The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1866-08-23
. II II IA Q H
COLONEL VIM. H. GIBSON,
Before tho Uaion Congressiund Il Conv entlon

Before tho uaion Congressional II COny ention
Gentlemen cfMd Conceatioa
| do not feel that | am horc to.
day in the interest OF any party. |
I do not feel that am here in the
interest of this Convention. llccl
and | think ynu feel, that wo are
hero in the interests of common
humanity. as part of the rcprcs n
tatives of that people who to-day
greet u Continent looking out upon
the whole world; and hearing the
cheers for liberty extending away
off to India, watching for the dawn
Of Christian ;>ilization. think
that | belong to great people. i
feel as if to-day we wcrc, to some
extent, the ,prcscntativcs of the
scntinels chosen by the God ofour
race, to watch around the ark of
our political covenant. | feel that
we must seize it to-day, and while
! 'lchecred by all tho lessons of the
past, and lured ON Ny glorions
promises of the future, let us wade
through tho Jordan before us, be
it what it may. [Checrs. | thank
God that Just Mt this time it has
pleased the Author of all Being to
place upon the earth lace of 300
pie, just such as | believe we are
a race that is ready to come down,
and pledge themselves to do right.
l[Checrs and cries of'good, good. ]
You may build up your structures
ON sand, you may buill your tenn.
pies on stools; but the wind will
come along, and tho waves will
dash against them, and oblivion
yill hurl them from view, Nations
have tried that. Our nation was
founded upon the otcrual princi.
pies of justice. Our fathers, ninety
years ago, in Philadelphia, pro
claimed the great principle that all
men were created free AMI equal =
1t was the third declaration of the
kind. Tho first was under the old
Mosaic Dispensation; the second
was in the Apostolic Era, and the
third by the great thunders of our
political structure in Philadelphia:
"That all men arc created equal
and endowed hy God with certain
inalierable rights, and that among
these rights are life, liberty and the
pursuit OF happiness" Now, tel-
low citizens, where do we stand!
We have been tried-wo have been
scathingly tried; but the cd ship
has stood firm amid every storm
made by the howlings of political
commotion. The old Ship of State
launched upon times cycles at
Philadelphia has proudly rode the
waves, and today we see her, and
the world secs her with her sails all
set and with truth, liberty, justice
and humanity Incorporated upon
her banners. hear, to-day, the
hosannas ringing around the globe:
"liail to America, Ohicitain and
Champion ofour race"
THE ISSUE 80
What is the issues 1t is not the
question whether tho Wing, Demo
crat, Republican or Abolition par
ties shall rule and control this coun-
try; but the question now before
the people is, shall right triumph,
or shall crime triumphl Voices,
that's IT'D Shall conspiracy against
popular government, shall con
spiracy against personal rights,
shall conspiracy against all that is
promising in our common humani-
| ty, and that is glorious in our com.
mon religion, triumph, or shall
right triumphl Now, let us see
who it is engaged in this conhicts
We hove up here in twenty five
loyal States, people who greet
every starupon the folds of our flag
with cordial and enthusiastic
cheers. We have what we call the
loyal party, pledged to right. Who
do they consist of They consist,
first, of tho two millions Of Federal
soldiers who have borne muskets
or drawn sabcrs in the ranks; two
millions of men who have. borne
arms in defence ofthe country and
against the enemies of,he country.
Don't you think that is q pretty
good showing TO start withl Don't
you see that would make a good
skirmish line to place against the
ioe2 think my friend Zahrn Of
the 3D. Ohio Cavalry, whom | see
before me, has seen the time, no
doubt, when he would liked to
have had such squad as that
Qaughter) Two millions Of mcnl
These men are not all able for the
physical conflict, for | see march
ing before mo one hundred and
twenty-six thousand, going with
out members lame, legless and
armless. Who else have we in
sympathy with usi The one hun
dred and sixty thousand widows
who wall their lost husbands from
ocean to ocean. Oh! they are with
us. They pray for us, and they
pray for the nation; and tho sighs,
land prayers, and hymns Of two
hundred and ten thousand orphan
children, forced upon this country
by these rebels, are all on the side OF
fright. But that is not all. We
have a history; and without going
back anterior to the firing upon
Sumter, let me tell you, that is q
lglorious history. 1t is history OF
military prowess, challenging the