New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-07-24
SPEECH OF Mr. BRECKENRIDGE AT
FRANKFORT.

Mr.. Breckinridgs delivered the folio wing speech at
Frankfort, Kentucky, in reply to demonstration of
welcome by the ciiizeDs, on the lSth
FELLow-CITIzGss: thank you out Of the fullness
Of grateful heart for this cordial welcome TO nv
home | feel fellow -citizsns the improperly noon
an occasion like this Of doug much than return
ing 10 you my cordial and grateful acknowledgment
for your kindness. Perhaps, however, may oe al
lowed here in the midst Of my old District aud sur
rounded by my neighbOrs and friends, On the soil OF
Kentucky 10 make one or explanatory statmente,
and this occasion ~ enter into any statement
or argument in reference TO the circumstances tnat
oceuri ed at Baltimore and hich resulted unexpected
" to me- n placing me before the country Tor the once
Of President But think t due to yoi aud to myself
70 say that being ognisant Of all those fscts, having
observed all those aDsactons, having pondered care
fully over Them having consulted win my fiends un-
col scous altogether OF being animated or sustained by
hot ambition feel that the position which occu y to-
day il night. Great cheering. feel that could no
have shrubk from it without being false TO my country
false TO MY friends, and false TO myself Conseqn ptly
accepted the domination with AL its responsibilities
To thore who take advantage Of the position OF suent
man to heap upon him execrations, say3 pour on,
can endure. Applaose. l leave it 70 others
to explain more fully the faas ana circum-
stances Of this nomination. Perhaps also, l may
be allowed TO say that the claim, that 1 stand
before the country sectional candidate, cannot be
true whether reference be had 10 the number OF the
States which coopersted in the nomination, or 10 the
character of the principles which animated them
w
large conservative elements Of other parties IN all tue
Souu States, and in those two States upon the Pa
eifc Ocean which have been 30 far removed fon the
contests Of the Atlantic and Mississippi Valleys, that
their Judgment ae 10 what is sectional ought to be con-
elusive, and when you find q majority VI the Demo-
cratic organization Of tie State Of Pennsylvania, and
supposed majority Of New lersey Connecticut, aud
IT, with large and i'll posing orgauzaonsn
Ill the oil States, COOPERATING how can such Domlna
ton az that be properly called sectional majority OF
the States OF the Union sector AL and at war with the
prn iplss npon which the Union itself is founded
citizens, as 10 the charge that the Convention
to which i owe my nomnatlon, supported, or
that myself tainted with spirit Of dlsunion, how
absurd TO make response TO kentncky audience,
and in this odd district, tool an an American citizen
"A KenruckaD, who never did an act or eherished
thought that was not full Of devotion TO the Consnu
ton and the Union-who feels you do upon this sub
ect. But perhaps it would have been better both in
your behalf aud in mipe, If | had refused to respond
~ the .Iiin ent
Fellow citizens this IT, perhaps the last time that
tall have opportunity TO cay any thing to my neigh
bOrs and friends GurlDg the pndeDcy Of this canvass
While the. efore, sball enter into no argument upon
the particular topics of the day, perhaps you will par
don me for mai ing two three observations, which,
1t seems 10 me- should commend themselves 10 all par
ties everywhtre. Fellow-ctzens we live under the
rest Government on earth. We the only country
in the world where the experiment is demonstrated
I, a, free institutions may be established great
popu ton and large area OF territory, and be con-
sisten' with pu0c order 1t has been demonstrated IN
our Gaze for the first Zine Ia the history OF the world
How are we TO preserve lhese institutional How are
We to preserve intact that double form Of government
State and Federal, that has been handen down to US
by our forefathersi Ny answer is that we can only
GO il by clingny with nnfaterDg fidelity, unwavered
by policy to the Constitution they bequeahed to us.
hold that f city TO the Constitution Of the UNI ed
States in all its parts, and in all s obligations, ID the
sor dion of the American Union, and OF its perpetua.
tion. That Constitution was framed and transmitted
by tie wise generation Of men that ever lived IN the
tide of times. Jtmsy be called an Inspired instrument;
IL al 81 cred them early day. IL has answered
our purpose 1t is good enough for our poserity TO
keep it pure.