The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-21
THE WEST VIRGINIA CONVENTION
SPEECH OF TIE HON. GEO. H. eENDLsros.

/ - ~.
SPEECH OF TIE HON. GEO. q. eENDLBToN.-
TIE PRINCIPLES OF a, PARTY MAN-wRAT THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAs BKEN-THE NEW YORK
CONVENTION A SIGN AND sYMBoL-THE AwAK-
ENNa OF THE PEopIE-THE CURRENCY ouEs-
!. TON. 5r.r
The Democrats of West Virginia held their
State Convention on the 10th inst. More than
ten thousand persons we're in attendance, ex-
cursion trains being run over the various
branches of the adjoining railroads. Mr. Geo.
81. Pendleton and Senator Thurman, of Ohio,
and others, addressed the assemblage. The
following nominations we're made: For Govern
or G. D. Camden, of Wood County; for Audit
or of the State, Daniel Mayer; for Attorney
General, Captain Wiley: for Judge of the su-
preme Court, E. NJ. Edmers. Resolutions
endorsing the nominations and platform of the
New York Convention, and demanding the
repeal of the registry Law in force in that
State, were unanimously and enthusiastically
adopted.
MIR. Pendleton on coming forward vas re-
ceiyed with great cheering. he said:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen: The chair
man Of your State executive committee when
told me that had no 'nuer friends in the
Union than I would meetih here in West Vir-
ginia.. You have proved bis statement to be
true. came obedient toIsy your bidding. I
desired to see you, to make your pers onal ac-
quaintance, and to return TO you my thanks
for the warm and constant support Of your
delegates to the National Convention. I came
to show yoa. that no personal disappointment
fingers in my breast, or. dempens for an in-
slant the ardor of my effofte for the success
of your party-[cheers]-b that far aboveall
personal considerations, j rate the success
Of the principles in which I believe, and that,
whoever shall bear the flag on which those,
BY bis side in the thiokest Of the fight, to cheer
him with my voice and to aid him with my
arm. I came to urge upon you, Democrats
and Republicans alike, to trample under foot
every prepossession and prejudice and pas.
sion, If it were as dear as Life itself, and rising
to the height OF this great struggle, to re-
member that we have only q life to give and
q noble and enduring government to saye.l
I am party man, avow,it but not, trust,
in any narrow or sectarian sense. ] am attach
ed from conviction to the principles OF the
Democratic party; / have. studied its history
from tSs ssa sas baV Sd By Rs aav
liberty and progress. In the federal govern
ment Ihave found it to be The exponent Of that
fundamental principle Of the constitution that
all powers which are not granted are reserved.
Il has been the consistent opponent Of, consol-
idation in the one system and Of excessive ad-
ministraion in the other. 1t has been at once
the firm supporter Of the rights OF the States
-
ment. In every yicissitude Of our history it
has appeared to direct us With its wisdom and
to eItricate us by lfs courage, and to-day it
stands as it did in 1893 and 1889, under the
guidance Of Mr.. Jefferson, pointing. us to the
path OF safety, which is now, as it was then,
the path Of the constitution, Of haternal har-
The Convention which .sstin New York was
an august assamhls Is SIk kaa. the true conn
Gil of our party. II embraced our best and
purest and wisest men. The poll Of the States
was called and not one was without repreEen-
tative. The roll Of the districts was called and
not one Of them wss missing. The doctrine
OF State suicide was not recognized-the disso.
luton Of the Union was not acknowledged.
Every State was invited to be present, and
every State accepted the invitation. Every
State selected such citizen as she chose, and
thus it happened North Carolina and South
Carolina, and Georgia and Virginia sat as in
the days OF the revolution, in Gra,ernal council
with Massachusetts and New York, Pennsylva-
mia and New Jersey, and that Hampton and
Preston and Forrest sat side by side with Steed-
man and Morgan. n....-.....1.
The convention was the sign and symbol and
the prophecy Of restored Union and harmo-
nious people. It rose to the dignity Of it's high
duty. The eyes OF the world we're upon its
proceedings. Greater than the holy alliance
which sub5ugated people and divided empires,
its mission was to enfranchise a people Of our
race, to restore the union of our States and to
maintain the institution Of civil liberty. For
the first time in their history .he American
people realized that free government was in
danger and that the fate Of the Republic trem-
bled in the balance. They had been taught to
believe that freedom was Indigenous in our
soil, and shutting their eyes 10 The teachings
Of all history, shutting their eyes to the facts
connected with our own revolution, they had
hugged to themselves the delusion that in
whatever storm of faction, or passion, or reyo-
lutionary fervors liberty at least was safe:
They had awakened from the dream, and as
they sent representa- yes to the convention
they charged them, as the dictator Of old was
charged, to see to il thst no detriment happen
ed to the republic. By unanimous vote they
adopted declaration OF principles. fidelity to
the constitution, fidelity to the Union, fidelity
to the rights Of the States. fidelity to the rights
Of the citizen, fidelity to the principles of civil
QDerIy, uQ6uty 70 bu6b ponoJ IL IaaapOi6 ~
finance and taxation which, by paying the pub
Lie debtin legal-tender notes, will LIT from the
shoulders OF labor the burdens which oppress
it, and by tightening the measure Of taxation
will secure to it the just rewards OF cheerful
and contented industry, [Oheers'l
The speaker then referred, in many eulogis-
tic terms, to the nominees Of the Democratic
Convention, and said if anything more we're
needed to fire the heart with enthusiasm, let it
be drawn from the contrasts the country to-
day presented. The Republican party had
been in absolute power for eight years. Where
was the constitution they swore to uphold2
Where was the Union they s*ore to maintain9
After briefly d1ating on the course pursued by
the Republican party since the war, more par
ticularly with respect to the reconstruction OF
States, he vent on to state that Congress had
usurped to itself al power over the State
governments of the South, and had, in
fact, destroyed them. Advertng to the mill
tary government, Mr.. Pendleton continued:
Il ia reproducing in our country the lessons
of sll history. The despotism Of the legislat-
i've assembly ia the worst despotism in the
world. IL is the most selfish, the most cruel,
the most audacious and the most short lived.
II ends in anarchy, and this is speedily follow
ed by the calm repose OF the order OF the sword.
Recall the HISTORY Of the Roman Senate and the
Emperors. Recall the history Of the Long Par
lian1ent and the tyranny of the Commonwealth
Recall the history of the Legislative Assembly