The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-20
.s. convection or West vir.
IR' pendreten on the Situation.

GRAFTON, July l6, 1868.
pondIeton. on coming forward, was
w. a With great cheering. He said
rt,'''Jr chairman and Conference.-The
VI. # vonr State Executive Commit
thTIn,n" be invited me to attend your meet
~ H"I 1nv told me that had no truer
j; ~; !, the Union than I would meet
irFo!S We.t Virginia. You have proven
h'e J.. to be true. came obedient
b. :'S, h;lding. I desired to see you, to
!" W." rour personal acquaintance, and to
H,Ns 70 YOU my thanks for the warm and
qua .on, support of your delegates to the
too.,,,I Convention. | came to show you
H ~, M personal disappointment fingers in
'S' ,-ea.. or dampens for an instant the
e. n nv efforts for the success Of youl
~" -tchcersl- but that far above all per-
r|-,1 considerations rate the success of the
,;,r;pIcs in which believe, and that who
E~- hall hcarthe flag on which these princi-
',,,a-a inscribed Ishall be found close by his
"a, in the thickest of the fight, to cheer him
-, nv voice and TO aid him with my arm.
r..ne to urge upon you, Democrats and
p,,nblicans alike, TO trample under foot
'.t-r rrepossession and prejudice and pas
~, if il were as dear rs life itself, and
-.;pr to the height Of this great struggle,
:. -emcmher that we have only life to
-. and noble and enduring government
.,sve. fApplause.l am party man :;
r,row it, but not, trust, in any narrow or
,,-srian sense. am attached, from CON
,.,;on, to the principles of the Democratic
,,-y; have studied it's history from the
igadation of the government. {ltwould be
possible for me to make myself heard ii
4. immense audience unless you keep
,jct, and | shall ask that while / an
liking you will allow me to proceed
y,hout interruption. thank you, gen
,snen. for the very cordial reception
-. have just given me.) In the States
have found it TO be the party of lib
.-y and progress. In the Federal Govern
SS,, have found it to be the exponent o.
,s.r fundamental principle Of the Consti-
,~,;oo that all powers which are not granite
80 reserved. II has been the consistenI
lament of consolidation in the one system
.tr3 of excessive administration in the
a,ls- Il has been at once the firm sup
,nr,er Of the rights Of the States and Of the
H., nowers of the Federal Government. II
srerr yicissitude Of our history it has ap-
,sored to direct Us with its wisdom, and to
tT,rjca,e us by its courage, and to-day ii
Glands as it did in 1898 and 1899, under tn,
ruiance of Mr.. Jefferson, pointing US t.
fbe path Of safety, which is now, as 1t wa
then. the path of the Constitution, Of fra
,e-ual harmony and peace. The Conven-
,iop which sat in New York was an angus
o..emblage. 1t was the true council of our
rsr,y. 1t embraced our best and purest
and wisest men. The roll of the States was
called. and not one was without q repre-
sentative. The roll Of the districts was
called, and not one of them was miss
jnc. The doctrine of State suicide wa
not recognized, the dissolution Of thu
Union was not acknowledged. Every Stat
VII, invited to be present, and every
Safe accepted the invitation. Every State
.s,eced such citizen as she chose, and thus
!, happened North Carolina and South
CsroIina and Georgia and Virginia sat, a.
il the days Of the Revolution, in fraternal
council with Massachusetts, and New York
,nl Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and tha'
hampton and Preston and Forrest ST.
side bv side with Steadman and Morgan.
Tie Convention vas the sign and the sym
10. and the prophecy of restored Union
mi harmonious people. 1t rose to the
li:uity of it's high duty. The eyes of the
world were upon its proceedings. Create
aau the molly alliance which subjugate4
x lie and divided empires, its mission was
Il e.iranchise a people OF our race, to r.
un The institution Of civil liberty. F"'
the first time in their history the American
,egpie realized that free government was IN
csnccr, and that the fate of the repub!'r
temb!ed in the balance. They HAD
Ken taught to believe that freedom
vas Indigenous in our soil, and shuttllg
.rir eyes to the teachings of ell history.
Outing their eyes to the facts connect.'t
WITH our own revolution-they had huge
themselves the delusion that i'll whatevcl
Storm of faction, or passion, or reVoir
a.nary fervor, liberty, at least, was safe.
hey had awakened from the dream, AM
iihey sent representatives to the Conven-
tin they charged them, as the Dictator a
tI was charged, 10 see to it that no detrl
rent happened to the Republic. BY
unanimous vote they adopted declaratio.
d principles, fidelity to the Constitution,
tleIlty to the Union, fidelity to the rights
tie States, fidelity to the rights of the citi
IN, fidelity to the principles Of civil liber
y, fidelity to that policy in matters G;
lance and taxation which, by paying the
public debt in legal-tender notes, will iii
itom the shoulders of labor the burden
which Cypress it, and by tightening tn"
2easure of taxation will secure to it the
iust rewards of cheerful and contented
Industry. ECheers.l The speaker then re,
'sFrel, in many eulogistic terms, to the
s.mlnees of the Democratic Convention,
sai said if anything more were needle
!. fire the heart with enthusiasm lei
be drawn from the contrasts the
country to-day presented. The Republican
any had been in absolute power for eight
ltars. Where WAS the Constitution the
'"ore to uphold? Where was the Union
1ey swore to maintain After briefly dila
ting on the course pursued by the Republi-
an party since the war, more partlcu-
lf!y with respect to the reconstruction O.
Mates, he went on to state that Congress
lad usurped to itself all power over the
&ste governments of the South, and had, III
hc', destroyed them. Adverting to the
>'nary government, Mr.. Pendleton con
Sa1ed; 1t reproducing in our country the
''sons Of all history. The despotism OF the
SgIsIatlve assembly is the worst despotism
'Ae world. 1t is the most selfish, the most
"0el, the most audacious, and the most
Sao'tAyed. 1t ends in anarchy, and this
: speedily followed by the calm repose OF
Is order Of the sword. Recall the history
'e Roman Senate and the Emperors.
A'SAiI the history OF the Long Parliament
' 'I1 'ae tyranny Of the Commonwealth. Re-
=, ,sI = 'Ae history Of the Legislative Assembly
= france and Of the Consulate and the
Umpire, and read in them the certain