The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-07-29
Great Speech of
HON. GEORGE h. PENDLETON
At Grafton, West Virginia, on Thurs
day, July is, 1868.
INTRODUCTORY.

INTRODUCTORY.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN 4:
Tt will be impossible for me to make
myself heard in this immense audience
unless you keep quiet; and l shall ask
that while 1 I'M speaking you will al
low me to proceed without interruption
I thank you, gentlemen, for the very
cordial reception you have just given
me. The chairman of your State Elk
~ecurive Committee, who invited me to
attend your meeting to day; told me
that I bad no tIuer friends in the
Union than 1 would meet in West
Virginia. You have proven this state
ment true. / came obedient to your
bidding. l desired TO see you to make
your personal acquaintance ; and 10 re
turn to you my thanks for the warm
and constant support Of your delegates
to the National Convention. l came
to show you that 10 personal disappoint-
ment fingers in my breast or dampens
for an instant the ardor of my efforts
for the success of our party; that fa-
above all personal considerations l rate
the succe S of the principles in which
I believe, ard that whosoever shall
bear the flag on which those principles
arc inscribed, I shall be found close by
his side, in the thickest of the fight, to
cheer him with my voice aud to aid
him with my arm. 1 came to urge
upon you, Democrats and Republicans
alike, to trample under foot every pre-
possession, and prejudice. and passion
if it were as dear as life itself, and ris-
ing to the height of this great struggle,
to remember that we have only a little
life to give a noble enduring govern
ment to :
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE PARTY
OF LIBERTY AND PROGRESS.
1 am a party man. 1 avow it, but
not, l trust, in any narrow or secfa:ian
sense. 1 am attached from conviction
to the principles of the Democratic
party. 1 have studied its history from
the foundation of the government. In
the States I have found it to be the
party of liberty and progress In tie
Federal Government 1 have found it to
be the exponent Of that fundamental
principle of the Constitution that "all
powers which are not granted are re-
served" 1t has been the consistent
opponent Of consolidation in the one
system, and OF excessive administration
in the other. 1t has been at once the
firm supporter of the rights of the
States and of the just powers of the
Federal Government In every vicis-
itude OF our history it has appeared to
lfraak ,,5 -,th -, ,lo-, I'D - ovfri
cate us by its courage. and to day it
stands as it did in 1898 and 1899. un-
der the guidance of Mr.. jefferson,
pointing us to the path of safety, which
is now, as it was then-the Cunstitu-
tion-the path of fraternal harmony
and peace.
THE NEW YORK CONVENTION II SYM
OF a RESTORED UNION.
The Convention which sat in New
York was an august assembly. it was
the true council of our party. 1t en-
braced our best, and purest, and wisest
men The roll of the States was call
cd, and no one was without a represen.
tative. The roll of the districts was
called. and not one was missing. The
doctrine of State suicide was not rec
ognized. The dissolution of the Union
was not acknowledged. Every State
was invited to be pres, nj and every
State accepted the invitation Every
State selected such citizens as she
chose !; and thus it happened Nol:h
Carolina, ard South Carolina, and
Georgia, and Virginia, sat as in the
dnrc 81 * po-oIon in frotornaI
council with Massachusetts,. and New
York. and Pennsylvania, and New Jer-
sey ; and that Hampton, and Preston.
and Forrest. sat side by side with Steed
man and Morgan. The Convention
was the sign, and the symbol. and the
prophecy OF a restored Union; and a
harmonious people. 1t rose to the dig
nifty of its high duty. The eyes of the
world were upon its proceedings-sreat
err than the Holy Alliance, which sub
jugated people of our own race 20 re-
store the union of our States and to
maintain the institutions of civil liber-
ty. For the first time in their history,
the American people realized that free
government was in danger, and that the
fate of tie Republic tremblcd in the
balance. They had been taught to be-
lieye that freedom was indigenous to
our soil and, shutting their eyes to the
teachings of all history. shutting their
yes to the facts connected with our
Revolution, they had Rugged to them
selves the dOlusion that whatever the
storm of faction, or passion or revolu-
tionary %fervoT, liberty at least was safe.
They had awakened from the dream.
AS they sent Representatives, to the
Convention, they charged Them, asthe
Dictator of old was charged: "See to
it that no detriment happens to the
Republic"
THE PLATFORM.
By unanimous vote they adopted a
declaration of principles-'6delity to
the Constitution !" "fdelity to the
Union )" fidelity 10 the rights OF
States; Fidelity to the rights of the
citizens )" "fdelity to tie principles of
civil liberty"-"fdelity to that policy
in matters of finance and taxation,
which, by paying the public debt in
legal-iender notes, will lift from the
shoulders of labor the burthens which
Cypress it, and by tightening the meas
ute OF taxation will secure it the Just
Of a cheerful and contented in
[Applause.
THE NOMINEES.
And the assertion of these principles
was also, by a unanimous vote, confd-
ed to one who is worthy Of the trust,
by his age and experience, and intel