The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1860-05-26
REPUBIIQAN OoNVKlgTrOl

| REPUBIICAN> CONVENTION
TIRSr DAY-AORNING SESSION.
1 Ibs Republican NAsional Convention aaser
bled yesterday naorning In the wiKwam. corn
!, 81 Lake and Market streets.
AZ precisely IL O'Clock the Convention y,
called 70 order By the Hon. +. D. Morgan, Go
, crnor ef New York, and Chairman Of the R
publican National Committee. Gov. Morgs
aaid:
On the twenty-secood Of December last. ii
Republican National Committee. It Z meetin
convened for the purpose in the CITY Of Ne
fork issued call for National Convention
which will now read ~
Governor Morgan here read the call, and prt
ceedcd :-In compliance herewith, the peopl
have sent Representatives here to deliberat
i Of The call
Usage has made it my duty 70 take the pre
Mmanary step towards organising the Convention
- Convention upon the proceedings Of which
permit me 70 say, the most momentous result
are depending. No body Of men Of equal mum
Der was ever clothed with greater responsibilit,
than those now within the hearing Of my voice
lou DO not need me TO tell you, gentlemen
what this responsibility is. While one portior
Of the adherents Of the National Admipistratior
are endeayofing to insert . slave code into the
party platform, another portion exhibits its read
mess % accomplish the same result through the
action OF the Supreme Court Of the United
states; willing by indirection to do that which
done directly. would bring blush even to the
cheek of modern Democracy.
" hlle these and other stupcndous wrongs. alb
solutely shocking to the moral sentiment of the
country, are TO be fastened upon the people by
thc party in power, IL its leaders are able to
BRING the factious elements that compose it into
any degree Of unanimity, there seems left no
ray OF hope except in the good sense of this
Convention. :
Let me then invoke you TO act in spirit Of
harmony, that by the dignity. the wisdom and
the patriotism displayed here. you NAV he ena.
bled to enlist the hearts of the people. and -
strengthen them in the faith that yours ia the
constitutional party of the country, and the only
constitutional party; that you are actuated by
principle, and that YOU will be guided bv the
light and by the example of the fathers Of the
Republic '''o
fortunately you are not required to enunciate
new and untried principles of government. This
mas been we'll aud wisely done by the statesmen
OF the ress ution. Stand where they stood
avowing and maintaining the like objects and
doctrines; then will the end sought be accom-.
plished; the Constitution and the Union be pre-
served and the government administered nv pa-
triots and statesmen.
no" nominate, as your temporary presiding
officer, the Hon. David Wilmot of Pennsylvania
Ihe name of Judge WilmOt was received with
vociferous and long continued applause, and the
motion for his appointment was carried by ac-
clamatiOn.
Judge Marshall of Maryland, and Gov. Cleve-
land OF Connecticut, were appointed to conduct
the new Chairman to his seat
Judge Wilmot said on taking the Chair. that
he had no words to express his sense of the honor
conferred upon him. He would carry the re-
membranes OF it to his death. He reminded the
Delegates of the high duty which devolved upon
them. , powerful, sectional and aristocratic
party had TOR long time domineered over the
Government, wrestling its power for the nation.
alization Of slavery. 1t is our mission to arrest
the progress of this party, and to place it again
upon the foundation of the fathers of the he.
public. 1t is our purpose to restore the Consti-
tuition to its original meaning. and read that in
strument as our fathers read it. 1t was not es-
tabished for the purpose Of giving high guaran-
ties to the institution of slavery. Our fathers
regarded slavery as blot upon our country, and
they died in the hope that il would soon vanish
from the land. They did not draw their sword
In the Revolution for the purpose Of establishing
a great slave empire upoa this continent The
revolution was fought and the constitution adopt
ed for the purpose of securing the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and posterity. Slavery is
sectonal-Lberty IS national Applause
But who today is not more free to utter his opin
ions in Russia or Austria than he is in the slave
States of this Republic? We owe the freedom
We enjoy in the free States to the absence of
Slavery Shall We spread this demoralizing,
blighting and unhumanizng institution through
our land, or shall We preserve it as free land
for us and our posterity for ever. These
are the principles for which the Republican
party are struggling. These are the
principles recognized by all the fathers of the
Republic down even to the days of Polk, when
slavery dared to claim universal empire over cur
land. Invoking the spirit of harmony and con-
citation, now enter upon the discharge of my
duties as your presiding officer.
1t was moved that Mcssrs. Fred. Hassaruck Of
Ohio, Theodore Pomcroy Of New York, and
Henry B. Grow of Missouri, act as temporary
Secretaries. The motion was carried, and
Secretaries took their places at the table provided
for them.
A prayer was then pronounced by the Rev.
Mr.. Humphrey of the First Presbyterian Church
of this city.
Hon. N b. Judd, of Illinois, offered the fol-
loving resolution:
Resolved, That Committee of one Delegate
from each State and Territory represented in this
Convention be appointed to report permanent
officers for the Convention.
The resolution was passed and the Committee
appointed.
A delegate from PENNSYLVANIA offered the fol-
lowing resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the rules of the House of Rep
resentatives be adopted for the government of
this Convention, until otherwise ordered.
Mr nunHt th0ft tho NV oil <ho
roll of the States, and as they were called the
chairman Of each delegation present their Gre
dentials. and if any question arises as to the le-
gality of the credentials that the question be re-
ferred TO the Committee on Credentials.
Mr.. Carter, of Ohio, arose to offer slight
amendment to the motion of the gentleman from
Oregon or New York, he did not know exactly
which.
Mr.. Greeley said he was willing to accept the
amendment Of his friend from Maryland or New
Jersey, he did not know exactly which. Laugh
ter.
Finally Mr.. Greeley's motion was adopted.
MI. Corwin, Of Ohio, moved that Commit
tee of one delegate from each State and Terrific
ry represented in the Convention, be appointed
to prepare platform.
Gov Reeder, Of Pa, opposed the adoption Of
the resolution. This framing of platform was
not matter of preliminary Organization. 1t
was matter OF grave and momentous import.
equal in Importance to the nomination of can
didate. He moved as an amendment that the
resolution be laid on the table, until after the
permanent organization OF the Convention shall
be effected
Mr.. Corwine supported his molten. In his
opinion the Convention should enter upon its la
Dor while in its vigor and freshness.
Eli Thayer, Of Oregon, also supported the mo-
ton Of M. Corwine.
A delegate from New Hampshire spoke for the
amendment, and was followed again by Gov.
Reeder, who pointed out the dangers which might
result from the adoption Of this rosolusion for
the appointment of this Committee at this stage
Of the proceedings
The question Was finally taken on the amend
ment, and II was voted down.
The question then recurred on the original mo-
tion. An amendment was accepted, requesting
the Committee on Platform, when adopted, to
report soon as possible after the permanent or.
ganixatiOn was effected
A.gentleman from Indiana spoke powerfully
and effectively against the motions for an imme-
date appointment Of this Committee.
Mr.. Greeley spoke in favor Of the motion.
Gov. Boutwell, spoke against the motion. We
H. Id No1sh