Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-09-01
SPEECH or
HON. GEORGE il. PENDLETON,
Delivered before the Democratic
state Convention, ON Thursday
EVoning, August "a, 1893.
SPEECH or


Hon. George H. PASBLEToS and others. Mr..
Pendeton was introduced by the Chairman
Of the State Central Committee, and said:
Mr.. Pendeton said be would not detain the
ConV enton long that this was not the time
nor the place for much speaking, that he
would not enter into details nor discuss at
length the topics which appropriately belong
to this campaign He spoke OF the harmony
which had marked the proceedings OF the
Convention-of the excellence OF the ticket,
and of the good omens which attended this
commencement of the contest
He congratulated the Convention that at
length grim.visaged war had smoothed his
wrinkled front, and the questions now TO be
considered belonged to the domain oil argu-
ment and not arms. He congratulated the
country that the Democratic plrty still lives,
in all it's vigor, to confront these questions,
and to put their solution to the crucial test OF
those principles by which it go loLR aud 80
safely and so prosperously administered the
Government
THE Democratic party is dead, say our
opponents Let them look here upon u.s. TINS
day, and believe that in numbers, at least, II
is formidable. Let them look into the hls'o-
~ of parties and the philosophy OF the Gov
ernment, and if they answer honestly, they
must say that as long as fee government
shall last there must be, there will be,
party, asserting our principles, advocating
our policy, and probably bearing our name
The war is over. Its avowed object, OF break
ing the military power of the South is accom-
plished The evacuation Of Richmond an
nounced it, The surrender Of Lee confirmed
it, The captulaton of every armed force
between the Potomac and the Rio Grande
ratified it. The march of Sherman to Wash
ington, the review OF the armies, the muster
ing out of regiments, brigades, and divisions,
and corps establish it. And yet here and
there, and especially now. when the exigency
of elections requires the exercise OF arbitrary
| power or the support of extreme positions,
we hear from some ex.Major General who
wants an Office, or shoddy contractor whose
NAV is not yet filled, or fanatic, who wants
more power. that the war is not over yet
Why not2 Has not the Federal power been
established? q? Have not the Constitution and
the laws been asserted over the seeded
States On the 22d day Of July, 1861, the
Republican party in Congress declared that
the war is waged to defend and maintain the
| supremacy of the constitution, and to pre-
serve the Union, with all the dignity, equality
and rights of the several States unimpaired
Was this true2 Then the objects of the war
are accomplished, its purposes are attained
and all that belongs to state OF War should
cease We cannot be deceived 1t is a false
pretext to cover over Legitimate ends II
seeks screen for the use Of usurped power
Courts-martial, military commissions, sus
pension of hdbeds corpus, suppression o.
newspapers, interference with free speech
and free elections, these have been the fash
ion for years past. When we demonstrated
we were told they we're the necessary Incl
dents of state OF war, and aids to the war
making power; that when the war ceased they
would cease Then they were maintained tC
support the war; now the war is maintained
to support them.
The war is at an end. Many Of its effect
can never be erased The deep burrows which
it has left in our social aud governments
system can never be smoothed over. Its in
huence on the feelings and character Of ou
people will remain. The relations Of th
people and the sections can never be exact
restored. The questions which it has raise,
must be settled. The result which it ha
brought about must be accepted. We canno
recall the past We cannot undo what ha
been done We cannot reestablish exactl
, the old order of things; but we can be jus
and true We caH bravely and honestl
meet new issues, and, like wise men, accept
ing the unavoidable, yielding to accomplishe
, facts, we can, as nearly as possible, adhere t.
old landmarks, and thus secure to ourselve
all the blessings of good government.
"Let the dead past bury it's dead" Let u
. forget the war, except for the lessons whic
n it teaches Let us banish it as the memor
of a horrid calamity, in which the innocen
r and the guilty, the pure and the wicked, tn
. unfortunate and the updeserVing, the con
uueror and the conquered, alike suffered
common woe. II any would recall 1t, t
nourish hatred between the sections, or
excite the people Of either section againt
each other, let his name and his lame be &C
|. cursed; let him be dndthemd Haranathd.
When Mr.. Lincoln delivered his Insugurt
Address, he said Suppose you go to wa
Q after much suffering on both sides, and tn
n advantage on neither, you will have the sam
questions Of intercourse to settle which 20
J have now" He was right We have ha
IS war-we have had much suffering-and wht
are the questions remaining2 The status
the negroes in the States and the relation
the States among themselves To Demo
erat these questions appear easy OF solution
n He brings them TO the test of the Constitu
" .ion. The Constitution declares that Il
% powers mot delegated are reserved 1t all
Of defines the relations of the States No pow,
has been given to the Federal Government,
any of it's departments, to interfere with Il
ii status of the people of the States, or to cham
or define the relations of the States, to eat
other. If the war was waged to mainta
Id the supremacy of the Constitution, sure
er the success of the war and the attainment
= peaca should not be made the occasion of il
ol pairing it. These questions must be left wi
g, the States themselves.
ha If the war was for another purpose, If Bla
NO Republicanism was all a lie il coercion W