The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-10-06

ana 10 upnol0 tne nag. but at the Ma
tional Convention of that party held a
Charleston, there were men who cam
there determined to divide and distrac
the party. They came there, and will
the aid of men in the Pennsylvania dele
cation, and in many other Northern dele
cations, they succeeded too well in thei
nefarious purposes. If the election of A
braham Lincoln, in 1860, was nationa
calamity, charge it home that they ar,
the men who did it. We stood there pa
tiently for days and for weeks. Went tt
Baltimore. They followed us, some O
them, and some of them went to Rich
mond, where they established their owr
platf6fm. We came home; and those Of
us, although in majority in our own par
ty, who stood by the regular nominees
were ridiculed, abused, denounced, insul,
ted, and driven into the rear ranks of the
Democratic party. This merely because
we would not follow the beck of such lea.
ders. We stood it then, in 1861, when
the Democratic party took ground in IA
vor of prosecution of the war. In 1862
they did the same, and | stood by them.
was with them in the campaign, and sup
ported their ticket because | believed
them to be honest in their Professions
In 1868 they ignored the war policy of
the country. | entreated them to reflect
upon the consequences of their unwise
position, and to adhere to their former
policy in favor of vigorous prosecution
of the war, as sustained by them in 1861
and 1862. told them, and others told
them, that so sure as they repudiated
that policy and adopted the doctrine Of
Vallandigham and his co-laborers of the
Northwest, just so sure the people would
rise in their might, and the party would
be overwhelmed at the ballot box (Great
cheering For this reason, l went home
from the convention at Harrisburg in sad
ness and in silence, and remained silent
during the campaign The people of o.
hio, by more than 10000 majority, veri-
fed and fulfilled the prediction that | had
made to the Democratic leaders at the con-
vention in 1868. Still we remained silent,
hoping almost against hope that our Dem
ocratic leaders at Chicago would return
to the faith of our fathers, and to the
true doctrines of the Democratic party, as
proclaim ed by jefferson, Jackson, and all
the best men Of that party from that day
to this.
My fellow citizens, no man in Pennsyl-
vania more anxiously ly or more earnestly
hoped even against hope, that be might
be able to sustain the nominees of the
Chicago Convention than did the indiviual
who now stands before you l waited e.
ven until the Convention had concluded
its labors, aud the proceedings were ofic-
tally proclaimed and sent forth to the
world, and | stand here tonight to say to
you that if that Convention had endorsed
the doctrine OF the Democratic party, and
had declared for the Union, the Constitu-
ton, the prosecution of the war-against
secession aud in favor of suppressing the
rebelion-aud had placed before the peo-
pie national candidates, in whom we might
have confidence, | would have supported
the nominees Of that Convention. But
the same men that went to Charleston,
aud broke up the Convention there, the
same men that went to Baltimore to
continue the business, the same men that
have been trying to break up the Union
and the party, both together, went to Chi
cago, and unfortunately obtained con-
trolling influence Of that Convention
They have sent forth to the country a
platform which | shall not attempt to de-
scribe, for | have not time, and, besides,
you all understand its contents, but will
say here, before the world, would rath-
er that my right arm should fall from my
shoulder, that any calamity should befall
me, the loss of friends, party associates,
property, all that [ am, and all that |
hope to be, in this lfe-that all these
should perish, before | will support the
Chicago platform, or any man that stands
on it. Long and continued cheering
l take this stand because | believe my
country demands that sacrifice My fell
sacrifice their lives upon the
battlefield, and why should not sacrifice
my political position, my personal stand
ing, my prospects before the country, and
with my friends, rather than that flag
should 60 down, as | believe it will, if
the nominations and platform at Chicago
are sustained by the American people
[Great cheering.] Ibelieve that the only
safe remedy for all true Democrats is to
unite in defeating the nominees of the
Chicago Convention, iu rebuking those
who destroyed the party in 1860, aud who
continue to keep it in false position be-
fore the nation and before the world in
1864. If they will not listen to our ad-
vice, nor heed our entreaties, we must in
aud in the discharge of our
duties, assist in teaching them that they
canuot, and shall not, use us as iustru-
ments for the accomplishment of their
purposes, If you succeed in
convincing them that they cauuot be sue
cessful in foisting false doctrines upon
the American people they viii, perhaps,
in the future listen to our appeals. For |
the present they have taken from us eye-
rv remedy but this one--to opeply on |