Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-09-13

that all the incidents of slavery we're divine
that IL was sacred thing; that il shoult
not be discussed and should not be spoker
Oft was household god. This was thu
creed, this was the conduct Of this defian
and proud rarty. Well that party come,
up here to the l4th Of August Convention
That party-for the men Of that party con
stituted vast majority Of that Convention
Now, mark, gentlemen, that in two OF the
resolutions Of that Convention it is distinct
ly said that slavery is abolished and must
never be re.established. Applause.
ask you then il this old Democratic party
has not struck its colors and bowed in hum
le submission to Republican principles. :
Applause. There is some good in that.
Applause. II marks an event in the pro.
,gress Of human freedom. At the Conven.
tion held in Baltimore in 1864 which nomi.
mated Messrs. L ncoln and johnson it was
announced that slavery should be extirpa.
ted, not abolished merely, but extirpated-
taken out of our institutions-roo and
branch, body and soul, every lineament and
every fibre of.it. Mark. gentlemen, the
difference between the two words. Not
simply to cast of this or other limbs of this
horrible monster but TO take out not only
slavery, but all the incongruous and unright-
eous consequences and incidents that
resulted from slavery. What are they?
An equal repl esentatien. Applause +
Does not slavery remain so long as there is
q man (no matter what his color) unrepre-
sented in the Government Does not sla-
very. remain as long as one man does not
stand equal with his fellow man. The great
Republican party pledged themselves at
Baltimore it should be extirpated, and you
Southern men who were at that time as it
were in prison houses at the South, when
this pledge came to you it came as the
be done and We will be content. call the
attention of the Convention to the fact that
every Southern State, North Carolina / be-
lieve, excepted, has not of itself abolished
slavery; but it has announced in its Consti.
tuition that slavery has been abolished by
the military power of the United States.
and ought not to be re-established. Now |
call the attention of the Convention to this
particular language because it struck me
when used and when first saw it several
Southern gentlemen were in conversation
with me. II struck me as carefully selected
and used with purpose that il should new.
er he said to them that they had assented
TO the abolition of slavery. and that upon
that they would hereafter when represented
in Congress come to the Government and
demand compensation for their emancipa-
ted slaves. Cries of that's so."] 1t is
pot necessary for me to say before this Con-
vention that they have no just right for
compensation. Applause.
Let them pay back to the government the
vast debt they have incurred because of
their treason and rebellion, and it will pay
them for their slaves. Applause. But
independently of that, uron principle they
are not entitled to pay. Then, gentlemen,
this Convention ought to say to the people
of this nation, it. you want to be secure and
safe in the matter. fix it down in the Con-
stitutioh, where neither Congress. nor any
department of the government can touch it
that emancipated slaves are never to be
paid for. Applause. Those Southern peo.
pie. when they assembled to make their
various constitutions. they provided in them
that their State rebel debt is not to be paid.
Every Southerner here knows with what
great reluctance they did that. Itrequired
the positive command of the President and
all the power of the Government to exact it
Of them, That can he repaired by State
action. They can by action soon undo what
they have done, and assume the payment of
a debt which they have now under coercion
refused. Write it down in the fundamen.
.al law of the land. Let the loyal people of
.he nation see that it is written down in the |
law of the land that no money
shall be paid out of the Golfers of the people |
anywhere. North or South, for the effort to |
lestroy this Government. Applause.
Upon these subjects think, but upon the
subject more particularly of equal and just
representation. this convention ought to
speak out. These gentlemen rebels com.
plain that their constitutional and national
rights are infiinged upon. Ifthey complain
aairly, say so. If they have no right to it,
f they ask that the vote and power efa |
he vote and p' wer of two white men in
Applause. If they ask loss than justice
live them full measure. they ask more
han justice deny it.
As to the dsfranchisement of rebels and
he cnfranchisement of the black people,
his subject. also, will come before this Con-
,ention. Upon this subject, gentlemen of
he Convention, all | have to say is. do
,othing from i'll will or revenge, but do
hat which Justice, and light, ant mercy and
owe dictate; applause;l that which the
that which the ungodly and
,ad man does from bad passions must perish
rom the face of the earth, whilst that which
omes from love, from mercy, and frem JUS
ice, must be eternal-let love for mankind,
lot for yourself, not for this man or that
nan, but for all men not for this color or
hat color; let love for all mankind be your
,uide; let it dictate your every resolution;
ct it be your motive. tell you that such
onduct will pour bitterer fire upon the heads
md into the conscierc of those opposed to
'ou, than all We can from spite, all that
We can do from i'll will or any feeling of re-
'enge. Applause.
On motion, Gen. John W. Geary. Union
andidate for Governor of Pennsylvania,
Hon. b. f. Wade of Ohio. Gov. Gen. A.
.. Burnside of Rhode Island, and Gen. B.
!. Butler OF Massachusetts,, were invited 10
eats on the platform. All were received
With cheers.
Il pei COMMITTEE ON ADDRESS.
Texas, the Hon. W. Paschal; Louisiana,
he Hon. William s Fish; Tennessee, DR..
4. W. Hawkins; Virginia. J. A. w. Hun
,icutt; West Virginia, John FL. Atkin-
ION; Georgia. G. W. Ashburn; Alabama,
VI. j. Stackpole; Kentucky, DR.. Thomas
W. Coldstock; Mississippi r, B. Sidney
Missouri, the Hon. Samuel Knox; Arksh.
as -. North Carolina Hon. Dan.