The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-07-23
MCoNNELsvILLE, OHIO, JULY 28. 1868


ternal council will Massachusetts,
and New York, and Pennsylvania,
and New Jersey and that Hamp.
ton, and Preston, and Forrest, sat
side by side with Stecdman and
Morgan. The convention was the
sign, and the sybol, and the proph.
ecy Of restored Union, and a bar.
monlous people. II rose to the
dignity ofits high duty. Tho eyes
of the world wcro upon Its proceed
ings-greater than tho Holy Alli-
ance, which subiugated peoples aud
divided empires, its mission was to
enirGnchise the people Of our own
race, TO restore tho Union of our
States; and TO MAINTAIN the insti.
tutions Of civil liberty. For the
first time IN their history, the A
merican people realized that free
government was IN danger, and that
the fate Of the Republic tremblod
IN the balance. They bad been
taught - believe that freedom was
indigenous so our soil, aud, shut
ting their eyes to the teachings Of
all history, shutting their eyes to
the facts connected with our Rovo-
luton, they have hugged TO them.
selves the deluslOn that whatever
the storm OF faction, or passion, or
revolutionary fevor, liberty was at
least safe They had awakened
from the dream. As they sent
Representatives to the Convention,
they charged them, as the Dictator
of old was charged; See to it that
no detriment happens to the Repub
lic."
By unanimous vote they adopted
a declaration of2rinciples-"fidehty
to the rights Of States !" fidelity to
the rights Of citizens !" fidelity TO
the principles of civil hbcrty" -
Fidelity to that policy IN matters of
finance and taxation, which by pay.
ing the public deb: in legal-tender
notes, will lift from the shoulders of
labor the burthens which oppross it,
and by tightening tho measure Of
taxation will secure 1t the just re.
wards Of a cheerful and contended
industry" [Applauso.
And the assertion of these prln.
ciples was also, by a unanimous
vote, confbed to one who is worthy
Of the trust, by his age and exper-
icnoc, and intellect, and cultivation;
by his honesty, his patriotism and
his umsullied reputation. BY tho
possession of evory virtue which
adorns public or private life, Hor.
alto Seymour stand tho first of
statesmen; and his explicit declara-
tioG that no approves every line of
Of those resolutions; that hU will
stand upon them in tho contest
that he will cary them out IN tho
future, wherever he may be placed
gives full assurance that he will
make them effective IN his admins.
tratlon. Tremendous applause
Mr., Blair is AL accomplished and
experienced statesman brave and
able soldier. His father was the
nearest friend Of Gen. Juclison-his
brother, the confidanto and adviser
of Mr.. Lincoln, and he himself the
disciple and protege of Benton,
[Applausc.
lfany thing more were needed to
fire your heart with the enthusiasm
which marked their nomination, le.
il be drawn from the contrasts
which our country to-day presents.
Tho Republican party has beon for
eight years in absolute poss ession
OF every department OF the Federal
Govornment-it has had the execu-
tive, and the legislative, and tho iu.
dietary, o5edient to ITS behests 1t
has had possession of evory State
government in the Union, with few
exceptions so few that they scarce.
~ serve to illustrate the rule. 1t
has had every department of gov
ornamental power, both State and
Federal, entirely in its hands. If
vetoes have been interposed, they
have been overridden by two
thirds vote If adverse judicial de-
cisions have beon excepted, the
Court has been recognized by
diminution of the judges or the
case has been takon from ITS cognlz-
ance by change Of the law of ap-
peal. II States have interposed AN
obstacle, theirassumption have been
dorided, and their efforts have been
met by the strong Irm Of tho Fcder.
al power.
Having thus had absolute posses.
sion Of the Government during four
years OF the war, it has also had
possession of II during moro than
three years Of profound peace. 1t
had the enjoyment Of power, and it
is responsible for its use.
But in what condition do we find
the country to-day? Where is the
Constitution which they swore to
uphold ? Where is the Union which
they swore to MAINTAIN Where
are tho rights ofthe States which
are essential to the maintenance of
that Constitution and Union
We have had throe years of pro.
found peace not hostile arm has
beeh raised in opposition to the
Government, and yet to-day ten
States ARE hold by tho strong arm
ofmiIltary power in acknowledged
subjugatlon, or else they are COM
PEELED TO submit by that same pow
or TO frames of State constitution
and government which they abhor,
whose foundation and solo purpose