Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-09-14
SPEECH OF
SPEECH OF
Hon. Jno. @. Conner, Delivered i'll
Galveston, Thursday Evening, Aug
ust 90, 1872.

ust 90, 1879.
Ny FELLOW CITIZENS Thank God the
privilege yet remains to us to meet togeth
er and fairly and honestly exchange
views upon the public policy Of our gov
ernmont, and TO discuss ina spiri, OF fair
ness and candor the political issues upon
which We ar. called TO act in our capaei-
| ty as citizens.
The c. dtest which 's now going on Is n
very strange and peculiar one. Strange,
| in consequence of ,h0 attitude OF old po-
litical organizations and the past polite
al history of the candidates.
| believe that every gentlemen familiar
with my past, i, no lnknown to the fact
that, up to the adjournment of the Balti'
more Convention, opposed, to the extent
ot my feeble ability, every movement
looking to compromise or coalition with
the disaaocted elements Of the Republican
party. 1t was my desire to preserve in
tact the old organization of the party to
which had given the active years of my
life, and under its untarnished banner,
with trusted leaders of our own seeking,
make one more appeal to the American
people for return to honesty and econo-
my in the adm nistration of public uf-
fairs, with an observance of constitution
al restrictions and limitations. num-
Der of my Democratic friends believed
that We would not be strong enough 10
alone accomplish victory and therefore
advised coalition with the Liberal Re-
publicans, or those republicans who could
not endorse the euormities of Grants ad
,i,,s l.at A n 10 Nj pn1T
vention was called in due form and in
strict accordance with the usage of the
party. That Convention assembled in
the city of Baltimore on the 9th day Of
July last. Every State and Territory was
represented by duly qualified delegates
chosen in the customary form. After due
consultation that Convention, with una
nimity never witnessed in n National
Convention, nominated MS its candidate
for President Horace Greeley, of New
York, and for Vice-p President B. Gratz
Brown, of Missouri These gentlemen
were known to have co.operat with the
Republican party in the past, but had
condemned with unusual ability the ad.
ministraton Of President Grant. They
were further known to be at the time the
accepted candidates of the Liberal Repub-
licans, who had met two months previ-
ously at Cincinnati, and yet they were
declared the candidates o! the Baltimore
Convention, upon the same platform OF
principles which had been previously
adopted at Cincinnati.
Thus you see, q voluntary coalition was
formed between the Leberal Republicans
and the Democracy, forming new or
ganizetion which, in my judgment, is to
triumph in November and control the af-
fairs OF this Government until they be.
come corrupt, when they in their turn
will be condemned by the people.
DrsAFrECTED DEMOCRATS.
1t has bean matter of pain and regret
to me that I should find so mnny % my
tormer political friends in ToSas wAe
are rot aisposed 10 support Greeley
say ii Is matter Of sadness and rogrh'
that any De.srcrat in any Stale should
hositG,e, waysr or doubt, IN the support
which he should give TO Greeley and
Brown. / am not disposed to condemn in
anger the unfortunate gentleman yhe is
sull ciamoring at this late day er
"siraight.ou ticket" / think Of him in
sorrow as 10 Of friend whose soul ~
prepared, has passed from earth 10 3 erni-
ty; know he is honest, but wants yell.
gion. In the great Northwest, where
have been defending Texas and the Texas
people, since the Baltimore Convention,
against the vllainous ISLANDERS that this
Grant party of hate are constantly per
petrating upon them, it may be said that
the Democracy are unit in the support
of Greeley and Brown. Why should there
be any disatfection here
The State Convention which met ut
Corsicana, pledged its support to the Bal
timoro nominees. Surely no gentlemen
who participated in that Convention, will
give to our ticket lukewarm or n grudg-
ing support. 1t ia not enough to say that
You meant Democrat when you passed
that resolution ut Corsicana, pledCing
your support to the Baltimore nominees,
for al that time many States had declared
for Greeley, while n strong Greeley feel
ing prevailed in the convention. But, for
the sake of argument, am going to ad-
nit, what is by no means true, that you
owe no allegiance TO the Baltimore nomi-
nees that the convention had no right to
impose known Republicans upon You for
candidates, and that there is no difference
in the past political record Of Grant and
Greeley. shall, for the sake of argu-
ment, admit all that and then ask any
doubling Democrat 10
COMPARE TUE TWO VEN,
and then make an honest and patriotic Sc
lection. For, imagine that no fair, cam
did or intilligeut man will deny but the
contest is between them, and that Gree
q I'll -, to
dent Of the United s. es.
or ',GV,
whatever may b, a' a of hin, 81 recog
niEed everywhere as sn honest man. His
abilities no one can d oubt or deny. Born
of humble pareniago, with nS advantages
in early life, with poverty TO contend
against, we see him rise gradually, by his
own energy, genius and individual force
of character, from obscurity to the leader.
ship Of public tho ought in this country.
Generous, but enthusiastic, we see his
great heart going out in sympathy to the
oppressed of the lands. An early advo
cate of the abolition of slavery, aud one of
the founders of that party, the success of
which precipitated the country into civil
war-we find him when the war was over
the first to demand for the impoverished
and vanquished South a universal amnes-
ty. Hardly had the smoke of battle pass
ed away until, at the hazard of political
and financial bankruptcy, we see Horace
Greeley signing the bail bond Of Jefer-
son Davis, and thereby releasing the only
remaining prisoner Of the war.
oRAsr.
But how stands II wilhGrant2 In snr-
II lie ~ some good stroke Of fortune un-
kuoNn 10 me. be received he appoint