Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-07
5PEsECH
Hon. J. @. BRECKENRIDGE.

At eleven O'Clock salute of thirty guns an
| nounced the arrival of Mr.. BREcKNRIDGE. He
was hailed with enthusiastic demonstrations.
| At twenty minutes after IL he arose and said
beg you, my neighbors, friends and old constit-
uents to be assured that feel profoundly grateful
| for the cordial welcome you have extended to me.
| The circumstances under which l appear before
| you are novel and unusual | do it in obedience 70
| the request of friends whose intelligence / have
been accustomed to Observe and if it be an uncom-
mon thing for person in my position to address
assemblies of people, can only say hope to dis
cuss topics in manner not altogether unworthy the
| attitude which occupy. shall certainly indulge
in no language which, I my opinion, will fall below
the dignity of political discussion. The condition
of my health and my position make it impossible
that can extend my voice over the vast assembly,
but trust will become stronger as proceed.
have been asked, fellow-citizens, to speak at my
! own home, because l and the political organi-
| cation with which am connected have been as
| sailed in an unusual manner, and charged with
| treason TO my own country appear before you
to-day for the purpose first of repelling certain
accusations which have been made against me, per-
sonay and industricusly, through other States of
the Union and next TO show that the principles upon
which stand the principles of both the Consti-
tuition and Union of our country. Great applause /
/ And surely, if at any time justification could be
found by any man for addressing the people in the
! position which | occupy, it will be found in my
i case. Anonymous writers and wandering orators
have chosen to tell the people that l. individuality
|
they declare and with assurance affirm that | have
exhibited treason that makes, by comparison with
/ it, Burr patriot, and the memory of Arnold re-
Specialize; but, fellow-citizens before | come to
| those topics, | desire to make and prove a COM
prehensiYe statement in regard to nv position in
connection with the Presidency Of the United States
] have been charged with premature ambition. 1
have been charged with intriguing for this nomina-
tion. have been charged with aleapng before the
wishes Of the people, and desiring to thrust myself
/ haf,,, Al Al.,..
that answer it wholly untrue and have written
to nobody soliciting support. have conversed with
| nobody soliciting support l have intrigued with
| nobody. | have promised nobody.
To these statements challenge contradiction from
! any human being. TCheers. A voice" That's So
| John c." A voice--"Open your mouth wider."l l
did not seek desire to be placed before the people
| for the Office of President by any convention or
| any part of any convention When | returned to
the State of Kentucky in the spring of 1859, and
was informed that some partial friends were pre-
scnting my to the public in that connection,
and certain editor, whose presence see here this
| State had hostedmy name for the Presidency said
TO him, and tony friends, am not in any can
ddate for the Presidency and Idesired that my name
might be taken down from the head of his columns
| 1t was done. A very eminent citizen of the Com
| monwealth of Kentucky was presented for that
Office. i gratifed 10 see it, and, as far as my
own declarations were concerned, united cordially
in presenting him for the sufrages of the American
| people, though, at no time, in out of the Common
wealth of Kentucky, did | act or utter word
which would bring my name in conflict with his or
any other eminent American citizen who desired. or
whose friends desired for him. that position; and if
you take the trouble to review the proceedings of
the Charleston Convention, you viii remember when
| | received the vote of Arkansas one of my friends
arose and withdrew my name, declaring that |
would not allow my name to come in opposition to
this gentleman before the convention and when that
Convention assembled at Baltimore, my feelings and
pO0uuct UDclanUpd flor dis
ruption which took place there my name, without
any solicitation on my part was suggested. Not
deeming such thing possible, said did not desire
TO be presented 10 the American people, but | am
content with the hOnOrs which have been heaped
upon me by my State and my country and / look
forward with pleasure to the prospect | have of
serving my country in the Senate of the United
States for the next six years My name, however
was presented, and felt could not refuse to accept
the nomination. under the circumstances, without
abandoning vital principles and betrayng my friends
1t is said that was not regularly nominated aud
that an eminent citizen of Illinois was regularly
nominated but that is question which have not
time to discuss to-day, and it haSRlready been tho
roughly exhibited and dlscusse efore the people
refer you to the bold letter your delegates
from this Congressional District refer you to the
mastery and exhaustive spec 4 my honorable
friend, IN whose grounds we met can only
say that the convention whi6 assembled at the
Front Street Theatre, in my jdFgment, was devoid
not only of the spirit Of justice but of the forms of
regularity [Cheers.l The gentleman whom it pre-
sented never received the required by tie rules
of Democratic organizations. Whole States were
excluded and disfranchised. in that Convention not
to speak of individuals. The most fragrant acts Of
injustice were pepetraed, for the purpose of forcing
particular dogma upon the Democratic organiza-
tOn and the gentleman who is the representative of
that dogma OF principles which l will be able to
show repugnanr alike to reason and the ConstItu-
ton
Owing to the improperly of those proceedings a
decided majority OF the delegates from your own State
withdrew from the convention, declaring that it was
not National Convention of the real Democratic Or
ganization, viz the entire delegations from the if
teen Southern States and from California and Ore
gun with large majoTities from other States making
in whole IN part delegations from almost two |
thirds of the States of the COnfederacy represented
at National Democratic Convention depending upon
the authority and loyalty of the Democratic party
But after ALL the great question Is what the !
