Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-06-21
Speech Of Rev. Dr.. Breckenridge.
We print below, in full, the excellent speech
Of Rev. ROBERT j. BRECKENRIDGE, D. D., of
Kentucky, at the Baltimore Conyenivn


Of Rev. ROBERT j. BRECKENRIDGE, D. D., of
Kentucky, at the Baltimore Conyeniyn;
Gentlemen Of The Convention
You cannot be more sensible than | am that
he part which | have TO perform here to-day, 10
merely a matter of form and acting upon the
principles of my whole life was inclined, When
he suggestion was made to me from various
qnaiters, that il was in the minds Of many mem.
1ers Of the Convention to confer this distinction
upon me, TO earnestly decline to accept it, Be-
cause have never sought honop, | have never
sought distinction. ! have been a working mai
nd nothing else. But certain considerations led mt
o change my mind Applause; There isa class
men in the county too small Tor the country b
good. These are the men who by their exam
pie, by their pen, by their voice. try to do good
md all the more in perllous times, without re-
gard to the reward that may come. 1t Is given
many such men to understand, by the dlstlnc
| ION conferred upon me, one OF the humblest Of
lelr class, that there are men whom the country
| Wtltheush and who will no, be forgotten. There
Aac'aa, n olive relative to yourselves and to the
county - 2.ge. It's good for Out is good
tor every nation and every people, every Stat
md every party, to cherish all generous impulses
follow all noble instincts, (and where are men
more noble, moro generous y to purge yourselves
# all self seekers and betrayers, and 10 confer
Offices, # it be only in mere form, upon those
| worthy 10 be trusted, end ask nothing more.
LApplause.I Nov, according to my convictions
Vt ptopnety, having said this, should say moth
Ing more. Cries Of 80 on.l Boz it hos been
animated to me from many quarters, and in d
| way wh ca / canno, disregard, that | should dis
appoint the wishes Of my trield DIS, aud perhaps the
Just eXpt ctatlouS OF the convention, II ! do not
as briefly, and yet as precisely as could say
somewhat upon the great matters which have
Drought Us here. Therefore, IN very few words,
aud plainly as can, viii endeayor 70 draw
your attention TO one and another OF these great
matters IN which we ore all engaged Ia the
| first place nothing can be more plain than lht
Tact nat YOU are here as representatives. OF a
| great nation voluntary leprese tauver, eho,en
| without forms Of law, but a. really representing
! he feelings and principles, and, II you choose
! he pIcludices OF the American people, az ( II
we're writ en IN their laws and already passed BY
! Their votes. For the man that sou viii nominate
mere Tor the Presidency Of the United states aud
ruler Of great people, 10 great crisis, ID lusl
anything under heaven is certain before II is done
prolonged cheers and moreover, you elI, allow
me to Say, though, perhaps, 1t ID hardly srcu!
proper That should, but as far as | kuow YOU
pnions' suppose It is just IS certain now Ar
Ueore you utter it--whose name you will utter.
aud when will be responded to from one end IL
the other OF this nation, as it will after II bar
been uttered ard recorded by your Secretary.
Does an, man doubt but that tins Convention IN
teucs TO say that Abraham Lincoln sha be The
nominee [Great applause What wish
however, TO call your attention TO- is the grandeur
vi tue mission upon when YOU are met, ana
therefore, the dignity aud solennily, earnestnes.
ana consceu ousness with which, representing
enc OF the greatest and certainly one OF The tfsi
people OF the word, YOU ought to discharge these
duties lApphuse Now, beside Tue aomita.
| q OF President anu Vice PrtAGeui, 10 regard
10 which sacred Cihce viii say nothing, because
/ know there is more Or lees difference Of opinion
among you, but beside these nominations, you
have other most important duties TO perform
lou have TO orgonz- this party throughout the
United States. You have to put Il IN whatever
form your wisdom will suggest, that viii uniie all
your wisdom, energy and determination 10 gain
] y
our power. More Than that, you have 10 Ia,
down, with cleatness and precision ths principles
on ahich you intend to carry on this great poll-
! zeal contest, and prosecute the war which is I'd
detneath EN- and the glory Of the country
which iles before us il We succeed plainly moi
IN double sense, briefly not 10 d treatise, with
the dignity and precision Of a great people, 10 VI
ter BY It's representatives, TIE polt cal principles
| by which they intend TO live, aud Tor the sake OF
which they are Wiling TO die, 30 that oil men
everywhere may understand precisely that We
mean, and lay that iurrov so deeply and clearly
that while every man who is worthy to associate
with freeman may see II aud pass over it, every
man who is unworthy, may be ether unable To
! pass it, or may be driven lar from H. We want
uone but those VINO are Ike Us 20 be with IT,
! Applause Now, among those principles, II
! you viii allow me 10 say Ii, the FIRST and most
distinct Is that We 90 not intend this nation TO be
destroyed Applause We are nation, no
doubt peculiar one, q ualion orned q States,
and no natloD except as these States form it aud
these States are no States except as they are
State, in that nat on. They had no more right
10 repudiate the nation than the nation bad to re-
pudiaIe them. None OF them had even a shadow
OF night to do this aud God helping me, We will
indicate that truth, 50 that il shall never be dis
puE.d any more 10 this world. [AppIause.] Il
is fearful utlerance that is set before US, bui
there are great oOmpensallons Tor IT, Those Of you
who have alluded to this subject know that from
the foundation OF the Government before and
since our present Constitution was formed, there
nave always been parties that had no faith in our
Government. The men that formed It were
doubtful OF it's success, aud the men that opposed
It's formation did not desire Us success ana sm
bold to say, without OBTAINING you on this sub
lect, that tor all the outcIy about cur violations
OF the Constitution, this present living generation
and this present Union party are more thorough
iy devoted to that Coz Tuition than any genera
ton that has eyel lived under il. Applause.
While | say that and solsmnly believe II, ana
believe II IS capable oil tue strongest proof, may
also add that ii Isl great error which il being
propagated 10 our land TO say that our NATIONAL
life depends merely upon the sustainlss Of that
Constitution. Our fathers made il aud We loys
Il. intend to maintain il. But iit suits US to
change 1t, We can do SO ! applause j and when
I suits US to change Il, We viii change II. APP
plause.J 1t ii were torn mo ten thousand ll,oes
the nation would be as muoa nation as il was
before the Constitution was madt--a nation al.
Says-lhat declared It's independence as united
people, and lives united people until nova
nation independent oil all particular institutions
under which they lived, capable VI modelling them
precisely as their Interests require. We ought
70 have it slincy understood by friends aud
enemies that while we love that instrument, we
will manta,n II, ami will with undOubled Certain
y put to death Trend or toe VINO undertakes 10
trampIe il under foot yet, hey douot, We
vii reserve the right 10 alter it to sut ourselves,
IRON time TO time, and from generation to gene
ration, [Appausel One NOR idea on that sub
Jeot. We have Incorporated 10 that instrument