The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-04

longed shout and the waving OF hats and hand
kerchiefs welcomed the ex-Minister of President
Johnson as the presiding officer over their de-
libcrations.
Governor Hamilton, of Texas and Hon. Mr..
Hill, Of Virginia, who escorted the Hon. Mr..
speed to che platform, were greeted with cheers.
Hon. Mr.. Durant-I am requested by our Pre-
sident to call upon the gentlemen that have
been named as Vice-Presldents now to take
their seats as the Secretary reads the list.
Amidst great enthusiasm the gentlemen seve
rally complied, being greeted with hearty APP
plause.
President Speed then spoke as follows:-
Address of President Speed.
Gentlemen of the Convention, LOYAL men of the
cordially for the compliment you have paid me ia
calling to preside over the deliberations OF this
body. / feel that IN selecting me for SO honorable
position you have overlooked the claims OF those
who are more worthy OF and more competent to fill
80 distinguished position.
discharge the duties OF the Office to the Dest OF my
ability. 1t has been my good fortune, gentlemen,
to be the unworthy recipient OF honors under our
Government; but feel in my heart that the honor
conferred on me Tins DAY by this Convention of
voluntarily associated Southern men, devoted,
they are, to the welfare OF their country ana the
advancement OF freedoms cause, is the highest
honor thai have yet received Applause o
Though with some perhaps, TINS may seem to be
an Unenvable position, vet feel as YOU feel, that
We are assembled here upon a grand, momentous
Why are we hereg Why is it that so many of us
have come from the lar distant portions OF the
own accord and aG our own expense, and not at the
suggestion and dlcatIOn of those IN power usg
W that Ts are in Sa
above all, ask you how and why Is 1t that when
we did reach this bosptable city yesterday, the
loyal hearts of this loyal people were stirred and
they turned almost by mil ions to greet usr Why
tins spectacle? Did they come out upon these
streets simply to men, trall men, who day,
and may not be tomorrow It may be that they
greeted hat on our personal accounts, but
mainly and chiefly because we were representatives
II was not to us as individuals but to the prnci.
pie we represent, that that welcome was rendered.
Ii was because In our past lives we had shown de-
votion to principle, and because we were here for
the purpose of renewing upon the altar OF liberty,
pose to stand by the principles upon which the
Government Is founced. lApplauset beg you.
gentlemen, in the deliberations OF this Convention,
| to bear this great tact in mind and et 1t conuol
| your thoughts and actions
Let your words be brlef, clear, outspoken, but
| dlgnlfed and mercifuI. (Applause WHAT prin-
clple IL, then that we here representa- Why is it
that we are htre' Why is it that We received such
the people Of this great nation cannot
be turned aside to the worship OF false gods, and
| tue repudiauon of the everlasting truths which lie
| at the founoatlon of their Government.
The speaker then alluded TO the triumphs of our
al mles and the assisi ancv gwen by rhat noble
band Of southern patriots who stood by tbs Union
under all circumstances. Those 9a men had now % laid
ssiGe Their s ara Tor nfner
| which in this country is equally omnlpotent with
| that of torce-tne appeal TO the ballot.box, the
Regular, ordinary and peaceful agency or the Gov.
ernment-tor the purpose of accomplishing the
| remainder OF thelwork. He continued The SOL
wish never to see such " ar again; but while earn
estly desITous for peace, they wish to peace
POn Hsy wsb tn see be ana
ment of principles which because OF their truth,
beleve TO have their origin in the bosom Of
God himself and of those principles the fore
most is that OF equal justice, equal rights, and
| equal security Of every Northern man within the
| jurisdiction of the United States. Great cheering,
| repeated agam and again.) We Southern men, who
have the practical workings OF the great sin OF
| the face OF the earth tApplause,) We are mere to
declare that principle and the country everywhere
| looks to US to sustain 1t.
| history a Convention has sat in this place, with
| which on and cou not aglee
| l was glaa 60 see it, however. Why was it here ?
In parucuIar because the great cry came up from
| the white men Of the South, my constitutional
rights, and my natura rights are denied % me-" 49,,
| South, "My constitutional rights and my natural
| phts are denied me " (Cbeers.)
| This is a great complaint q complaint founded,
earnestly mace, sincerely made ON both sides They
are antagonistlc, the one to the other. Which is
That is for this Convention to saw. Cheers.
Upon that question, II upon none other as Southern
men speaking out your minds (Cheersh speak the
(Cheers) Speak the tru as YOU feel for your
try. Accept the truth as you love permanent peace
| as you hope to establish the foundations of this
Government that our children, and our Chi dren's
children shall enjoy peace that we have not known
All these the Republican party pledged them
selves should be extirpated. Uh you Southern men,
| IN your houses OF bondage these cheeting words
then came to you with refreshing joy. (Cheers
Here in that great city winch first proclaimed
liberty to the world; here where the Declaration O
| Independence was tramedi here where the Constr
| tution was adopted assemble 10 declare TO the
| people of the United States, in Gods name fulf
1 their principles. tCheers.l
There ar , gentlemen of this Convention othel
subjects, which, speaking for myself, think yOr
ought TO take noie OF. ask you, has not the Demo
cratic party struck Its colors to the Repub ican nioI
men, and repudiated their old blgOtry.
| In June, 1854 at the Convention that nominated
Lincoln and johnson, 1t was declared that slavery
should be extrpated; not abolished but rooted out
root and branon. (Cheers) Mark the difference IN
words. What Is IL to eTttrpGteI to DESTROY no
merely slavery, but all the unrlgheoUs incidents at
tending slavery. " nat are tneseE Flrst Unequal
represeL tatIOnl Does not slavery remain long a
you say to a fellow-man ne may not stand equal Il
you in a court OF JuSticef (Cheers }
tell you unless we do this there can he no peace
| Gentlemen, i said but q short time ago nationa
Convention was held in this city. 1t omitted to d,
much that was good, but its action not unmIxet
with good. Ii merely recorded, IN Quaker. likt
silence. an abect SUBMISSION TO the will of one man
(Cbeers.l
: That Convention did. at his command what IN
(Cheers Ay and il we ever have Congress Il
these United States that does not Loyalty and braVe
refuse to be merely the recording secretary OF nh
White House, American liberty Is forever gone
II is for that reason One outside OF the merits
the case, that they have stood up for the right WI
| honor them. lCheersA
Sorry as am for the abject silence that mus
ever condemn them yet their actions were not un
, | great party quondam Democratic quondam COP
perhead; to my mind that party has ever been al
| crusted with prejudice thar kept out the hght d
dav. Slavery wac divine II must not be Questioned