The Portland daily press., 1872-09-04
The Louisville Convention.
Large Gathering of FOssilized Pol
ticiaMS.
No Grow in Theirs.

-Atf - 80 ft --.
LOUISVILLE, Sept 3--12 80 p. M.-The con-
vention 10 assembling in the room of the Court
| of Common Pleas. The room is sufficiently
| large for 400 delegates, but no space for many
| spectators band is playing national airs.
Rumors are floating of the intention of outsid-
ers to create disorders in the convention led to
rigid exclusion of all but delegates and few
invited guests. The impression il that Charles
OConor's letter while declining the nominal
eessity and prOpriety of this national Demo-
cratic movement. The probable ticket if O'Con-
or declines is John G. Adams of Massachu-
sets, and Graham n. Fitch of Indiana.
At 1.20 Blanton Duncan called the conven-
| ton to order and introduced Rev. Mr.. Pratt,
who made prayer. Mr.. Duncan then address
| ed the convention. At the close of his speech
| Mr. Duncan introduced Levi s. Chatfield of
New York, as temporary chairman. Cheers
| followed this announcement, and three cheers
| were also given for Mr.. Duncan. Mr. Chatfield
| was then unanimously chosen. Mr.. Chatfeld
| on reaching the platform made a short speech.
Bianton Duncnn's Speech.
| 1t is my duty to call this assemblage to order
| Its objects well known and require no ex-
| PLANTATION. We have Seen derisively characteriz-
! ed as boilers, mercenaries, &C.. by editors and
| politicians who have sought an alliance with
| faction of the radical party and who have
abandoned all the principles which hitherto
characterized our organization. 1t is not my
whose wisdom aud Judgment the party unfort-
| unately confided. Their action is invalid and
void 1t has no binding effect upon other indi-
| vidual members of the party, and it has already
been repudated by hundreds of thousands No
| spirit of presumtiOus forwardness induced the
| gentlemen who acted with me to appeal to the
American Democrats against the fragrant vio-
lations of party faith and the utter negation of
| principle involved in the nomination of Greeley.
We did it with higher and nobler motive; we
N a st
| the offered reward of political treason to one
| who had occupied life time in the bitterest
animadverson of those whose support he now
| has sought. If your call had been failure
| our duty would have been none the less per-
formed; but there was sympathy in the Amer
| lean heart which responded in enthusiastic and
harmonious tones to the musicians notes.
There is a love for honesty, generation for
| principle, deep rooted desire for reform in the
| hearts of the American people, and the assem-
| blage | see before me to-day evinces an earnest
intention to uphold the banner which has fallen
| from nerveless and incompetent hands, Eand to
| prove that the old organization is not dead, but
only sleeping. (Applause.) 1t has not died of
its corruptIons the latter day saiUts proclaim,
| who are so eager for its destruction 1t will
| not hold out hopes of reward for party treason,
nor brides to secure generals from the enemy's
camp.
The eyes of the whole country are directed to
| this Convention and many anxious hopes are
| to be verified or blasted according wisdom or
its negative shall be the controlling spirit of
| our deliberations. We can make this body
famous one in history as the source from which
the future policy and destiny of the country is
| to be shaped. We can make it equally insig-
nficant and destitute of influence. We want
no hydra headed platform which can be con-
| strued according to the wishes of the reader,
for we have clear and undoubted theories which
have but one Interpretation, whether expound-
ed in the North or the South. We can have no
intent to reopen questions of the past which
the sword has so bloody decided. (Applause.)
| We will give no encouragement to aught that
| looks towards revolution, can we, whilst
submitting to the inevitable and poweress to
reverse what had been accomplished satisfy
| ourselves by commentator of acts performed
| in violation of the Constitution. (Applause.)
| We must seek our alliance upon principle We
must, if we can, impress upon the minds of the
| laboring classes who constitute vast majority
| of our population a full conviction of our hon
esty and our sincerity in behalf of the meas
ures tending to benefit them. We should prove
our friendship by actions which may appease
the conflicts between capital and labor through
wise compromises acceptable to both, and
whilst capital has rights which we should not
| infringe labor is entitled to earnest considera-
ton, for it is the parent of wealth, it is the
bone and sinew of the land. (Applause.) 1t is
laborious work to attempt the organization of
| party and to create it's necessary machinery.
For two months every thought of my brain has
been monopolized, every energy Of my mind
and body directed to the accomplishment of that
object,
The sincerity of my motives should avert
criticism, and if there has been errors of omis-
sion or commission, they should be overlooked,
for the spring of my action has been the intent
to do right and to aid in the preservation of tho
party and the perpetuation OF its principles as
the sole hope for the future of the country
(Applause.) And now, gentlemen, weary as
am in mind and body, there is an absolute SEN
sation of relief that can terminate myself of
imposed duties and abdicate my functions Zap
plause.)
When the temporary organization had been
completed, Mr.. Spaulding of New York pre-
sented sealed letter from Charles OConor.-
Mr.. Spaulding said it had been placed in his
hands with Instructions that the seal be broken
only after the convention should have organiz-
ed (Applause.) Mr. Spaulding handed it to the
chairman, who asked the pleasure of the con-
vention aboutit. (Cries of read read A mo-
ton to read it was carried and Sec'y Ferry pro-
ceeded to read the letter.
The letter refers to the past history of the
country, then passes to the reform movement
in New York during the past year, which de-
veloped desire to extend the movement
throughout the country He refers to govern
mental official patronage, of which practice he
considers Greeley our especial champion, and
no organized body of opponents to this practice
ever existed except the Democratic party, and
vet by a decree of convention assuming to
represent that party, Greeley has been gazetted
as its standard bearer His opposition to that
proceeding has deeper source than mere at
tachment to party, aside from party sentiment.
He says, "my views of public interest and of
existing public necessities compel me to repu-
diate the Baltimore nomination of Greeley
The old policy of the Democratic party, if
there were one among the master spirits of the
age inclined to adopt it, could not be adopted
by Greeley. The success of Grant might not
involve important consequences, but that of
Greeley would consecrate practices absolutely
incompatible with the permanence of Repub-
|, lican institutions"