, 1860-05-30
CHICAGO CONVENTION.
Speech Of John i. Andrews, Esq.,,
Of Boston,
At the Ratification Meeting in Faneuil
Hall, Boston, Nay 25sh.


Hon, John A. Andrew, Chairman OF the Mas
eachusetts delegation at Chicago, was intro
duced, and spoke as follows:
INTRODUCTORY.
Mr. Prstident and Geatltme4 The grand
republican organization which was set in motion
by the frauds perpeirated in Kanzss and By that
atrocious national wrong, the repeal Of the Mis-
souri restriction. which gaTelts character to the
administration Of Frankl'n Pierce, assumed na-
tioual proportions in the Philadelphia Conren.
tion OF 1856. That organic .sion has been bard.
ened into maturer strength by the bitter e1pe'
rieuces of four long and .edi, us years under tbe
teachings Of that "old public fuuctionary,"
&" the sands of whose life have nearly run OUT
And now again in 1860, the delegated represeu.
tatires Of American republicarism, re infoEced
By the representatives Of the Peoples party o.
l'ennsy syirania, and the opposition party OF New
at the bidding Of the American people whom
thar repte senied, on the 1G.h day Of the current
month they adjourned on the afternoon Of the
Istn. having transacted the high and important
business assignee to them to perform. and then
departed to return, bearing y ith them the record
of what they had done. to the people who had
sent them,-viz: the platform Of principles and
resolutions which they had adopted with entire
upauinity, and the nomination Of candidates for
President and Vice President, presented with
the most entirs aud urexampled enthusiasm in
the person Of ApRAnAH L1ScoLS, Of Illinois, aud
HASx1AAL uAN11S, Of Name. lGreat applause.
TEMPER or TIE CONTENTION.
Gentlemen, it happe1ed to me. bY the favor
Of the State Convention of the Republicans Of
Massachusetts,, to be appointed TO bear some
humble part ID the dulles and deliberations Of
the Chicsgo Convention. Ills to thar ciFcum:
stance ,uat am indebted for the indulgence Of
this hearing tonight; and you mag he as
sured that, bearing in mind the extreme dis
comfort Of this crowded hall to those who do
me the homer to listen to my voice, aud op-
pressed with the fatigues Of almost a weeks 8
sleepless toll and forty hours consecutive jour-
neyiug, I shall and must be brief. I have to
bear record here, that amidst tho exci.ements
Of the inteusest enthusiasm. Of the most pro-
found and absolute interest, never saw. in any
gathering Of men, however cool or however
small, q spirit of courtesy more genuine, spir-
it of devotcdness more real, or manly sympathy
for each other and with each other more true.
[A VOICE" Neyer;" applause, and cries Of
"Goodl']
TIE JOURNEY 70 CHICAGO.
Gentlemen, the duties Of the convention seem
tn me to hare commenced on the Monday morn
inr which preceded its formal meeting. Many
ofns had gathered together on Saturday night,
the 1a.h, at Niagara Falls, there to spend the
Sabbath. prepared thence to dernrt on Monday
morninp. bY the special express trains which
had been arranged for the delegates to the con-
yention, which took us over the road from
Niagara Falls to Chietgo, distance Of more
than 6ve hundred miles. at the lightning speed
involved in travelling that distance in Is hours
uud along the whole line Of that immense travel,
wherever we stopped to reiurigorate the iron
| horse. there we were met by crowd Of the
citizens Of Michigan or Indiana, surrounding
the trains, with waving hats, with streaming
| banners, with vociferous voices and animated
| countenances, calling aloud, 10 cheering tones
| their words oil welcome, to the delegates from
the East TO Chicago. Men threw themselves
across our track, determined that the tra1a
I shontd not proceed unt,i they had seen one
| and another. and another Of the men who had
come to represent the patriotism and the wis
| dom Of the repub icanlsm Of The East at tht
grand meeting at Chicago, loud cheers];
TUE RErEBL1cAS WELCOME.
and at 10 0 clock on Monday night, when II,
arrived there, our eyes we're greeted. aiong tht
along the side Of the lake, BY Al illumination
which would have done honor to Jour own mag
nihcept Beacon street our ears were ealutet
by the booming o1 cannon, By the loud shout:
of enthusiastic and animated republicans, beer
| inc alofs their pennants and banuers, by th
ringing Of bells, BY the sound Of trumpet
| nud clarions and ali the Instruments Of music
To. attend US to our hotels and lodgings
there came a vast and varied body. guar
Of frcemen,-freemen of Illinois, the mel
Of Chicago some in orgau1zed clubs
some nnder the temporary organization 0
thc moment, some in citizens ga1b. and many
under their chosen leaders. marching in uni
fG1eat cheering.1 Truth, GEM tlemen, aud duty
and my own heart prompt me here to say, tha
no body Of men erer received more cordia
welcome or more ample hospitality, than th
Republican delegates receired At tue hands o
1htir friends Of that beautiful .tGarden City
and cries Of "Good";1 and when, on Tuesda,
morning, the various delegates met in then res
pective head. quarters, each section was sur
rounded and cnetred By sections and consoca
tious of The came mass OF men pouring In, no
mcrel3 the citizens Of Chicago, but masses o
men pouring in from indiana. from Ill the coun
ties Of Illinois, from Michigan. from 1owa ant
had caught the sound Of victory IN the distau
breeze, they heard the voiec Of the e. comm,
,nau." Enthusiastic cheering, and loud cries q
"Good."l They felt the Impulse that swep
along our veins. and they knew 1hat from
Maine, nil the way to Wisconsin. from Mich
Maryland, Missouri; Kentucky and Yirginis
| ffeencu had not come together to iuaugurate
failure or to lay The foundation for defeat
loud chcera.]
| THS w1GWAN DESCRIBED,
And, gentleman, they did no.. On the morn
iug Of "Wednesday, the 18th ofMay, 1t the tim,
and place assigned for our assembling, the NOR,
than GD0 delegates came together within tn
walls OF the ''Wigwam,",!a vast and commo
dious edifce, crested by The zeal and beoevo
lence OF the Republicans Of Chicago, for tht
accommodation Of ,he Convention Of 1850, aot
dedicated 10 the proposes Of the camoaign
There, gentlemen, ragged along convenient
seats. from side to side Of that great hall
were the benclts assigned for the variou.
delegations. Iclow, il the centre, were equal
II conyepientA and proper arrangements for ths
seating Of ID substitutes OF alternate delegates
| Outside: I'D in tho galleries, ranging ii
| nrnnnd wlere human masses seemed to hear
4hemsriv rs like Pelion upon Qs.a, from founda,
t;n1 m to the roof! tree, there we're piled to
ce,herfhe eonntenances OF men whom ont
6ioh.recognzs ri belonging to all portions o
fbisS1 great republic, nud al stirred aud WARNED
snSmoyei By one Inspiration Of conviction ant
hpe. (Applause.) - ''>
:. :. j., THE rlRsr DAT. -,
As you might we'll be aware, gentlemen, the
( first day Of our meeting was occupied with the
necessary preliminary arrangements required
for Its temporary and permanent orRanizAtie u
by The arrangement OF tha committees of the
| Convention, blythe arrangement of:the detailt
Of business, bJ the collection, examination, and
verifying Of the credentials ot delegates, and By