The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-06-03
LETTER FROM CHICAGO.
Editorial Correspondence ofthe iOhronicle.]
~ la-l.L CHICAGO. Nav 81 1868.

t1i Hl8E NJ tT t-iii flu st94at p0ie
Editorial Correspondence of the Ohronicle.]a
ala1a iea CHICAGO, May 81, 1868.
Before leaving this really marvellous wes-
tern metropolis. some words upon the pro-
ceedings OF the National Union Republican
Convention which has just ausplciously
closed its proceedings in the nomination Of
Ulysses S. Grant, of Illinois, for President,
and Schuyler Colfax, of Indiana, for Vice
President, will not be uninteresting to the
readers of the Washington Chronicle.
And first as to the persOnel of this grand
American Olympiad. Comparatively few
members of Congress took. part in the pro
ceedings, but every delegation was represen-
ted by the soldiers to whose gallantry we are
indebted for the preservation Of free institu-
lions. That clement contributed immense
ly to the efficiency and enthusiasm. aThe
President, General Joseph r. Hawley, of
Connecticut, who attained that positionby
single vote over General Daniel E. Sickles,
&c the Iatter's own State, New York, refusing
to vote for him. was marked figure du-
ring the whole of to- day, and his fine pres
ence, clear voice, and easy manner added
much to the regularity of business. Every
diers among its delegates, and of the ablest
men of the body were those who had fought
for the old flag. The two prominent favor!
ties were Logan, of Illinois, and Sickles.a of
New York. and the way in which the former
nominated General Grant will never be for
gotten by delegates and spectators The ir7
repressibe enthusiasm of the audience when
these two men appeared indicated that the
American people will always hold in CRATE
full remembrance their brave defenders; Lo-
gan with his olive complexion, black hair,
and sparkling eye, and Sickles rendered
more Intellectual and interesting by his mu-
tillation, were types not alone of American
chivalry, but of the progressive idea. Both
of them leaders in the Democratic party, and
both having occupied high positions in the
Congress of the United States, they give to
the Republican organization fresh impetus
by their great ability as statesmen and their
full appreciation of the issues of the day
General Palmer, the Republican candidate
for Governor of Illinois, and General Fair
child, the one,armed Governor of Wisconsin,
bel0ngt to the same class and when the first,
in his remarkable speech, declared that the
convention owed it to the American people
not to rominate candidate for Vice Presi-
dent whose doubtful opinions might invite
the assassin's dagger against General Grant,
he struck a key note which thrilled every
patriotic breast. If every State could point
to soldier delegates, SD every State could
point to delegates who had once been Demo
cratic leaders, Thus Andrew ]. Hamilton,
of Texas, Thomas ]. Mackey, of South Car
olina-a distinguished officer in the Confed-
crate army-McDonald, of Arkansas, Martin
and Ketfer, of Alabama Ores Sell, of Mary
land, Holden, of North Carolina, had all
served faithfully in the Democratic ranks,
while Chandler, of New Hampshire Loring,
of Massachusetts,, Cochrane and Tremaine,
Cessna, of Pennsylvania, completed the par.
allel in the adhering States. The Irish ele
ment was largely represented in the Soldiers
and Sailors convention. which yesterday be-
came a component part of the civil conyen-
ton itself; and it was very gratifying to me
to meet many brave men, not only Irishmen
by birth but Catholics by conviction, who
enthusiastically expressed their determine
tion to stand by the Republican party. The
Germans with that capital type Of philos-
phic statesman Carl Schurz of Missouri,
who as the temporary chairman opened the
proceedings in speech every word of which
seemed to have been weighed in the severest
scales of careful and reflective judgment,
and who was fifty succeeded this afternoon
by Mr. Hassaurek, of Ohio, late Minister to
Ecuador, in an address which will be read
and preserved among the classics of these
really wonderful times, gave earnest assu-
rance of their devotion to the great pro-
gressive party. There seemed, indeed, to be
Il singular determination of many elements
in this remarkable assemblage for as I
turned away from the soldiers on the one
hand, the Irishmen and Germans ON the
other, and the representatives of mixed pop
ulations, could not forget the colored citi-
zens who sat in the midst of the Southern
delegations, and who were everywhere kind
ly greeted. Repeatedly called upon to speak,
they modestly refused to take partin the de-
liberations, although there were men of I'M
common ability among them. sur
The platform is piece of consummate sa-
gacitv and intelectual mechanism, and when
read by thcsllver tongued orator, of Indiana.
Hon. Richard W. Thompson, who will long
lie recollected as a favorite and eloquent
Congressman from his State in other days,
and who still preserves those fortunate per
sonal attributes Of tone and manner which
give SO much effect to the public speaker,
challenged even while it conquered criti- .
cism. To construct part creed in these
days of philosophc inquiry is task of real
magnitude. Words are things, especially to
a people who have so frequently been cheat
ed by mere professions; and, as general Pal
mer well expressed it, when he came upon
the stand in response to the loud acclaim of
the delegates, issues that have been adjusted
on the bloody arena of the tle-feld can
not be obscured by inordinate and endless
speech. AS Mr.. Thompson recited the ex-
pressive sentences carefully adjusted by the
Committee on the Platform, it was easy to
perceive that his associates and himself
thoroughly understood that the American
people would Judge their utterances with
stern and jealous impartiality. I leave you
/ to weigh every word of this close and care
fully connected creed for yourselves. / wish
you had been present to see how. it was re-
ceived by the convention, Some apprehen-
sions were entertained upon two subjects
that of the payment Of the interest up
on the national debt, and that of
universal suffrage-and there were those in
in this body who would not have tolerated
equivocatidn upon either. The hest proof
of their acceptability, even to the most can
tious. was the irrepressible enthusiasm with
which. the resolutions relating to them were
received We had been told that the West
wascommitted to the Pendletont scheme of
Republication, but this cannot be. when no
one voice was raised in opposition to the
bold and manly denunciation of that great
crime in the new Republican platform and
we had also been told that the Southern !.
Unionists could not lie content unless the
doctrine of universal suffrage was asserted a