Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-06-15
Speech of DIR. Z. J. BreckiR-
ridge. OF Aeatucky,
Upon Taking hls Seat a. Temporary
Chairman Ofthe Baltimore Convention

Nhdtrmen Oh Tie bdlIln1Ore CONVENTION
GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMUNICATION
can not be more sensible than | am, that
the part which | have to perfom here to-
day is merely n matter of form, and, act
ing upon the principles of my whole life.
| was inclined, when the suggestion was
in the minds of many members of the
Convention to confer this distinction up
on me, to earnestly decline to accept. be
cause | never sought distinction; | have
been a working man and nothing else;
but certain considerations led me to
change my mind. Applause. There is
a class of men in the country far too small
for the good of the country; these men
who merely, by their example, by their
pen, by their voice, try to do good, and
all the more in p%erilous times, without
regard to the reward that may come. 1t
was given 10 many such men to under
stand, by the distinction conferred upon
one of the humblest of their class. that
| they were men whom the country would
cherish, and who would not be forgotten.
There isanotber motive relative to your
selves and the country at large. Its good
for you, it is good for every nation and
every people, every State and every party,
to cherish all generous impulses, TO follow
all noble instincts: and where are men
more noble, more generous than when
they labor to purge themselves OF all self
seekers and betrayers. and To confer hon
ors, if only in mere forms, upon those who
are worthy to be trusted, and ask nothing
more? Applausr Now, according 10
my convictions of propriety, having said
this. | should say nothing more, ferries OF
go on, but il has been intimated TO me
from many quarters, and in a way which
| can not disregard that | should disaP-
point the wishes of my friends. and, per.
haps, the just expectations of the Con.
ventiou. if | did not, As briefly and yet as
precisely as / could, say somewhat upon
/ the great matters which have brought w.
here. Therefore. in a very few words, and
as plainly as | can, | will endeayor to draw
your attention to one and another Of
these great matters in which we are all
engaged.
In the first place, nothing can be more
plain than the act that you are here n:
the representatives,. chosen without forms
of law, but as really representing feelings
principles. and " you choose, prejudice
of American people, a # it were writer
in the laws and a~lrrany pissed 10y the
votes: for the man that You will uomin
ate here for the Presidency of the United
States, and ruler of Il great penpI" in q
! great crisis, is JUST a certain, | suppose. Il
become that ruler a. ANY thing ;,ndel
Heaven is certain before done. lProlong
ed cheering. Ami. moreover, you will al
low me to say, though perhaps it is hard
" strictly proper that should, but as IA
: 49, -, 1r-,,1r- ,,Y,~ga - a
lust as certain now. before you utter II
whose name you will utter, aud which
will be responded to from oue end to thI
other of this nation. as II will be after !
has been uttered and recorded 10y you
Secretary. Does any man boubt Lincolu
shall be the nominee? [Great applause.
What / wish, however, 20 call your AT
~tention la. IL the grandeur of the missiol
upon which You are met, and therefore
the dignity and solemnity, earnestHe>
and conscientiousness with which. repre-
s%enting one of the greatest, and certainl
one of the first. people of the world. yo
ought TO discharge these duties. [AI
plause.
Now, besides the nomination Of Pres
dent and Nice-President. in regard
which sacred offices | will say nothing
because ] know there is<more or less dI
ference of opinion among You; but bt
sides these nominations, you have othe
most solemn duties To perform. EO
have. to organize this party Throughout
the United States. You have to put
in whatever form your wisdom will suG
gest, that will unite all your wisdom, Ell
ergy and determination to gain the viz
tory which | have already said was i
your W More than that: you hav
to lay down. with clearness and precision
the principle on which you intend to cal
~ on this great political contest. an
prosecute the war which is underneat
F them, and the glory of the country, whic
lies before us if we succeed. Plainly, nc
in a double sense; briefly, not in a treats,
with the dignity and precision of a grea
people, to utter, by its representative
the political principles by which they il
tend to live. and for the sake of whic
they are willing to die, 20 that all mel
everywhere, may understand precisel
what we mean, and lay that furrow :
deeply and clearly. that while ever
man who is worthy TO associate with free
| men, may see it and pass over it, ever
: man who is unworthy may be either III
, able to pass it, OF may be driven far froI
it. We want none but those who are Xix
US to be with us. Applause.
. Now, among these principles, if yo
| will allow ME to say it, the first and mo;
/, distinct is, that we do not intend to pc
NIT this nation to be destroyed. Al
plause. We are a nation, no doubt
peculiar one, formed of States, and n
nation, except as States form il: and thes
! States are no States, except as they al
: States IN that nation. They had no MOI
right to repudiate the nation than til
nation had 10 repudiate them. Not on
> of them had even the shadow of a rigi
to do this, and, God helping us, we wi
vindieate that truth so that it shall new,
!. be disputed any more in the world. Al
: plause. 1t is a fearful alternative that
set before US, but there are great compel
sations for it.
Those of you who have attended to tn
subject know that from the foundation
; the present Government before and sine
our present Constitution wa formed
: there have always been parties that ha
no faith in our Government. The me
! that formed it were doubtful of its su,
cess, and the men that opposed its form
alton did not desire its success, and al
; bold to say, without OBTAINING you or tn.
subject, that for all the cutlery about GU
violations of the Constitution, this pre-
ent living generation and this presen
Union party are more thoroughly devote
to that Constitution than any generatio
that has ever lived under it. CApplause.
While | say that, and solemnly believe il
and believe il is capable of the stronges
proof, | may also add that it is a great e
ror which is being propagated in the Ian
TO say that our national life depend
merely upon the sustaining OF that Con
stitution. Our fathers made it, and -
love it.
We intend to maintain it; but if it suit
us to change it we can do so. [applause,
and when it suits us to change it we wi
change it. Applause. If it were tor
into ten thousand pieces the nation wOul
be as much a nation as it was before TIA
Constitution was made; y nation alway