Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-11
Rev. DR.. Breckinridgs Honored by nII-

noIs.
The gentlemen OF the Illinois delegation pre-
sented to Rev. DR.. Breckenridge, at their quar-
terS in Baltimore, an elegant and massive sill.
yer pitcher, bearing On appropriate inscription,
as follows:
"Robert J. Breckenridge, D. D., of Ken
tucky, from the Illinois Delegation to the Union
National Convention, assembled at Baltimore,
June Z, 1864"
On the left side of the pitcher is this sen.
tence-"God and Liberty"
In making the presentation, on behalf OF the
delegation, their chairman, Hon. B. q. Cook,
said:
On. BRECEEymDoE; Most OF the members OF
the Illinois delegation haYe never had the pless.
bling OF this convention. Tetwe have not the less
known you. We have witnessed with very great
Interest the course you have taken In your own
sAto-your steady adherence to the esuHe Of our
common country, when that courae involved sac
rihee, hld suffering, and the EuutcripE Of near
ties. We have heard your noble utterancvs in
support Of the principles Of freedom and
ness, made under circumstances OF great dihiculty
and danger, until our resDeet for you has ripened
ut you Will permit US to use the words) ilto
strong personal affection for you. Apd, as token
OF our respect and reg.rd, We desire to present 10
you this testimonial, hopirg that II may serve 10
glad TO meet you, and who viii not eease to watch
vour futute course with the deepeBt in crest s-d
sympathy, and with the earnest wish that your
devoted labcrs for the truth ard the right may
meet with abundant success
REPLY Or DH. BRECEISRiDdE.
NR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMES receive
with very great senHibility this token Of cur Ap-
probation, for you know how great q surprise il
must be 70 mo that you should have thought Of be-
slowing on nc, In manner 90 kind, = public and
decisive mark OF your kind construction of my
past conduct Lnd ny cherished principles Next
that ~ Ha-
Iires is the approval OF thoBs who are worthy OF
our confidence and love, and surely II there are in
stained yAty to the nation md 10 ching cour-
age In the maintenance Of Its existence and itH
glory ouyht to be, the people Of Illinois whom you
represent, have proved BY 'hcir deeds that they
are such mrn. To say nothing Of the beauty or
the value OF this token your regard II is OF ex.
eeeding value TO me that II is you who have con.
Aidered me worthy Of such an expression or your
feelings.
/ DO not profcS, to have dore more than Twas
bound tn DO, am not free TO say that what have
done was worthy 90 he notice 1t hiss attracted but
1t Is lomelhing perhapa, which 1t will be good for
our children to remember, that simple citizen, in
sonal Aets to influence In any degree the cause Of
mighty revolution in one Of Its most important
and dangerous theatres, and need not deny that
your Kindness 20 me to-day will stimulate my heart
Ia the new and alarming crisis which has fallen
upon Kentucky, and IN the renewed efforts de-
manded by the great dangers Of that crisis. A
eounter.rsvolutlon in Kentucky would be fatal to
her and nsGAec OF terrible import to the nation
Itself
This token ysu have sivcn me IL Avowedly made,
and so Understood and accepted by me, as Elgni.
Tying that love OF universal liberty and that equal
love oil our glorious ,untry, which you and pro-
Tess to love and cherish. Highly as cherish It,
Il 10 not tho frat have received 10 this very city
lBaltinore) IL was my good fortune to receive, at
least twenty 1--we years lgo, another from rhce
and class as desplEet then as yours Is glorious
now, which the coincidence, II not your own high
and generous principles, Will excuse me for stating
as proof that what you approve in me goes very
far back In my life. II WAS my lot, aided BY band
Of noble men, most OF whom hAve survived, to
defeat and crush conspiracy OF multitudes Of the
slAveholdeTs Of Maryland, lin which then re.
sided to reduce into a condition hardly dustin.
guiShAbe from slavery, or to eXptl from the State,
the great and entire class OF fr0s blacks who then
Inhabited It, In token Of my efforts for their race
the free blacks OF this city, amounting to many
Thousands, purehased by small contributions
amongst themselves, and presented to me, an ex-
qutstte token Of at once their gratitude and their
good tAAte. You, my friends, will not consider
your most beautiful gift deGled by deseendin
along with that touching memorial as an heirloom
in my family.
Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen, we know not " hat
Is to become Of any man IN these times OF rebuke
and sorrow and change. We are betrayed over
and often, even where we least expect 1t. Dy the
help OF God, will try To live and DIE in such way
that not ono Of you bhAll ever blush when you re-
member this day. Be slow 10 believe OF me any
thing else than that which will accord with what
say to you now. Count upon me always as one
man who will stand by the country as long as
there is any eountrv to stand by, and who will
follow his convictions to the gates OF death.