Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-05-25
GREAT SPEECH OF THE
HON. G.. A. II e N R Y
AT BALTIMORE,
On the nomination Of the Hon John Bell for The
pre,idencU

! be made unanimous
| The President said rise to discharge the
proudest duty Of my life, in putting the motion OF
my colleague Mr. Brooks, of n Y that this con-
Hon. John Bell, of Tenn, for the next President Of
the United States All who are in favor Of the
unanimous nomination of Hon. John Bell of Tenn,
as the Union candidate the candidate of the Consti-
tutional Union party for President of the United
States will make il manifest by saying 'aye."
| The convention responded aye, amid the cheers
and applause of the members ofthe convention and
the spectators in the galleries. and the waving Of
hats and handkerchief
| The President announced the vote of the conven-
ton TO be entirely unanimous .-
Maj. Henry, of Tenn, then came forward TO ad-
address the convention:
| Gentlemen of the Convention: This great body
having bestowed the compliment of nomination
upon distinguished fellow citizen of Tennessee
il becomes an imperative duty, as II is pleasure,
for me- Of the citizens of Tennessee to return TO
this Convention the profound thanks of that State
for your lberality and your generous support. We
thank you for the nomination conferred upon John
Bell upon the present occasion. We presented his
name to the Union party of the country, believing
that he sound constitutional and able and that
the country could not, under any circumstances do
better than to elect him to the Presidential chair
(Applapse.l
| have watched the political career of John Bell
since was a boy, and not one word has ever fallen
from the lips of that distinguished man that did not
look to the glory and the honor and the character
of the whole country. Take up the volume of his
speeches and you will find that no sectional ssnti-
ments soil the sheets upon which those speeches
printed. If yen look to his views upon the doctrine
OF internal improvements, yot will find that he
has always been ready TO advance the honor and
glory of the country, without dminution either al
the North or the South the East or the West His
life has been devoted to the common veal and the
common good of all America. You have the qua
ranty in his past history that the administration of
John Bell should he be elected, will be pure consti-
tutional, economical, and patriotic.
They sometimes say Of John Bell that he is slow
and cautious. Applause. That venerated man
who led our armies to victory in the darkest hour
Of the Revolution was always cautious. Applause
Caution, let me tell you, is the mother everywhere
of freedom. Trust not to him who is rash; but he
who is cautious has the helm of reason upon his
conduct and will never err. Such man is John
Bell. ask you If he is not fit representative for
the party that have assembled here? We are not
Whigs we are not Democrats; we are not Amer
icaes or Opposition men but we are Union men,
| Applause. As for myself, could have brought
into this canvass under no other banner. For as
God is my judge ! know no distiction between the
people of Massachusetts, and Maine and those Tenn
essee and Louisiana. [Applause.1 I hold them as
brothers all brothers everywhere. My only devo-
| ton is TO the union of the States.
trust may be pardoned for talking little bit
about the Union cres of ego on ''go on" and np-
lplause on account of the Revolutionary blood that
! flows in my veins.
IA voice here called out-sHe is a grandson Of
Patrick Henry" The Convention Immediately
arose in their places and gave three cheers.1
| | cannot fight under any banner upon earth than
that which looks TO the glory and honor and per-
pctuity ofour glorious country whole country
Applause. ought to be excused, | say, for dwell
ling little bit upon the Union of these States The
Revolutionary blood that beats and throbs in my
veins would prevent me from bearing aloft any
other banner. There is cry that comes to me from
the battle fields of the Revolution. 1t comes it is
ringing in my ears! it is in the air that is around
me il comes from the bloody field of Guildford
Applause. II is the cry of my fathers blood that
appeals to me from the ground; the blood that wa:
shed upon the field Of Guildford-to be true to the
Union. Applause intend TO obey that voice
and to respond to that sentiment
Shall we sit calmly by and see this gloriou.
Union dissolved? ["Never, neverl'1 Can we stand
by and see this glorious government torn down
lI'Neverl While the Democrats-the dsunion
Democrats at the South, in the Gulf States-th,
fre-eaters, desire to tear it down, and the Abol
tonsts Of the North too desire to destroy it in like
manner, the chargeis upon you, upon me- upon III
astic applause
What would be the consequences of dissolution
ofths Union2 May paint them to you for a mo-
menu ICres of go on, go on."1 The greatest
the most glorious, the most independent country
upon the face Of the wide earth, where man is hap
lpiest where he is freest-ought we not TO defend
tnat country with our blood and our lives2 [Cries
Of ave win do il" and appause.1
Suppose this Union is dissolved what them
There arises the sound of war amid and among
neighboring States between brothers upon one side
OF the line and those upon the other. Our young
lSouthern .inen marry girls that come from New
England New York, and Pennsylvania Are theil
children to be brought into the deadly conflict o
strife and the battle field of fraternal discord2 I"No
no. have but two brothers now alive; one o
them is here from the State of Mississippi. battling
side by side with me for the Union A voice, "Le
him get up on the standp1 The other lives in tn,
State Of Iowa, in the town of Burlington upon tn,
banks of the Mississippi Suppose that civil discorC
should ring throughout our broad land, the tocsir
of war be sounded, and the shrill fife and spiri
stirring drum should call the hosts of our people {,
enter into an internecine war, l. TO be true to my
section, must fight for and die by it,
My venerable brother in Iowa must do the SAINT
for his section, and as the conflict RACES, and tn
storm of battle around u.s. as the laden showe
of death is hailing around US, may be brought il
> conflict with my brother; l may be compelled Il
bathe my blade in his blood or to be hung as
traitor to the South. o how horrible the idea
must strike him down, or must he hung--and b,
the eternal God would he hung first Applause
] would mount n scaiiold with as much Joy as th,
bridegroom mounts TO the bridal chamber before
, would stain my hand and arm in fraternal blood.
would pray Almighty God to strike me blind
am nearly blind now-before my eyes shall eve
rest upon field Of battle, red with the blood o
brothors. would pray God TO strike me deaf be
fore my shall ever hear the dread alarum, tn
heavy tread of military parade, marshaling the host
in such conflict [applausel where brothers dy
their hands in brothers blood
We are Union people shall we throw this Unioi
away? How can we avoid the responsibility q
standing up to defend it2 With what face cou
we meet the wondering nations, ifby strife an
hate and blinded councils, and the blasted sway
demagogues accursed we throw away the riches
heritage that God ever gave to man, blot our fai
escutcheon 10 all coming time deliver down GU
names TO be accursed, teach despots that freedom
butts dream, quench its fair light wherever il ma
j dawn, and bid the lovers Of mankind despair