The Hickman courier., 1868-08-01
GREAT SPEECH

GREAT sPEECH
bis
by
ION. GEO. Fl. PENDLET0N
i Grafton, Eest Viyginiia. on Thar
be- day, July l6, 1868.
ns@ Mr. Chairman and 6enlen.en
tly'Eill Be impossible for me to make myse
lld,tsarsi IN this immense audience unles
sr .su keep quiet; apd / shall ask ths
IN Shlle am speaking you will allow m
80 70 proceed without interruption. than
er62u gentlemen, for the very cordial re
you have just given me. Th
srlChairman of your Executive COMMITTEES
le yho invited me to attend your meetin
d Yday, told me that ] had no true
. Trends in the Union than | would NEE
Ss8 8strfxn West Virginia, yau have prove
ldrn 90 2 esrrvrs-Of your Delegates 70 the
.sslpslal Convention 4 came to show
you that no personal disappointment
fingers in my breast or dampens for an
instant the ardor of my efforts for the
success Of our party; that tar above all
! personal considerations | rate the sue
cess of the principles in which believe,
aud that whoever shall bear the flag on
which those principles are inscribed, l
shall be found close by his side, in the
ihickest of the fight, to cheer him with
my voice and to aid hi{p with my arm.
came to urge upon y6sa. Democrats and
Republicans alike, to trample under foot
every prepossession, and prejudice, aud
| passion, If it were as dear as life itself,
and, rising to the height Of this great
struggle, to remember that we have only
1 little life to give and noble, endur-
ing government to save.
rae DEMOCRATIC PARTY THE PARTY
OF LIBERTY AND PROGRESS.
I am party man. ayow it, but not
trust, in any narrow or sectarian sense.
am attached from conviction to the
principles Of the Democratic party. |
have studied its history from the foun-
ldatioB OF the government. In the States
have found it to be the party of liberty
and progress. In the Federal govern
ment | have found it to be the exponent
of that fundamental principle Of the Con-
Istitution that "all powers which are not
lgranted are reserved" 1t has been the
consistent opponent Of consolidation in
the one system, and Of excessive admin
listration in the other 1t has been at
once the firm supporter of the rights of
the States aud OF the just powers Of the
Federal government Ia every vicissi-
tude of our history it has appeared to
direct us with its wisdom, and to extri-
cate US by its courage, and to-day it
stands as it did in 1898 and 1899, under
the guidance of Mr.. Jefferson, pointing
as to path of safety, which is now, as it
was then-the Constitution-the path OF
fraternal harmony and peace.
THE NEW YORK CONVENTION THE SYM
Boil OF a RESTORED UNION.
: 7Thsaan var,tiala X IL, ). IN, arE yasI
vas an august assembly. II was the
true council of our party. 1t embraced
our best, and purest and wisest men.
The roll of the States was called, and
not one was without a representative
The roll of the districts were called, aud
one was missing. The doctrine of State
suicide was not recognized. The disso-
luton of the Union was not acknowled- /
ged. Every State was invited to be pre-
sent, and every State accepted the invi- |
tation. Every State selected such citi-
Eens as she chose and thus it happened
North Carolina, and South Carolina, and 4
Georgia and Virginia sat, as in the days /
Of the Revolution, in fraternal council I
with Massachusetts,, and New York, and /
and New Jersey; and that |
and Preston, and Forrest sat /
side by side with Steedman and Morgan.
The convention was the sign, and the
symbol, and the prophecy of restored
Union, and harmonious people. 1t
rose to the dignity of its high duty. The
eyes of the world were upon its proceed
ngs-greater than the Holy Alliance,
shich subjugated people and divided
smpires, its missions was to enfranchise
he people of our own race to restore
he Union of our States; and to main
ain the institutions Of civil liberty For
he first time in their history the Ameri-
an people realized that free government
Fas in danger, and that the fate of the
Republic trembled in the balance They |
lad been taught TO believe that freedom
vas indigenous to our soil, and, shutting [
heir eyes to the teachings of all history,
hutting their eyes to the facts connect i
d with our revolution ,dey had hugged /
o themselves the delG5ion that whatever
he storm of faction, or passion, or revo-
utionary feryor, liberty at least was safe.
They had awakened from the dream. AS
hey sent representatives to the Conven- t
ion, they charged them, as the Dictator
{ old was charged ''See to it that no |
etriment happens to the Republic"
THE PLATFORM.
BY unanimous vote they adopted de- {
laration of principles" fidelity to the
.:....;en.. :. fidelity to the Union y" I
hdelity to the rights of States" ''6del- /
y to the rights of citizens = :" fidelity
> the principles of civil liberty
fidelity to that policy in matters of f. /,
ance and taxation, whichSy paying the !
ublic debt in legal tender notes, will {
# from the shoulders of labor the {
urthens which oppress it, and by light S
ming the measure of taxation will Sc |
ure it the just rewards of a cheerful and
ontented industry" tApplause-l '
THE soMlgEs.
And the assertion of these principles /
as also, by unanimous vote, confded I
, one who is worthy of the trust, by his !
ye aud experience, and,iutellect and cul q
sation, by his patriotism, and his un t
allied reputation. By the possession of o
very virtue which adorns public or r
rivate life, Horatio Seymour stands the =
rst of statesmen; and his explicit de-
aration that he approves every line of
lose resolutions; that he will stand :,
pom tfem in the contest; that he will '
lrry them out in future, wherever he 8
ay be placed gives fun assurance that r
E will make them effective in his admin y
tration Tremendous applause. =
Mr. Blair is an accomplished and ex- :
srienced statesman brave and able (