The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-08-23
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
PHILADELPHIA CONVEN fIQN.
Senator DOOIittlC Appointed
Chairman,

Gentlemen j have TO announce that
the delegates from South Carolina and
Massachusetts, will now come arm-in arm
to this convention.
This announcement was greeted with
great applause, the entire audience rising
to their feet, and the band playing the
alag Of Our Union"
Hon. John A. Hagan, from the stage,
when quietness had become restored. pro-
posed three cheers for the thirty-six States
o.. the Union-all loyal--which were en>
Enthusiastically given. This was followed
by tremendous cheers for Presiden; John
son.
Mr. Randall-Tbe convention will please
come to order. For the purpose OF effect
ing temporary organization of this con-
vention, | propose the name of General
John A. Dix, of New York, as temporary
chairman of this convention. (Applause.
SPEECH OF GEN. DIX.
General Dix came forward aud said -
Gentlemen Of the Conuention and Fello,r-
Citizens Of The ,ohote Union i return to
you my sincere thanks for the honor you
have done me in choosing me to preside
temporarily over yo-r deliberations.
regard it as distinction OF no ordl-
Diary character. not only on account of the
high social and political standing of the
gentlemen who compose this convention,
but because it is convention of the peo-
pie of the States Of this Union, and bce
cause we cannot doubt, if Its proceedings
are conducted with becoming and good
Judgment, that it will lead to most import
ant results. (Applause.) 1t may be truly
said that no body OF men have met on
this continent to consider events so mo-
mentous and so important since the year
l776-(applause) the year when our an
cestors assembled in this city to form a
better government for the States which
composed the old Confederation-ag gov>
crnment which has been confirmed and
made more enduring, as we trust by the
fearful trials and perils which it has en-
countered and overcome.
The Constitution which they came here
| to frame we are here to yindicate and re-
store. We are here to assert the suprem>
acy of representative government; we all,
who are in the confines of the Uni ion
Applause \ government which can not
without a violation Of its fundamental
principles, be extended over any but those
Eho are represented in it; applause J
over those who, by virtue of that repre-
senration, are entitled to voice in that
administration Of public affairs. (Ap>
plause.) 1t was such a government that
our fathers framed and put in operation
1t is such government which we are
bound by every principle of fidelity and
Justice aud good faith to defend and main,
tain.
Gentlemen, we are not now living un,
der such government Thirty-six State:
have for months been governed by tweaty'
five States. (Applause.) Eleven States
have beeu wholly without represen tatior
in the legislative bodies Of the nation.--
The numerical proportion of the reprcsen-
ted and unrepresented States has just beer
changed by the delegation from Tennessee
4 unit taken from the smaller has beer
put 10 the larger number But ten States
are still denied representation liz Congress
to which they are entitled under the Con
sttution. The President. not in pursu
auce Of any constitutional power, had
called on the Confederate States to accept
conditions for their admission to the exer'
else of their legitimate functions as mem
bers of the Union.
Disqualification Of the amendment to tn,
Constitution, abolishing slavery, AID the
repudiation Of debts contracted to over
throw the government, were the conditions
They were met and accepted. The exac.
ton of new conditions is unjust, and Vi
olation of the faith Of the government
subyersive of the purposes of our politica
system, and dangerous to the public pr os
perity and peace. (Applause.) Each hous'
of Congress may, as the judge of the quail
ification of its own members, reject indi
viduals for just cause, but the two bodie;
acting conformity, cannot exclude an en-
tire delegation without an unwarrautabl,
assumption of power. (Applause.)
Congress has not only done this. 1t ha
gone farther: 1t has incorporated new
conditions, with amendments TO the Con
stitution, and submitted them for the rat
lfcation of the States. There is no proba
bility that these amendments will be rati
fed by three -fourths of the States of th
Union. (Applause.) To insist on th'
conditions they contain, is to prolong in
definitely the exclusion Of more than one
fourth of the States from their right to b.
represented in the legislative bodies. They
had right under the Constitution. They
had right under the had right under
the resolutions passed in both houses oi
Congress in 1861. Those resolutions
were not concurrent, but they were sub
stantialy identical Moreover, they were
entitled to be represented on other grounds
OF fairness and good faith. Its this wrong
which we have come here to profess
against, and, as far as in us lies, redress
it. (Applause'
! When the President of the United State
declared that armed resistance to the au
thorities of the Union was over, all the
States had a right to representation IL
Congress. (Applause.) Is this the Gov
ernment our fathers fought TO establish
Loud cries of NoD Is this the Govern
meut we have been fighting to preserve
NO, noD The President has done all IL