Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-09-14

people. -.
The elevation of a sectional party to
authority at Washing the culfniratlon
of long INDUCED, acrimonious wars Grim
ination and recrimination between ex-
treme men at the North and South,f were
promptly followed by dissolution and civ
il war, and in the progress OF that war
even the outworks of civil liberty have
been imnerilled and the whole fabric
brought to the very verge of destruction,
and now, at the end of more than three
years of war unparalleled in modern
times for magnitude and for harbarous
desolation, after more than two millions OF
men have been called into the 6eld on onr
side alone, after The land has been iit..r-
ally dreDcled in tralerAal blood. and ,Tail-
ings and lamentations are hearl II, every
corner Of our cemmon country, nc hopes
of tho Union end IF our chelis. ned object
arc in no wise improved.
The men now, in anti ,ority, through a
feud which. they long, Maintained with vi
client and unwise n IN at the South, be-
cause of bliud franaticisln about an in
stitstion ID solps States, and in relation to
which they bid no duties to perform and
no respo,,s' oifties to bear, arc utterly i'll
capable II adopting the proper means to
rescue our country, our whole country,
frcn. its present lamentable condition.
Ihen, gentlemen, it is apparent that the
lIrst indispensable step to tho accomplish
ment of this great work is the overthrow
by the ballot Of the present Administra-
ton, and the inauguration of another in its
stead, which will wisely and zealously, bat
temporarily AMI justly weld all the intlu-
cnce and power Of the government to
bring speedy settlement OF our internal
troubles OH the principles of the Cersti-
tuition, and OH terms honorable ar.I Just
to all sections, North, South. East and
West: one which will stand unfalter-
ingly by civil and religious liberty; one
which, instead Of r., ing solely on its pc
cullar doglnas and doctrines and the rava-
ses OF the sword, will refer the national
troubles to the people, the fountain ofpo-
hf'cal authority. Ind to the States under
the forms Of tie Constitution one which
will have no conditions precedent to the
restoration Of tho Uniaa, but will diligent-
~ se.E that result as Il return of perlna-
pcnt peape among The people.
- Gaatlemen, yuu have been commissinn-
ed By the people. to come here and i.:i.
tiate steps to accomplish these great o.
,iects, to select an agent anil agencies il
the good work. That that step will be
well performed have an unfalterin5 faith,
and that the people may sanction AMI Col
bless those means to the desired end is my
sincere prayer.
On taking the chair Governor seymaa"
spoke as follows:
Gentlemen IF The Lonven'aon-L cannot
forecast the resolutions and action OF tho
~Convention; but / can Say that every
member of it loves the Union, desires
peace, and will uphold constitutions! FREQ
dom. While the resolutions and action Of
this Convention are of the utmost import
ance, there are reasons why the Dem
ocratic party should be restored to power.
| and they are great reasons. The Dom
ocratc party will restore the Union, be-
cause it longs for its restoration; it will
bring peace, because it loves peace it will
bring back liberty to our land, because it
loves liberty; it will put down dsspotism,
! because it hates the ignoble tyranny which
now. dcgrades tie American people
Four years ago Convention met in this
city when oar country was peaceful. pres
| porous ana united. Its delegates did not
mean to destroy oar government, to over
! ,vhel,n lis with debt, or to drench our land
With blood; but they We're animated hy
intolerance AM fanaticism, and blinded by
an ignorance Of the spirit of our insti:l-
tinns, fhe character of our pcople, and the
| condih u Of our land. They thought they
| might safely indulge their passions, and
| they concluded to do SO. They would not
| heed the earnings ofour fathers, and they
did not CO asider that meddling besets
strife Tilei~ passions have wrought on,
their naturall esuts. They were impelled
to spnrn all measures Of compromise
Step by step hey have marched on to
results from WI :h at tie onset, they would
have shrunk win horror, and even now
when war has des,lated orr land, has laid
its heavy burdens lpon labor, and whe,
bankruptcy and ruin overhang us, they
will not have the Union restored excep,
upen conditions unknown to our constitu
ton They will not .le4 the shedding o.
blood cease even for little time, to see il
Christian charity or the wisdom of states
| snanslip may not work out 2 method te
save our country. Nay, more than this
they will not listen to Pr posal for peace
which does not offer that which this gov
eminent has n" right to.ask. This admin
istration cannoV ROW save this Union if i
would. 1t has by its procla nations, b,
vindictive legislation, and by displays o
hate and passion, placed obstscles in it
own pathway which it cannot overcome
1t has |ampered its own freedom of actor
by unconstitutiona,ities. It cam, ot be saie
that the failure Of lis policy is q 10 to th,
want OF courage and devotion %, fine par
OF orr armies. Never in the history O
Z