The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-01

Aunaeu. III oYhRrfss aposhing African slavery
TIE MISTAKE OF THE NEW YORK CONVENTION.
nave therefore, regarded with sincere and, trust
patriotic satiiacsaon the EFFORTS OF democratic lead
greater ones made in New YORK in 1893 10 lift the
democratic party up to the plane, upon attaining
which oil the errors ana shortcoming Of its mem.
drop cn fiom the democratic partys back. as
the burden Of Christian fell on his back
pa nsa S 70 s sat plane 1f
work Of rseepcsfon and restoration might be dis
greet parties Of the country substantially agreed in
tce tight lust as the two great parties OF the coun
w. my Judgment in 1853 agreed IN ane wrong g;
1850, whichaccepted the Fugitive Slave law allowed
the extension Of African slavery and prohibited dis.
the democratic party in 1865 had lined themselves
en have ' had both a'i parties q the country
humanity OF the government in the civil war; and IN
e abolition Of slavery and Ct the same time agree,
ing tine e the me ana the ne
party having failed to do so, the preparation TO as
sumo the responsibilities Of rescued and regener-
de those responsibilities to that party in its present
condition would be TO continue, perhaps increase,
the lamentabe political excitement when alone 40
has delayed The complete restoration OF the Union 10
the present time. / well know that u VIII DO
said, on the other hand, with much show OF
reason, that extreme idealiss and agtators may be
expected TO exert a dangerous influence under the
new republican administration, by reason OF. their
having already gathered themselves into the ranks
OF the supporters Of the republican, candidate ms,
however Is no new dilemma for me or Tor many OF
you, my old friends, We were required, year after
% b @ - he CO
that time the noble principle which we held concern
Ing the irrepressible conflict between freedom and
1852 to support General Scott the best OF the two
candidates offered US, and we thought he was put
upon platform which maintained the Fugitive
nQruQtuAV IN
vioable. We wisely did that No one
citizen may eyer hope to find candidate perfectly
Of his own choice for that candidate are accepted by
all his fellow.citizens who concur with him IN that
preference. No one can fOresee six months before
hand what the political exigencies OF the country
may be or how the administration OF the govern
mint must act when they occur. In 1880 we
freedom against Legislative aggression. That adj.
ministraton encountered no such difficulty. The
danger apprelended had passed away before that
confronted instead OF by that danger by rebellion
which taxed all Its energies caused conflict which
resulted in the immediate mined abolition OF s,s-
fore expected to occur in less than fifty
years. so think none can now foresee the especial
line Of official duty which new administration may
md It necessary to pursue. We are impatient OF
the slow progress we make towards great national
ends; we often magnify the obstacles we meet ana
gagged in abating those Difficulties and smoothing
our way The result OF the election, il favorable to
the debates which 1t has excited and prepare the
popular mind 10 accept now what II has heretofore
overwhelmingly, the most practicable and easy
solution OF the national embarrassments. In any
case l console myself with the reflection that as
wisdom was not born with the administration OF
Abraham Lincoln It will not die with the admins
tration OF Andrew Johnson.
THE SERVICES OF GRANT AND CoLFAx.
have not entertained you on this OCCASION my
friends with eulogiums upon your candidates or
any OF Them or with aspersons OF the candidates
any OF them ! need scarcely remind you that !
now for that line OF debate. All their candidates
are well known; moro widely known, indeed, than
any candidates that have ever before been named
for the high offices for which they are designated
since the first administration OF the government.
They are better known because they are his
torlcsy identified with national ioi.. trials Of
mankind. 1t remains only now to thank
yop for your indulgence. II have come
time. ] have neither questioned the opinions nor
the motives which have governed your civil con-
mo- Of
again q tine when s% approacaing the END 9,
ment as long as has ever been vouchsafed BY ihis
nation to any citizen In the department which have
conducted. Practically l am already returned
called into that service. The responsibilities and
trials which have attended the government during
that period have transcribed Ia dignity and Interest
any through which our government had previously
passed, except perhaps, in the Revolution. trust
for the next administration or are 10 be enconntered
by any future administration for many generations
ms OWN PUBLIC LIFE REVIEWED AND JUSTIFIED
am by no means confident that ] have not omen
erred. have nevertheless a humble trust that at
ship am still permitted to enjoy-namely, that no
act or word Of mine brought on or hastened the
lamentable civil war whose wounds 1t is
contrary, no net that could perform nor any word
that could utter to prevent or even delay that ca.
lamity was withheld. When that civil war found
me of the cOusttfutou. 40
Ar IL was waged no act or word Of mine encouraged
an enemy Of the United States at home or abroad;
while, on the contrary every act that I could law
fully PERFORM every word that could lawfully utter
10 save the national life fearfuy exposed at home
word OF mine has consented to the prolongation OF
slavery single day; on the contrary, my hand
and seal are found upon the one international
act which remained 10 abolish the African slave
trade throughout the world, and on the military
proclamation and the constitutional amendment that
forever abolished slavery itself In the ntcdta
Applause.) No one State Of the Union, nor any
fraction OF State, was by any action orlword Of
mine druen or allowed TO separate itself from the
Union. On the contrary, every act word that
could lawfully perform or speak 10 prevent that wild
treason or madness was spoken with all the decision
and yet With all the moderation that such counses
required. When that frightful rebellion ceased no
one State OF the Union Of tract ION or State by
any action or word o mine repealed from returning
to its allegiance. On the contrary. every act
or word of mine that was useful, or that
promised TO be useful in bringing those revolution
airy states back TO reinforce and reinvgorate the
was seasonably performed and spoken: no seat in
Congress constitutionay. assigned TO any State or
community within the United States Is now or ever
has been one moment kept vacant. or unoccupied
through any prohibition, obstruction or hndrance OF
mine by word or deed. On the contrary the crime,
and only crime, OF which / now know that am i'm
peaced Is that Of beiny too precpate In the policy
OF national reconciliation or peace. No state, nor
any citizen by any act Of mine hos suffered disfran-
chisement or connscGton, and except for the assas
sinatiop OF Abraham Lincoln has any one endured
penalties or punishment. Throughout my life
an advocate OF universal suffrage for the
exile and immigrant and even the slave, I
gave to those classes the support and patronage
which the constitution Of my country permits and
allows. tApplause.) No injury, insult or other
offence has been commit TED or attempted to be COM
mitted against our country or any Of Its citizens
by any foreign state or nation without having found
ME employing all the constitutional power connded
to me- with all the ability possessed, to redress the
wrong. The prestige Of the nation, humbly trust has
not been lost or impaired. almost dare to thiny
has been elevated and amid all the domestic triab
OF civil war and faction the Monroe doctr1neb
which eight years ago was merely theory, s now
an irreversibe fact Certainly the country Is not
less now but "a larger than found when entered