The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-09-13

Convention, and upon taking the chair,
delivered the following address,
Gentlemen Of the Convention, Loyal
men of the Southern States here assembled:
! thank you most cordially for the COM
pliment you have paid me in calling me
to preside over the deliberations Of this
body. feel that in selecting ne for a
position so honorable, you have overlooked
| the claims of those who are more worthy
of and more competent to discharge the
duties of your presiding officer. [ accept
the, post, however, and will eBdeavor to
discharge the duties of the office to the
best of my ability. It has been my good
| fortune, gentlemen, TO be the unworthy
recipient of many honors under our Gov
ernment but 1 feel in my heart that the
honor conferred on me this day by this
| convention of voluntarily associated South
crn men, devoted, as they are, tc the
welfare of their country, and the advance
ment Of freedoms cause, is the highest
honor that L have ever yet received.
| Though with some, perhaps, this may
! seem to be an unen viable position, yet [
feel as you feel, that we are assembled
| here upon grand, momentous occasion,
! dDu dG llLJe VI great national moment.
| Why are we here? Why is it that SO
many Of US have come from the far dis
tant portions of the country? Why have
| we come thus entirely of our own accord
aud at our own expense, and not at the
| suggestion and dictation of those in power
over us Why is it, | ask, that we are
here in this good old city Of Philadelphia,
aud, above all, [ ask you how and why is
it that when we did reach this hospitable
city on yesterday, the loyal hearts of this
loyal people were stirred, and they turned
out almost by millions to greet Us Why
this spectacle Did they come out upon
these streets simply TO see men, frail men,
who are to-day, and may not be to-mOr-
row? 1t may 6e that they greeted US
somewhat Oh personal grounds, but mainly
and chiefly it was because we were the
representatives of great truth.
1t was not to us as individuals, but to
the principles we represent, that that wei
come was rendered. They turned out to
receive and greet US on personal grounds
somewhat. 1t was because in our past
| lives we had shown devotion to principle,
aud because we are here fer the purpose
of renewing upon the altar Of liberty,
among these loyal people, our pledges,
and declaring anew our purpose to stand
| by the principles upon which the Gov
ernment is founded / beg you, gentle
men, In the deliberations of this conven-
! ton, to bear this great fact in mind, and
! let 1t control your thoughts ard actions.
Let your words be brief, clear. outspoken,
but dignifed aad merciful What prin-
clple is 1t, then, that we here represent?
Why Is 1t that we received such an ovation
| upon our arrival And permit me here
to call your attention to the wonderful
transition which this country has under
gone but recently! Less than eighteen
months ago upon our soil were arrayed in
| hostile attitude one million of men the
passions which are Consequent upon the
shedding of human blood swayed and
controlled alike individuals and commuui-
ties the whole country was aroused and
eagerly listening for the first news from
the battle-helds, as struggle succeeded
struggle. But now that great army of
the Republic; that army which had
consecrated itself to constitutional liberty
and the establishment of freedom-that
noble oaDd of patriots and warriors who
SO faithfully performed the task assigned
them-has ceased to exist in its military
character, and we find its members now
here, not In uniform, but as citizens,
undlstnguished from their fellows in the
crowd, appealing to the 5alot-hox and
the regular, ordinary, peaceful agencies
| or our Government for the purpose of
accomplishing the remainder Of the work
yet to be done.
The soldiers of our army, in common
with al good men, have no desire ever to
see again a war within our country's
limits and while at this time earnestly
-desirous of peace, they do not ask for the
name without the substance their hopes
are based upon a peace that will be firm
and enduring, because founded upon
principles which have had their origin,
because of their truth, in the bosom of
God himself. Foremost among those
principles, and embodying them, IS that
of equal justice, equal rights and equal
security to every human being within the
jurisdiction of the United States.
We Southern men, who have seen with
our own eyes this great sin of slavery,
which has boastingly been declared to be |
the cornerstone of republican institutions,
do know, not only because such is the
teaching of history, bu: because it is our
individual experience, that it must perish |
from the face of the earth. We are here,
then, to represens that great principle, |
and the country looks to us because of
that fact.
Since this rebellion was suppressed a
convention has been held in this city with |
which neither Won nor could act. T was |