The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-13
THE-1RELAND OF AMERICA.
SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE BAL1I-
MORE CONTENTION.

"
MORE CONTENTION.
Eloquent Speech OF the Hon. M. r.
O'Connor.
IN the Baltimore Convention on Wednes-
day, after Mr.. Bsyard, of Delaware, had con-
cluded bis speech protesting against the adop-
ton of the Cincinnati platform, Mr.. O'Connor,
of South Carolina, rose and said:
Gentlemen of the Conventional profoundly
regret that there should be aHy division OF
opinion either upon the platform of principles
or upon our candidates in this junclure of our
national affairs. CApplause.l The whole ma
tIon Is at the present time 10 crisis, when all
issues should be merged In the one great and
overshadowing issue OF the defeat of the
present national administration, which 1s
working such detriment to the Republic.
Mr.. President and gentlemen, the great
changes that have taken place In the last
eight years, tending to the complete cenlralt-
1ation Of this government In all OF iis depart
ments, have emboldened an nnscrupulous Ex-
ecutive tofAe commission OF acts of usurpa.
ton and Il tyranny that now endanger the
very foundations of American liberty. ["Thats
so" and applause.1 In the rapid march OF
events, many of the ancient landmarks Of all
political organizations have been swept away
and entirely forgotten, while many OF these
landmarks have been comparatively modl1ed
and changed to suit the creative situation Of
things. Tne reconstruction acts which In 1853
were, by this convention, denounced as un-
constitutional and void, have been accepted
by nearly all the State conventions as fixed
facts, [applause,l j and acquiesced In by the or
gans of almost all shaGes OF political belief
throughout the country. The fifteenth
constitutional amendment-the amend
ment which gave universal suffrage
serioualy In my State than perhaps
In any other section. Of this Republic, say
that amendment which was at first challenged
and resented, and threatened to be obli,erated
from the organic law of the nRtion-l say that
Z. that amendment has been acqniesced In as
lhR public expression Of the popular will, and
never caI be successfully controvertea.
fRsnewed applanse-1 Public opinion is higher
than all governments, aid higher than all con-
ventiopal principlegr and before It's rising iide
the old Landmarks must recede and new ones
must be established. (ipplause.1
say, Mr. President, that 1t Is just as imDos-
sible In stalesmanahip to establish govern
ment over men that Is inf1exiols, as 1t is IN
nature to create men without passing from
infancy TO manhood, and without being sensi-
BILE to the changes of season, Of growth ana
of climate. [Applause.1 Here is the great
Democratic party to-day, with It's glorious trs-
dllions, with It's splendid associations clinging
to her name and character, and the whole ma
upon the altar. OF our common country all OF
her pTeiudfcrs. [Applausa ---
'Mr. President, We have not come here to or
ganize movement Tor single State, H0r Tor
single section, but We have come here TO or
ganizs q movement for the salvation Of the
whole Republic. [Cries of ''gooo," and ap-
plause.] Though South Carolina may be
crushed almost to annihilation by the superln-
cumbent mass Of infamy and corruption
which is weighing her down, and though her
sister States of the South may be exhausted
w the debiltating pressure Of Radical mis-.
government, 10 the smaller, but equal ratio,
the whole arteries which lead to the great
national heart have been poisoned by the
great public body at Washington-the exhala.
tions that escape and infect the whole atmos-
phere. It breathes OF corruption. and every
breeze that comes TO us from Washington
comes tainted With tyranny. G''Thaps 30"
'Why. sir. what ia the condition of this Be-
public to-day We have q President who does
not present himself in the gnlse Of simple
civilian, but presents himself In the epau-
lettes of general before the Republic. We
have President who one day thrusts his ohsn--
sive claims in the face of Eogland, and the
next day .ingloriously strikes the American
colors. GCries of ''shame on him n and ap-
plausel He submits to the superior British
diplomacy of Granville and Gladstone one day,
while the next day he orders his Minister
Sickles, in Spain, to make threats against the
impotent Kingdom OF SPAIN. That is the
government and that Is the diplomacy of this
government Aye, gentlemen, say to you,
sufficient to unite the whole nation into one
holy and inviuclble alliance 10 defeat these un-
haliowed purposes. cCries of 'good| r and
applause.l ,,UTs,
Mr. President, fear that have trespassed
almost TOO much on your time, lCries Of mo-"
say for South Carolina that when; the war
closed she did hope to clasp hands with
her Northern brethren over that bloody chasm,
and she sees the day dawning now when that
hope will be recognized [Cries OF "Good," and
applansr1 and when 1t Will be FULLY realized IN
the eleelion of man TO the Presidency VINO Is
the embodiment Of 5enev0lence (Applause]
and who is the very spirit Of brotherhood and
philanthropy. GCrles of ''Good, !" and loud and
Continued applause.l We will not have a
peace like the peace Uf General Grant, but We
viii have peace inscribed upon the banners
of Greeley tgreat applause] Of universal am.
nesty, universal equality, and for eternity.
EApplauBe.]
But lst me say that South Carolina, under
the starry fold Q! that banner-the banner of
the Union, under which she fought and did
triumph, and afterwards against which she
fought, bus without success-that banner
which ever will he triumphant as long as the
banks of her great lakes shall echo to the ac-
cents OF freedom, and the Missouri and the
Mississippi shall roll through the Inheritance
of freedmen. The speaker was here inter-
rupted by loud appause.l
Gentlemen, have trespassed too long.
[Cries of go oh.nl Let me say this Ia reply
to the gentleman from Delaware. Let me say
this, the thirteenth amendment is practically
ont OF view, because all the States have prac-
tically ratified the abolition Of slavery.
The fourteenth amendment is practically
null. In consequence Of the late amnesty acts,
and will become complete nullity when
Horace Greeley is elected President OF the
United States [Great applause.] And, as to
the Hfteenth amendment, let me say to the
gentleman from Delaware that while our State
has had to endure what he ls 30 much opposed
to-negro suffrage ad nalsecune--that, speak
Ing my individual convictions, / would be the
last man to assist In, and would deprecata the
day when any party In this Republic would
ever enroll on Its banner the principle to
wrest from four million Africans that which
has been given them. lGreat applause.
Letthem have 1t, and let them keep 1t, and
we will accommodate ourselves to 1t.
Have patience, and this great party &com-
ing into power, and We will have q govern
msnt which will be equal In ,ts laws and
,,.,,o1 n M aroof In ifo inotIno TO oil man pnf