The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-08-09


H""sraiism 9-Are they in Favor II
Negro Suffrage dad Negro EqaLdW
The State Convention Of houorably
discharged soldiers aud sailors, favorable
to the restoration policy Of President
johnson and the election of IIicster
Clymcr met in Harrisburg on last
Wednesday, August 1st. The atten.
dance was very large. The Convention
proper consisted Of seven delegates
from each representative district, ma
king about seven hundred entitled to
seats. The meeting was very enthusi-
astic and adopted strong resolutions in
favor of the Union policy of the Prosi.
dent and against the Radical Disunion-
sts, in favor Of the election Of IIiestet
Clymer and against John ". Geary.
TEMPORARY ORGANIZATION.
Cen Davis called the Convention 10
order. Gen john B. Sweitzcr, VI Tits.
burg, was unanimously selected as tcm.
porary chairman.
SECRETARIES,
Upoa motion the following Sccreta,
ries were chosen:
Captain Jeremiah j. Sullivan, i 5th
Pa. volunteers Sergt. Major Israel c.
Becker, 4th Reserves Lieutenant Ar
thu, z. Greenland, 10th Pa. tolut-
teers.
Gen. Sweitter on taking tho Chair
was greeted with loud applause.
SPEECH OF GEN. swEir9EN.
Fellow SoLDGERs-I thank yot
heartily for the unexpected honor yod
have conferred OF calling upon me for
time to preside over this highly respcc.
table assemblage. l will not attempt 10
detain you with a speech. This room
is too small to accommodate such au i'm
mense crowd as this. Fellow Soldiers,
the objects for which We have assem-.
blcd here are well understood. They
are set forth clearly, plainly and honest
ly in the call for this Convention. No
man can say that he has been entrapped
or deceived. We are here as men who
have served our country in the feld, aud
We would scorn to do 50 dishonest an act
as to secure the presence OF fellow sol.
diers, aud then deny them the tree cx.
preston Of their sentiments. With
these remarks l will take my seat.
[Crics of 60 on:] ain not in the habit
4 making long speeches, but may add
cheat We have very important duties to
perform here to-day, as much 20 as any
tia ~ act and assumed on the felo of
batt!c. 1t has been proclaimed that
none but skulkers and bounty jumpers
would be here to day. If these men by
whom | am surrounded, and in whose
earnest faces recognize the will and
the power to do great deeds; if these
men are bounty Jumpers, whsre are the
soldiers ? 1t has been thrown up to US
i that we had no brigadier or major gen.
erals on our call
This will be very readily understood,
when we remember that the Democracy y
' of the army was only to be found 10 the
!, ranks The stars and bars were geher.
a ally reserved for shoddy and its friends.
[Cheers.] But l will detain you no
longer.
The secretaries then Proceeded to call
the list Of delegates, when the creden.
tials were presented 1t was moved and
seconded that the reading of the names
j be dispensed with.
Major Keenan,, of Greensburg,
:. thought the name, with the title and
: regiment of each delegate, had better
e be called. He desired the people Of
Pennsylvania to know that the soldiers
. were here in force and that thousands
of brave men who had been denounced
( as skedaddlers and "deserters, :"
were here to resent the insult He e -
nally withdrew hir motion, and motion
I to dispense with the reading Of the
uames was adopted.
The delegations from the 7ariods dis.
tricts then presented their credentials.
1t was moved and seconded that a
/ committee Of fifteen on permanent or.
: ganization be appointed BY the chair.
N | Aoraal 10