The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-07-18
SPEECH BY MR.. PENDLEToN

spccs Dispatch TO the Chicago Times.
CvrIySATr, July lG.-llon, Geo II, Pen.
lIoton addressed the democratic state con.
ycntion Of West Virginia at Grafton, to-day
in an hours speech. The convention was
held 10 q wigwam which contained 1000 or
1000 persons, and at least ny many more
we're gathered outside, around the Goor5 and
windows.
Mr.. Peudletou spoke AZ follows
The convention which sat in New York
WAS an august assembly, 1t was the true
council OF our party, 1t embraced our best,
purest, and wtsest men. The roll OF the
states was called, and not one was without
representative. The rolls Of the districts
were called, and not one was missing, The
doctrine of th. state suicide was not rccog.
MED The dissolution Of the Union was
not Acknowledged. Every state was inVit.
cd to b. present, and every state accepted
the invitation; every state elected such
citizens rs she chose, and thus it happened
that North Carolina and Georgia, and VIZ.
r,nia sat AZ in the days Of the revolution,
in traterhal council with New York, aud
Pcuusy lyania, and New Jersey, aud that
Hampton, and Preston, and Forrest sat side
by side with Steadman and Morgan. The
convention was the symbol and the prophesy
of a restored union, and harmonious PEG.
pie 1t rose TO the dignity Of its high duty
The eyes Of the world were upon its proceed
ings. Greater than tho holy alliance which
subiugated peoples aud divided empires, it,
mission was to entranchse the people OF
our own race tn restore the Union of ON
! stetes, and 70 maintain the institutions Of
civil liberty. For the first time in their
history the American people realized that
! free government was in danger, and that the
fate Of the republic trcmbled IN the balance.
They had been taught to believe that free
dom was indigenous to our soil; and shut
ting their eyes to the teachings of history
| shutting their eyes to the facts connected
with our revolution, they had Rugged to
themselves the delusiOn that, whatever the
storm OF faction, or passion, or revolution,
airy feryOr, liberty at least was safe. They
had awakened from the dream MS they sent
representatives to the convention. They
charged them as the dictator Of old was
charged "Sec to il that no detrimcnt hap
pens to tho republic BY a unanimous vote
they adopted declaration Of principles
fidelity to the constitution. fidelity to the
Union fidelity to the rights of states, fidelity
to the rights Of citizens, fidelity to the prin-
cipIcs Of civil liberty, fidelity 10 that policy
in matters Of finance and taxation which, by
paying the public debt in legai.tendcr notes,
will lift from the shoulders of labor the bur
thons which oppresa IT, by tightening the
measure of taxation. Applause. go
And the carrying out Of these principles vas
also, by unanimous vote, conIidcd to Que
who is worthy of the trust, by his age, and
experience, and cultivation; by his honesty,
his patriotism aud his unsulIicd reputation;
by the possession of every virtue that Udorns
public or private life, Iloratio Seymour
stands the first Of statesmen, and his cx.
plicit Idoclaratiou that he approves Of every
line Of these resolutions, that he will stand
upon them in the contest, that he will carry
them out in the future, wherever he may be
placed, gives full assurance that ne will
make them effective in his administration.
Tremendous applause.
Mr.. Blair is an accomplished and expert
cnccd statesman, brave and able soldier.
Ills father was the nearest friend of Andrew
Jackson; his brother the confident and ad.
wiser Of Mr.. Lincoln, and he himself the
disciple and apostle Of Benton. Applause