Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-12


struggle to see who can do most in this crisis
for the cause of our common country. We
will do our duty. Our cause is just, and
trust in God that it will prevail. (Cheers
and applause.
Speech of Mr.. Henry, of Tenn, at the Union
Constitutional Convention.
Mr. Henry, of Tennessee, ia grandson of
Patrick Henry,) assembled the platform amid
great cheering. lie said-Having bestow-
ed the compliment of a nomination by this
great Convention upon our distinguished
iellow-citizen of Tennessee, it becomes an
imperative duty, as it is pleasure, Tor one
of the citizens of Tennessee to return to this
Convention the profound thanks of.that State
for your liberalty and generous support /
thank you, gentlemen for the nomination
| that has been conferred upon John Bell up
on the present occasion. We have presented
him to the Union party of the country, be-
lieving that he was sound, constitutional and
able, and that the country cannot, under
any circumstances, do better than elect him
to the Presidential Chair. Applause.
have watched his political career since
| have been boy. Not one word was ever
uttered by or fell from the lips of that dis
tinguished man that did not look to the glory,
honor and character of the whole country.
Applause You may take Il volume OF his
speeches and you will find that no sectional
advice ever soiled the sheet upon which his
speeches were written. II you will look at
his course in regard to internal Improve
ments you will fad that he was always rca-
dy to advance the honor and glory Of the
country, either at the North or the South,
the East or the West. His whole life has
been devoted to the common good and vel
| fare of America. You have the guarantee,
in his past history, that the administration
of John Bell, should he be elected, will be
pure and constitutional economical and pa
trotic. Applause. They say sometimes Of
John Bell that he is slow and cautIous.-
! Applause. That venerable man (pointlng
to the portrait of Washington over the Presi-
| dents CHAIR who led our armies to victory
in the darkest hour of the Revolution, was
always cautious. Applause. Cautious
ness Is the mother everywhere OF wlsdom.-
| lie alone ought not to be trusted who IS rash,
and he who is cautious has the helm OF rea'
| son to guide his conduct, and will seldom err.
| Such Il man, gentleman, is John Bell
| Applause | ask you if he is not a fit rep
resentative for the party that have assem-
| bed here? We are not Wings or Democrats,
we are not Americans or Opposition men;
but we are Union men. Applause. For
myself, | could have been brought into this
canvass under no other banner, tOr, rs God Is
my Judge, know no distinction between the
people ut Massachusetts or Maine, and those
OF Tennessee or Louisiana. (ApplauSe.) |
hail them as brothers everywhere. My on
~ devotion is to the union Of the States
(Applause.
Gentlemen, l trust may be pardoned for
talking a little about the national and rerO-
lutionary blood that is In my veins. a
voice lie is the grandson ofPatrick Henry
Applause. | can fight under no other
banner upon earth than that which looks to
the glory and honor, and perpetuty of our
glorious country. | ought TO be excused,
say, for dwelling little bit upon the union
of the States. The revolutionary blood that
beats and throbs III my veins lapplause,I
would prevent me from welding or bearing
alott any other banner. There is a cry that
comes to me from the battle fields OF the re-
vulution. 1t comes 1t is ringing in my ears.
1t is in the air that is around me. 1t comes
from the bloody field of Guilford. 1t is the
cry of my fathers blood that appeals to me
from the grave by the blood that was shed
on the field OF Gurford and charges me to
be true to the nation Warm applause. -
| intend to obey that voice, and respond to
that sentiment. Why, gentlemen, should
we sit by and see this glorious Union dlssov-
ed? Cries of NEVER Should we stand
by and see it torn down? (''Never.") While
the Disunionists at the South desire to tear
it down, and the Abolitionists at the North
to destroy it, in like manner, the charge is
upon you and upon met Is upon Us ALTO
stand by the Union to the death. (Appiause.)
What would be the consequences Of a dis
solution of this Union? May paint them to
you but for a single mcmenu The greatest
the most glorious, and the msst independent
country upon the face Of the wide EARTH
where man is happiest, and where he is
freest, ought we not to defend it with our
lives and our blood? (Cries OF yes" aud
great cheering.) Suppose you dissolve it,
what would follow? Why, sir, there comes
up the sound Of war from among neighbcr
ing States, between brothers on the one side
and TIE other. Our young Southern men
marry girls that come from New England
New York and Pennsylvania. Are their
children to be brought into deadly conflict of
strife and OF battle upon the field Of eternal
discord2 ("Nu," "No.") Think but for a
solitary moment Of the consequences. [ have
but two brothers now living. One Of them
is here from the State of Tennessee, the other
labors in the State of Iowa. in the town of
Burlington on the Mississippi river. Sup
pose civil discord should reign in our land
T. loI 81 .l..1 I
file and the spirit-stirling drum calling hosts
Of people into the war. l. to be true to my
section, must fight and die for 1t; my vene
rable brother in Iowa must do the same there;
and the conflict wages, and the storm Of bat
tie, and the leaden shower Of death is hurled
around US, and may be brought to conflict
with him. | may be compelled to dye my
blood in his blood or | would be hung as IA