The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1870-10-12
our only Authorized Agents
ADDRESS
DELIVERED BEFORE TIE DENoCRArIc cLuB ~ ELEu
SATURDAY EyEsTso, OCTOBER 8. 1870
BY HON. CHAS. II. BRYAN

BY HON. CHAS. Ii. BRYAN,
FELLOW CITIZENS: The rise of political
parties in this State from the time Of its ad.
mission into the Union, may be Interesting 10
the general public, aud especially interesting
TO members Of the late Union party While
we we're the integral part of Utah Territory,
and even after the creation of the Territory
Of Nevada, our people were not divided by
Marty lines. In the first general election after
the creation of the Territory of Nevada, there
we're four candidates for Congress, none of
whom ran upon declared party divisions
The election resulted in the choice of that
sble and patriotic gentleman, Judge Cradle
baugh, who, after serving his country well
upon the floor Of Congress, added fresh lau-
rels 20 his fame by resignug his seat aud gal
lantly leading regiment at the siege of Nicks-
burg.
When the civil war broke out there were
three political parties in the United States
One, called sometimes the Buchanan and
Breckenridge party, holding to the doctrine
that slaves, being property under the Federal
Constitution, could be held as such in the
TerritOries-the common property of the
Union. The second, the Republican party,
held TO the opposite doctrine, that Congress-
being the guardian of the Territories had the
power under the Federal Constitution TO leg
islate slavery out of any Territory of the
Union. The third, called the Douglas party
held that neither Of the former were right in
principle, nor in their construction Of the
Constitution. but that the people OF the Ter
ritOnes, in their own sovereign capacity as
owners Of the soil. had n night to adopt or re-
Ject slavery - u domestic institution, as they
saw fit
When the war commenced between the Ma
tional Government aud the revolutionary
States of the South, party commenced form
lug IN the state Of Nevada, composed of all
the elements of the old political partics-old
Democrats, old Wings, old Aboitionists, and
Douglas Democrats and Republicans This
heterogeneous party was formed for the sole
and exclusive purpose--as was distinctly stat
cd in the newspapers uf the time favOring Its
organization, as well as from every stump
within the borders Of the Stnte--of aiding the
Administration Of President Lincoln in put
ting down the rebellion, and holding the Ter
TitOry, and afterwards the State, firmly within
the Union. This party being u party COM
posed of elements OF all othor parties, al
though sustaining Republican Admiuiatra-
ton, upon the sole issue ~ The CirU trIr, Tc-
fused upon any and all occasions TO adopt the
Republican name for the party, although
often urged 10 do 80 10y the Republicans with
IN the party, giving as Il reason for not doing
so that their principles on all other political
subjects than the safety of the Union differed
with those of the Republican organization.
The name given this pU:ty of associated par
ties was, for that reason, the plain and simple
one of "UniOn party" Under that party
name the party, formed for thepurposc Of help.
ing TO save the Union, and nothing else, con.
Quoted III this State the political campaigns of
the rebellion with great success out-yutiug
the so-callod Democratic party of that time
10y an average vote Of about two To one.
IL being supposed by many that the original
Dougias Democrats of the Territory aud new
State outnumbcrcd any other branch of tho
party, not even excepting the Republican clc.
ment, we took OccHsiOn IN our speeches from
the stump during the political campaigns OF
tho war OF the rebellion, and in the following
Grant campaign. to continually impress upon
the minds of the Douglas men of the Union
party that we ircre not ReDUblirEiS because va
aided "A Republican Administration n SUP.
pressing the Southern revolution; but upon
other national issues we stood we had nj.
ways stood before.
Whilst the Union, under occasional defeat
and disaster, tremhlcd at the future il was
considered, by the original Abolitionsts and
Republicans, as well rs by Douglas men, OF
great and vital importance tn constantly re-
pCat in the cars of the Douglas mon, which
they know as well as themselves. that we were
still Democrats, and not Republicans Union
mon and Union Democrats; because it was
much feared at times that some Of the Doug
las men were tampered with and were CROWN.
'N"N''' hii' HiiSh' ''AN 'ht Ihl'Ns ll'lN 'uINN'
ing the State into the hands Of the Secession
lists and their friends.
The civil war being ended and the genera
election for President coming on, which re-
suited in the election of GenCrnl Grant i
seemed in some portion Of the State of NcvadI
that the former Union Democrats were get
ting shaky aud tired Of voting for the met
That in many instances they had been force,
to support through the necessities of the ro
bollioD and in order To help save the Union
which men they began To sec woro cOrtuptin,
the party, and using tho Union Democratic
voto to sustain in power and place, md plum
der, marrow and proscrptivo clique o
ihnntical Nopublicnns, carpCt-bng brokers
money ring men, and Comstock load thieves
IL was then thought necessary 10y some
who believed those complaints to bG main
just 10 urge the superior national ncCcssit
OF standing together once more in order [
elect General Grant ms tho man Of mon fer In
national crisis, whose military and Rnnorf
popularity and frmness worc supposed neco,
snry TO heal mp the wounds Of war and hol
with firm hand tho scattered fragments Of IN
Union together
In that campaign, notwithstanding th
strong inclination Of leading Republicans
hcpobhohilo us, We appeared ns Of old in lh
state Union party" supporting Gcpcr
pFgW upon II National Union platform, an
"''aeT National Onion name for The pariy.
~ appeared in that campaign as we'll n
"hcrS TINT portion of tho Republican ri,