The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-08-22
SEC0 Nd DAY.
SPEECH OF SENATOR DooLITTLE .


Senator Doolittle, being appointed perma-
nent president of the convention, on taking
the chair, said
Gentlemen of the Contention and FELLOW
citizens of the United States Cheersl: For
the distinguished honor of being called upon
TO preside over the deliberations of this con
vention, l sincerely thank you. | could have
wished that its responsibilities had fallen up
on another, bat. relying upon the courtesy
and generous confidence which has called me
to the chair, l enter at once upon It's duties
with an earnest desire for the success of that
great cause in which we are now engaged
Among the great events of our own day this
convention, in my opinion. will prove to be
one of the greatest, for ''peace hath her VIC
tories not less renowned than war" Tap
plause), and this convention ID one of its vic
tories: may not say GROWING victory p
Cheers For the fret time in six years q
national convention, representing all the
states, is now assembled. Six long, weary
years! As look back, oh what an interval
1t is of blood and agony and tesrs During
that period we have been engaged In the
most gigantic civil war the world has ever
seen, wasting our resources, drenching q
Thousand battle fields in fraternal blood, and
carrying TO fraternsl graves our fathers, our
sons, and our brothers. by hundreds of thous-
ands. But thanks be to Almighty God the
war is over. (Chsers.) Peace, blessed peace
has come! The assurances which we here
witness tell US that peace has come and cone
to stay. (Lou3 eheers.) Oh, my fellow citi.
zeus, if the whole people OF the United States
could see what we now witness, the north,
the south, the east and the west joined in fra
ternal association as friends and fellow citi
zens, cur work would be already DONE
Cheers If they could have seen, as we
saw, Massachusetts and South Carolina Rp-
plause) by their full delegations. coming arm
and arm into this great convention (enthusi-
astic applsuse), if they could have seen this
body, greater in numbers and in weight of
character and brain, than ever has assembled
ON this continent under one roof, they would
have melted to tears of JOY and gratitude
To witness this commingling there would be
no struggle OF the polls In the coming cleo
tions. (Applause.) When l remember that
it was Massachusetts, and South Carolina
that in the convention which framed the con-
stitution voted against the abolition of the
slave trade; that it was Massachusetts, III
1872. which, through some of her men,
taught the doctrine of nullifsation, which
South Carolina reasserted In 1888, aad In the
form OF secession again asserted 1t In 1860 !;
when / call to mind that South Carolina fired
the first gun in the contest, and that the veins
of Massachusetts poured out the first blood
IN the struggle; and when l call to mind all
these memories, end al the same tim Q ask the
people of the country TO look in on this con-
Yention and see those two old states of the
Union coming here In fraternal embrace, ap-
preaching the common altar of common
country, ready 10 make common sacrifices for
the good of the whole. say again, could the
whole people of the United States witness all
this, there would remain no further work for
us to perform Loud cheors.)
If the people OF Massachusetts herself could
have witnessed it, not single member would
be returned to congress from that state
great applause until he had given a most
sacred promise that he would do all in his
power to recognize the equality and dignity
of all the states under the constitution
cheers including the sacred and inalienable
representation in both houses of congress-
[Cheers. 1855
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTIONAL shall
90 into no argument on thie occasion. Cries
of "Go on" The distinguished gentleman
who preceded me General Dix) has said all
| would desire TO say much better than /
could say it. / endorse, and take pleasure
in endorsing all that he has said, sentence
by sentence, word by word. Cheers.
FELLOW CITIzENs-Unfortunate il may
be that the whole people of the United States
are not here to witness what is now transpir-
ing, therefore the greater work still rests
upon US. From this time until the next cleo
ton we should be untiring in our exertions
10 see to 1t that the next congress, If this
ahall continue to refuse this sacred right Of
representation to equal states, that the next
congress shall recognize that right. TAP.
plause.l When this is done the Union is 70. |
stored. Cheers. And when the Union is
restored we shall be prepared, in my iudg-
ment, to enter upon higher and nobler ca.
reer among the nations of the earth than has |
ever yet been occupied by any government |
which the sun of heaven has ever shone upon. |
Loud chears. We shall stand in the van
guard of liberty and civilization. We shail |
lead the way, by the light of our example |
for all the other nations of the EARTH
Great applause.l
Without OBTAINING you any
longer, shall enter at once upon the duties
of the chair.
saET, seas4 Played Out,
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