreckinridE
and Lane, and to express their appreciation
the platform upon which the Democratic part
is rallying in the present momentous struggl
Among the speakers on the occasion was th'
noble old Roman, DANIEL S. Dickinson
whose address was characterized by its o.
thodox sentiments as well as the eloquenC
and power with which they were presented
Mr.. DIcKINsoN's name was received wit
vociferous cheering, which having subside
he made very long speech, from which W
make the following extracts.
After referring to the good resulting to tn
country from the measures of the Democrat
party, he alluded to the Republican party a
follows:
This organization, with many elements 0
personal cleverness, bodies evil to the best in
terests of freedom and humanity; it is founded
in sectional disturbance; its aliment is preju
dice and passion; its efforts calculated to array
State against State, section against section
man against man. brother against brother; Il
destroy all kindly relations and light up thu
fires of sectional discord and strife, to end il
battles of blood. Though its managers threw
overheard its great founder and leader, Gov
ernor Seward, Echeers and hisses] because ht
had too plainly declared its principles-hopins
thereby to conceal its dangerous tendencies
its true theories are belched by the Summers
and the Cheevers, and are reduced to practice
by its John Browns. 1t disturbs and embit
ters the social relations; it sewers the holy
ties of religious brotherhood; it breaks the
bonds of a common political faith; it blots out
the great memories of the Revolution; it de.
stroys commercial interests and the inter.
changes of trade: it degrades us as a nation
before the envious monarchies of earth, and
deprives us of our inherent power to vindicate
our rights. 1t soWs broadcast the terrible
seeds of domestic strife and passion, that the
people may reap in due season a harvest Of
ashes and desolation. [Applause.]
The speaker then gave an animated sketch
Of the proceedings Of the Democratic Conven-
ton, both at Charleston and Baltimore, in
which the authors and causes of the disrup-
ton were set forth in glowing colors. He
| said:
Waving all question of the merits or de-
merits of Mr.. Douglas as candidate, his
pretensions were pressed upon the Conven-
tion-sometimes under the pretence of plat
form upon which he could stand with conye-
nience-sometimes in the admission and re-
lection of delegates by the process of ma
chinery and management, and at other times
in the direct presentation of his name beyond
all precedence or bounds Of courtesy or rea-
son-in manner and in a spirit and with a
feeling which spoke defiance to nearly one
half of the States of the confederacy, when
it was well known they would not acquiesce
| in his nomination-that they would not sup
port him if nominated-and that he could
not be elected without their votes-pressed,
too, in tone and temper, and with dogged
and obstinate persistence, which was well
calculated, if it was not intended, to break up
the Convention or force it into obedience to
the behests of combination.
The authors of this Outrage, whom we
should hold accountable, and who are Justly
and directly chargeable with it, were the rul-
ing majority of the New York delegation
They held the balance Of power, and madIy
and selfishly and corruptly used it for the
disruption of the Democratic party, in en-
deavoring 10 force it up to fixed point to
SubServe their Infamous schemes. They
were there charged with high responsibilities
by patriotic and coniding constituency, in
crisis of unusual interest in the history of
the party and the country-they, in an evil
moment, held in their leprous hands the des-
tiny of noble party and Of this great coun-
try-they professed to be governed by hon
orable considerations, and to desire the unity
and harmony and success of the Democracy.
They proclaimed personally and through their
accredited organs, that in their view the
Southern States were entitled to name can
didate, and declared that it would be their
first policy to second such suggestions as
were made in that quarter, and support such
candidate as should be named by or be most
acceptable to the South; and with such pro-
fesSionS and false pretences on their lips they
went to Charleston. But from the moment
they entered the Convention at Charleston,
until it was finally broken up by their base
conduct and worse faith at Baltimore-con-
duct which secured them the designation of
political gamblers upon the floor of the Con-
vention-their every act was to oppose the
wishes, and resist each, any and every candi-
date who would be acceptable to the Southern
States, and their every effort, in season and
out Of season. by night and by day, was to
force upon the Southern States candidate
whose creed they repudiated and condemned
"a candidate they had declared in the most
solemn form and with repeated asseverations
they could not and would not support
candidate who was at open war with the
Democratic Administration, who had but a
single supporter in the Democratic Senate,
and whose especial adherents had Just aided
the Republicans in the election of Speaker
and Clerk of the House of Representatives,
two of the most influential and commanding
positions in the Government fApplause.
Those who ruled and dictated to, and
welded the vote Of the New York delegation
through the fraudulent process of a unit vote
IA vote forced upon large majority Of this
delegation to stifle their sentiments, while
small minorities were released from it in 9TH
ers, to suit the purposes of the conspirators-
will hereafter be known by the name plainly
branded upon their guilty foreheads at Char
leston-''political gamblers"-who hang fes-
tering upon the Hobbies of State and Federal
legislation, to purchase chartered privileges
and immunities by corrupt appliances---who
thrive in its fetid atmosphere, and swell to
obese proportions like yultures upon offal-
office seekers who crawl and cringe around
the footsteps of power, and by false pretences
secure themselves, or vile tools, places of off
cial trust and emolument, that they may pack
and control caucuSes and conventions at the
expense of the people they defraud and be-
tray, while honest men are engaged in their
industrial vocations to earn their bread. Oh,
how has the once noble spirit of the Democ-
racy fled from such communicating approaches!
Rome, whose proud banner once waved tri-
umphant over conquered world, degenerated
in the pursuit of sensual delights to band
of fddlers and dancers, and the Democratic
party of New York, founded in the spirit of
Jefferson, and emulating for many years the
noble efforts of jackson and a Tompkins,
has, in the hands Of political gamblers"
been degraded by practices which would dis
honor the resorts Of Peter Funk in cast-off
clothing; cheating the sentiment Of the people
of the State and nation; cheating great and
eonfiding party, whose principles they put on
as disguise for the purpose,of enabling them
to cheat; cheating the Convention which ad-
mitted them to seats; cheating delegations
who trusted them; cheating everybody and
everything with which they came in contact
except Mr.. Douglas, their nominee; and then
| iamenting through their accredited organ.
| from day to day, that the Convention had not
remained together so that they might finally
have cheated him. [Great laughter.] They
have overthrown the Democratic masses, but
'woe to the idlers who trampled them down."
Political gamblers, you have breathed your
contagion throughout the Democratic citadel,
and profaned and polluted its very wallis
You have defiled its holy places by your cor
rupting influence; unclean beasts foal in the
area Of its temples, and filthy reptiles have
inhabited the sanctuary Of its gods. Its tow
ering eagle Of liberty has fled, for a brief sea-
i l. ,kok
their bloody beaks and dirty talons upon its
| sacred affairs. Political gamblers, you have
perpetrated your last cheat---consummated
i your last fraud upon the Democatic party,
for YOU will never again be trusted. Hence
forth you will be held and treated as political
outlaws, and set at defiance. There is no
fox SO crafty but his hide will go to the hat
ter's. [LaughterJ You would hang upon
its skirts to retain power, and lie in the bush
for revenge; but as an open enemy you are
4 nowerless. and are only. dangerous to those