The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1867-01-23
sPEECHOF.AON,. G. Il PENDLET0N
Upon taking The Chair as President Q
AtG NPislfA Va. 'GaA+ Gl-
d The Democratic State ,Conuentien.

Do at-------i1 1ls5 tjs7ls har
sGEETIEMEN III thank you for the
honor ofpresiding over your deliberations.
A Convention Of the Democratic party
which expounds its creed, administers its
discipline, and sits 10 judgmebt-upon the
claims Of aspirants for its confidence and
support, is indeed an august body. /
you that we have again met
together on this day. 1t is sacred by all
its associations to patriotism and Democ-
racy. II is the omen Of a coming glory.
l trust our work will prove worthy of
both. Our party maintains sound doo-
trine, we sieadfastly believe. Sound doc
trino in administration is essential to good
government Thus the cause Of our par.
ty and the cause of our country arc iden.
tical and every earnest effort to purify
the tenets, and invigorate the councils
and secure the success Of the one, fulflls
the demands Of patriotic duty to the 9th.
er. 1t is in this spirit, and acting on
this belief, that we have chosen for the
performance of our highest party duty
that day, whose recurrence more than
any other since the adoption Of the Fed
eral Constitution, excltes the patriotic en-.
thusiasm of our Western men.
Let us catch from its memories an in.
spiration Of that patience and determine,
ton, and courage and patriotism, whose
glorious illustration has made this day
immortal. The exioeucy of our country
demands these qualities. H 1
"A The possession Of the mouth Of the
Mississippi-the control OF the trade o.
the northwest was the prize of the contest
General Jackson was shut up in New Or
leans--he had his undisciplined troops
bis new levics and his unarmed recruits
The right bank of the river commanded
his position His batteries there were
small and feably manned. He had open
enemies and secret spies in the city. The
enemy advanced to attack him. They
had met with success on the coast They
had secured foot-holdin Florida. They
we're the veterans Of the Peninsula. They
we're trained under the eye of yelling
ton. They had constructed the lines ol
Torres Vedras. They had stcrmed Gin
dad, rodrigo and Badajcz. They hat
won the splendid triuDphs Of VittOria.--
The batteries on the river were taken
the right of the army was giving away.
II was not the canal on which the lint
was iormed-it was not the rampant o
cotton bales-buti it was the patience ant
courage and patriotic ardor, inspired by
the dauntless spirit Of their matchles'
chief, which retrieved the day and secur
ed the victory.
Do VIC not need the same spirit now
For seventy years our Government has
secured the object ofits formation. Tit
States have performed their allotted func
tions, They existed as self-governinG
colonies almost from the settlement o
the continent. They became sOvereigl
States at the declaration of independence
The States formed the confederation -
The States carried on the Revolutionar,
War. The States formed the Constitu
ton, The States ratified it The State
created the Union. The States uphelC
the mighty arm Of Washington. Th
States saved the Government in 1900
The States fought the war of 1872. TIL
States rescued the Government from th
dangers Of Hartford Conveptionism Th
States sent volunteers to Mexico Aye
and in this great civil war the States enu
bled the Federal Government to overcom
the armies Of the Confederates and t
maintain its supremacy over every foe
Of its territory.
The States have been at once the mai
strength Of the Federal Government an
the guardians and guarantee Of persona
liberty. ., -......... ..'....
If their organizations have given ther
power to harm, so also have they give
them power for good ; and at every per
cd of our history has this power yindicI
ted the rightfulness of its existence an
the wisdom cf those who left it to th
States untouched,
But now bold, persistent, audacior
attempt is made to wrest it from th
States, and to change the spirit and forl
of the Government. Tho pretext is thI
the ordinances Of secession destroyed III
Union, and that it must be reconstructed
Tho method is the constitutional ament
ment. TIE appliances are the denial {
representation to the Southern States, an
if necessary, their reduction to The cond
tion Of territories. The real purpose
the consolidation Of the Government an
the substitution Of an irresponsible, unbr
died majority, which the Radicals expe,
to hold forever because they happen
hold il now. ~
Constitutional Amendmentli wi
not detain you with an Analysis Of its pr,
visions. You know them we'll. It wres
from the State the power to define an
protect the rights Of its own people.
perverts the rule of representation.
DEGREES and enforces punishments cnoc
ted after the deed has been committed
1t sacrifices great and paramount intercs
to the desire Of revenge and to tempor
ry party ascendency. Itsubverts institl
tions which are bene6cent aud stable th
it may enforce q rule Of suffrage not y
adopted at the North, whose chief recor
mcBdation is that tits utterly abhorrer
10 the people Of the South, 1t deman,
Of twentyrsix States, the surrender !
powers which are dear to them, in ord
that II may deprive ten other States
the same powers. Why oonstitutio
al guarantees against another rebellion
| What cuaronioo In thaao nrovisiona ,