Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1866-03-21
GENERAL JOHN W. GEARY'S SPEECH

We give below full report Of the
address made by General Geary, in his
acceptance Of the nomination bestowed
upon him by the Union Convention of
Pennsylvania.
Mr.. President, gentlemen Of the Con-
vention and fellow citizens, l meet you
under circumstances that ell my heart
with the deepest emotion and the pro-
foundest. awe, and kknow of no lam
guage by which | can adequately express
to you the feelings which this signal and
most emphatic manifestation Of your ia
vor and confidence has impressed me
And indeed | think [ would be wanting
in the great characteristics of our nature
if we're not deeply affected.
IF stranger had entered this city to-
day, he would scarcely have failed to be
impre essed by the enthusiasm and earnest
ness with which the deliberations Of this
Convention have been characterized
The enlivening strains Of music, the tu-
mu'tuour cheers of the crowd, the exul-
tant roars Of artillery, and the general
enthusiasm which has everywhere per-
vadcd the people around Us, may well be
taken as indicative of the general en-
dorsement which the people of the State
at large will accord to your action. And
among your own assemblage, as well as in
the streets Of this city, you may readily
recognize many Of the men who have
done battle for the country and her insti-
tuJiOns amid the curling smoke of well
contested fields Under all these circum
stances, you, gentlemen of the Conven-
ton, induced, no doubt, by considerations
which you considered satisfactory, have
chose me as the standard bearer Of the
great Union National Republican party
in the coming contest for Governor Of
Pennsylvania. [Great applause And
you have thus selected me from among
l1he many worthy, honorable, patriotic
and intelligent gentlemen who were my
competitors for the nomination-gentle
men whose patriotism in intelligence nc
one can doubt. | feel, therefore, that
you have imposed upon me debt Of
gratitude which long years-aye, life
time-devoted to the public service and
the interest and honor Of Pennsylvania
can never cancel. | have to ask, in all
humility, that may be made fully sen,
sible of the great responsibilities which
devolye upon ne, and that l may be
strengthened with sincere, determined
purposes to advance all the true prinei,
pies of humanity and the best interests
Of the country in every worthy, honor.
able and patriotic enterprise. Profoundly
sensible Of, and grateful for so distiu-
guiShed an evidence of your esteem and
confidence, with a irm and unwavering
determination to sustain the great princi-
PIES Of equal justice wtich underlIe our
republican Institutions, with hearty en-
dorsement Of the principles embodied in
the platform, accept the nomination.
[ Applause. l accept it, not in the be-
lief that in my own person | possess any
Intrinsic merit, or have rendered any SER
vices to my country which entitled me to
receive the nomination, but l accept it
as matter due to $50, 900 soldiers OF
Pennsylvania, who nave done battle for
their country and have rendered servi-
ces whose value can never be estimated,
and to whom We are indebted for home
and a country. On their account, as
one selected by them to accept and re-
ceive this matter at your hands, and view.
ing i: as a compliment to them, | thank
you most heartily. And l assure you,
my fellow citizens and gentlemen of the
Convention, that as far as [ possess the
ability, and with the aid of the powerful
and eloquent Union men Of Pennsylvania,
the coming grand political battle shall be
fairly and honorably conducted to its le-
gitimate termination and still grander
victory.
l beg to again return you, fellow citi-
zens and gentlemen of the Convention,
my unfeigned thanks for the honor you
have conferred upon me.
pEMAPEARIE ESnApE