Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-09-04
LATEST BY TELEGRAPH.
LOUISVILLE.
THE STRAIGHT OUT DEMOCRACY.
Great Letter from Charles O'COnOr.
10 RepudiateS Greeley aud the Balti-
mere Convention.
Temporary Organization Effected at
Louisville.

1orrsyIILE. KY, Sept. 3.-The National
democratic Convention met to-day IN the Com
mon Pleas court room of the court heuse, Pre-
rious TO and during the assembling of the dele
rotes. the Second Regiment National band of
f'biladelphia, played various airs At about one
o,clock Col Duncan called the convention to
ordor Rev. DIR. Plat addressed the Throne OF
Grace in a prayer for concord and peace and
freedom from sectional jealousies throughout the
land.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION 1T rs my
dutv TO call this assembage to order. Its OBJ
;octS arc we'll known and require no eXplana-
t;on We have been derisively characterized
os boIters. mercenarieS, &c, by editors and
POLITICIANS Who'll have sought an alliance With
faction of the Radical party, and who have
abandoned all the principles whlchhaVe hitherto
characterized our organization.
No spirit of presumption or torwardness IN
ducpd the gentlemen who acted with me TO ap-
neal TO the American Democrats against the ta-
grant violation of party faith, and other mega
ton of the principles involved IN the nomination
of Greeley We did it with higher and nobler
motives. We did it to vindicate truth and to
protest against the offered reward for political
treason to one who had occupied life time In
the bitterest animadversion of those whose sup
port he now has sought
The assemblage that see before me to day
evinces nm earnest intention to uphold that ban
competent hands, and to prove that the old or
ganization was not dead, but only sleeping.
we want no moro hydra headed platforms,
which can be constructed according to the wish
es of the reader, for we have clear and undoubt-
ed theories which have but one Interpretation,
whether expounded in the North or in the
South. We can have no interest to reopen
questions of the past, which the sword has SO
bloodily decided, Great applause.] We will
ar0O mt N n
wards revolution, nor can we, whilst submitting
TO the inevitable and powerleSS to reverse what
had been accomplished, satisfy ourselves by
commentator of acts performed In the viola
ton of the constitution. lGreat applause. ]
For two months every thought of my brain has
been monOpolized; every energy of my mind
and BODY has been directed to the accomplish
ment of that object. The sincerity of my mo-
tives should await the criticism, and if there
have been errors of omission or commission,
they should be overlooked, for the spring of my
action has been intent TO do right and to aid in
the preservation Ofthe party and the perpetual
ton of its principles. prolonged applause.l
At the close of his speech, Duncan introduce
ed Levi S. Chatfeld, of New York, as Temporal
nv chairman Cheers followed. Three cheers
were also given for Duncan.
Chatield was unanimously chose rs chairman.
Spaulding, of New York, Lyons of Virginia,
Wheaton, of Michigan, were appointed COM
mittee to conduct Chatfeld to the chair. Chat
of the the Convention 1t is my first duty, as it's
my sincere pleasure, to tender you my hearty
thanks for this compliment of my selection.
He said he was born Democrat of the Jack
son-Jeferson school and he never had seen
the time when he desired to abandon its prlnci-
pies. If we had not been sold at Baltimore we
would have triumphed in November. Our as
Sumed representatives sold us to an old white
hat and coat, for that is all there is of him. Zap
plause He thought Duncan and Flanders, who
protested against the sale at Baltimore, deserved
thanks
Duncan moved that VIM. NJ Ferry, of Mich
igan, be appointed temporary secretary-ca
Spaulding, of New York presented sealed let
Ter from Charles O'Conor. Three rousing
cheers Which were repeated for O'Conor.
Spaulding handed it to the chairman.
NEW YORK, Aug. 81.
To the Democratic National Contention, appoi1s-
tel to assemble at Louisville Sept. 3d. 1872:
Mr.. O'Conor's letter is very long one and
we condense it as follows
He reviews at length the weak points in our sys-
tenn of government, and shows how the multi
plication of officers increases corruption and en-
dangers the public safety He refers to the start
ling frauds of the TammaDy Ring in New York
and says that all good citizens joined to suppress
them. He said the reform movement promised
to become National, but that the Presidential
election threatened to break in upon it. He said
one of the baneful tendencies of the period was
federal interference in State and local affairs
He says:
Now of this practice, above all other living
Americans, Greeley is recognized as the cham
pion, and no body of organized opponents to it
has eyer existed in the country except the DEM
ocratc party. Yet by the decree of a conyen.
ton assuming to represent that party. Greeley
has been gaZetted as its standard-bearer. Opn0-
sition to that proceeding has, in nv mind q far
deeper source than merely attachment to marty
My views OF the public interest and existing
lio 70
Baltimore nomination of Greeley. Whenever
speaking or writing on the subject have uni-
formly condemned it and declared my readiness
to support Democratic candidate. This cir
cumstance has led to supposal IN some quar-
tiers that / bad aspirations to office, and it has
been suggested that my name might be Offered
to YOUR acceptance as candidate. The object o
this letter is to avoid misapprehension on thi
point If compelled to decide between Gran
and Greeley, as candidates for the Presidency
every Democratic elector must rely very mucl
upon mere conjecture.
Those inclining to the latter as a choice o
evils suggest that q mitigation of oppression
in the South would result from his success
There may, however, be equal ground to hops
for that good result in either issue Of this rival
~ When once his second term shall have
been secured, General Grants only motive fol
inAicting misery on that portion of his country.
men will cease An effort to secure a third
term, or to establish dictatorship canno
reasonably be apprehended, and consequently
comparisons of probabilities offers us merely 9
blank olympiad on one hand or four years o.
undefnable activity on the other.
That wise people, whose usages we have gen.
orally followed, had occasion to pass through 6
transitional period somewhat similar to thai
now affecting Southern interests. In their &C
lions at that time we could find safe precedent:
for a course of policy which would promptly
reinstate Southern prosperity. But if there bC
one among the master spirits of the age who
is Greeley. The success of Gen. Grant NIGH
involve no important consequences, but tina