Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-05-21

knowledge of the means by which to ac-
complish them.
When the Republican party was about
to enter upon the creative part OF its mis-
sion it was robbed by one of the most
atrocious crimes recorded in history of a
man whose highest view was in his appre-
citation of the noblesJ instincts of the
popular heart. Abraham Lincoln was
struck down in the fullness of his glory,
and we are left now to measure his loss by
what he left behind him. Laughter and
applause Then came for us time OF
disappointment. Our policy was thwart-
ed by the very man whom, in an unfor-
/ innate hour, we had put upon
the road to power. The Legislative
and executive branches of the Gov
ernment were pitted against one another
in fierce struggle and new dangers
were discovered, where there ought to have
been peace and quiet. We have had ouI
hours of painful experience, but what OF
that? Are we now to be disturbed by the
mere appearance of danger? Are not the
principles we advocate just as great as they
ever were? Is not the necessity of their
reelection just as apparent as ever? Is
not justice still justice; right still right
truth still truth Are we not the defend
ers of justice, right and truth to-day as we
were yesterday?
What then is there to frighten even the
most pusillanimous of us? l say victory
will be true to the Republican party as long
as the Republican party is true to itself
| [Applause.l What we have to do is this
Let us fix our eyes firmly upon the noble
ends to be attained, and not permit our
equanimity to be disturbed by an untoward
accident. Let not passion, influenced by
the stringent disappointment in this hour,
| however keen our sense of wrong may be,
carry us beyond the bounds of wisdom and
of self-respect.
The things we have to accomplish are SO
| great that whatever the condition may be,
we certainly cannot afford to let personal
resentments seduce US into compromising
our high dignity. Whoever may be our
| friend, whoever may become our enemy,
| let us steadily march on with an unflinch-
ing determination to fulfill all the duties
that rest upon us; to secure justice to the
soldier who fought our battles; justice to
the Southern Union man who for the Union
cause [applausel imperilled his life and for
tune; justice to the colored race, to whom
we have promised true and eternal free
dom loud applausel; justice to the national
creditor, who has staked his credit
[applause, great and prolonged.
Let US faithfully strive to restore the
honor OF the Government TO crush cor
ruptiOn wheresoever we find it applause,
and cries of good), inside of the party just
as well as outside of the party applause
and cheers), and to place the country in the
hands of honest, true and capable men.
[Applause.]
Let US, with one unshaken purpose, work
out the manifest logic of the results al
ready gained for liberty and equal rights.
Let us fearlessly acknowledge that the mis-
sion of the Republican party will not be
ended until the great truths proclaimed in
the declaration of independence, in the
fullest meaning of the term, have become
living reality. Applause.
Yes, let us be true to our history be true
to ourselves, and tear nothing. No step
backward /; onward the watchword. Let
us see again the banner of progress, of lib
erty, of equal rights, of national faith, nail
ed to the very top of the mast, and 1 say to
you L spurn the idea that the American
people could ever so far forget themselves
as to throw their destinies into the hands
of men who but yesterday sought to de-
stroy the republic. and who to-day stand
ready to dishonorit. Loud and continued
applause.] 1858
Mr.. Smithers, of Delaware, to complete
the preliminary organization, moved the
following gentlemen be elected temporary
Secretaries: B r. Cowan, Ohio; Luther
Caldwell, New York; Frank s. Richards,
Tennessee. Agreed to.
On motion. it was agreed that the Secre-
tary call the roll of States, and that each
delegate respectively shall name one gen.
tleman, and that those thus named shall
constitute committee on Credentials.
Mr.. Smithers said: As 1 understand
there are two States, Maryland and Cali
fornia, in which the delegations are con-
tested, suggest that these States be
omitted and their claims be decided by
the committee on Credentials.
When the Secretary called California
and the delegation named General P. E.
Conner, Mr.. Smithers said: There seems
to be some misunderstanding; under
stand that the States in which the delega-
tions were contested were TO be omitted.
Mr.. Sears, of California, said: AS gen.
tlemen have mentioned the State which I
Is any contest whatever in regard to
California. 1t is true, sir, that there is
man here who has been before the Exec
utive committee, claiming to contest our
seats; but, sir, there is one man only.
General Van Bundt, of Rhode Island,
rose to point of order. This matter
should be referred to committee on Gre
dentials.
Mr.. Sears, of California, asked two min
utes to make explanation. We do not
desire to bring this contest up here, but
the gentleman has forced it upon us. The
man who here contests our seats voted
Copperhead ticket at the last election in
California. Hear, hear.
He and one or two others met in back
room and selected delegates to attend this
Convention. They have no party. They
had no primary election. They had no
convention. They had nothing, and 1
believe in my humble Judgment that
be comes here, and that his passage is paid
by Democrats, merely to keep up this di-
vision in our State. We are here repre-
sentiDg the Union Republican party of
California. We polled forty thousand votes
in that State at the last election [applausel
and the standing, cracking split which
this man represents only polled two thou
sand, and ont of that two thousand in our
last Convention, they could not find in all
the State of California ten men who would
accept this position, which he occupies
They selected men who had formerly lived
in California. Two of them are in your
city and came into our rooms last night
and repudiated the entire proceedings, and
said they were for US. We ask [his Con-
vention to give us our seats, as they of
right belong to US, and not cast stain upon
us and raise this man to the dignity of
contestant. Laughter and applause.l
l cannot understand why the committee
has recognized him in the slightest degree.
unless he, crawling Copperhead, like the
serpent did Eve, has deceived them with
his oily tongue. Laughter and applause.l
Now, sir, there is no contest in Califor-
MIA and dare l simply ask him or the little
squad to which he belongs and cast stain
upon us by compelling us to go before this
committee on Credentials with contest
when there is none.
B. R. Nickerson, of California, contestant,
said: wish to ask whether this Conven-
tion is prepared to hear in open Convention
the question which we are prepared to sub
init. where it belongs, namely, in the COM
mittee on Credentials.
Several delegates urged that this debate
was out of place; that the case should go to
the committee on Credentials, and it was
so referred.
The Secretary proceeded with the call Of
States, but omitted to call either of the
States unrepresented in Congress. A dele
gate made the point of order that the States
were to be called alphabetically.
The President-That is just what we are