principles at issue which ought TO commend them
selves TO the American people in this canvass ? |
These shall discuss before am done but before | |
proceed further | Will group together and answer
a number of personal accusations, some of which |
ema mated III the State Of Kentucky, and others else
where, by which, through me, 1t is attempted to |
strike down the organization with which am con-
nected. 1t begets in almost feeling OF humilla
ton to answer some of then but rs have imposed |
upon myself the tas < will go through them all as
briefly as can [Cheers
"A voice" Go it, John
Southern newspaper of the Opposition party, that 1
signed petition for the pardon Of John Brown, the
Harper's Ferry murderer and traitor This is
wholly untrue. So much tor that.
[Cries of Good
1t has been extensively charged and circulated
that in favor of the election of Gen, Taylor to
the Presidency and opposed to the election OF Cass
and Butler. This also is wholly untrue. In the
year lS47 there vas meeting in the city of Lexing
ton, in which participated, by which General Tay-
lor was recommended for the Presidency of the
United States. A difference of opinion existed at
that time, the political sentiments of that dis
tinguIshed gentleman. | was assured, upon grounds
satisfactory to me, that they conceded with my own
political opinions and united in the meeting. Pretty
soon afterwards l went to Mexico. When 1 return.
ed, twelve months afterwards in lS4S, found the
canvass in full blast with Taylor tor the Wings and
Cass and Butler in nomination by the National De
1t is well known to thousands of those |
within the sound of my voice, that as as l re-
turned home l took the stump IN behalf of the
Democracy and maintained its doctrines the best
If my abity-[a voice = all right }" and was not
lfraid to do it, because they were the representa-
ives of my principles, and you may judge of my |
zeal, as one of those gentlemen my old com
nander and my friend. 1t said that was not
present and did not vote at the election in Lexing
on in l84S and that is true but with that has gone
he explanation which my opponents have never |
published. which is entirely satisfactory, showing
hat it was my intention to be absent during the can
ASS, but it not my intention TO lose my vote.
You know az that time. as a citizen l could vote !
anywhere in tie State, which was before the reYis-
on and adoption of present Constitution, but it I
o happened that there six or eight gentlemen /
Who accompanied me, all Of them belonging to the /
Vhig party, and they proposed to that if could
OF return to my town and vote they would not j
ote If they did vote there would be six or seven
otes cast for Taylor and but cast for Uass and
utter [Cheers] Iaccepted this proposition and we
rent hunting, Laughter and if every man had 1
one as wellas myself we would have carried the '
tate by 10000 majority. [Applausel Among Il
lose remember the names OF my friends Thomas II
Read, Nelson Butler, and George p. Jewett. a
Another charge has been extensively circulated | |
roughout the Southern States. 1t asserts that
as an emancipationist lin 49 or at least voted for
emancipatiOnist at some time. Mr.. B. read an "
tract from letter from Hon. Gen. Robertson | Il
lblished in a Southern paper having reference to
position this question and abiding to his pri-
tie affairs, and commented on it at some length
e gith much severity. leone to the fact. The e,
lily time know that the question of enumeration d
as raised in Kentucky in my day. was in IS49 d,
hen were electng delegates to lie convention tn
form a new Constitution. Then, DR.. Breckenridge II
d Mr.. Shy were emancipatonist candidates Mr. | 81
icklile and ! canvaSsed the county to the best fo
our ability in opposition TO emancipation be- | tn
wing the interests of both in the Common r.
ealth would be promoted by the Continuance of
cir present relation. At the polls Dr.. B. voted 81
mo nd | voted against ju-1cbears1- |