The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-05-14
THE CGNtIXNATH CONVENTION
SENATOR SCVURZ.s SPEECH

ton On The 81 inst:
Nohody can survey this vast and en-
thn>iastic assembly, gathelel frGm all
parts OF the Republic, without an emo
lion of aston;shmvnt and hopc--astun-
lshnent, considering the spontuneity OF
the lm,iu!se VIII uh las brought it L.
selhcr, and hope, considering the great
purpose for which i: has met. The r.
pubic may well congratulate itself up
on tie facl HAT such q meeting was
possible. Look at the circumstances
from which ii has sprung We saw the
American people, jast ISSUED from a
ureat and successful struggle. and in the
iull pli le Of their national sllcnSth,
lhieatcEc with pew evils and dangers
oi an inSidious nature, and the masses
of The p"pria.i"n appai entity not aware
] of them We saw jHbhery and corruption
stimulated to unusual audacity by the
opportunities OF a prOtracted civil war,
invading the pub!ic service of the Gov
ernment. As well as almost all move.
ments of the social body, and we saw q
public opinion most deplorahly lenient
in its ju,imeHt of public and private dis
honesty. We saw the Government in
du! !ging in waaton iisrc gard Of the laws
| of The land and resorting To daring as
sumplions of unconstitutional power ;
and we saw the people, apparently, at
least, acquiescing with reckless levily in
/ ttransgrcssiuns threatening the Very life
/ of our free Institutions We saw those
in authority with tyrannical insolence
! thrust the hand Of power through The
vast machinery Of the public service
into local and private affairs, and we
saw the innumcrahie mass of their all
herents accept those encroachments up
! OH their independence without protest
or resentment We saw men in the
highest places Of the Republic employ
their. power and opportunities for selfish
advantage, thus stimulating the demor-
alization of our political life hy their
conspicuous example, aud the loud
chorus of partisan sycophancy drown
! the ruiue Ct hol est criticism We saw
part OF oar common country, which
had been convtl>ed by disastrous re
beliun. most grievously suffering from
the consequences Of the civil war, and
we saw the naughty spirit of power re-
fusine to lift up those who had gone
asray, and were now suffering, by pol
lev of generous cancellation and the
craftsmanship of common sense; we
, observed this, aud at the same time a
reckless and greedy party spirit in the
name of great organization crowned
with the lauleIs OF glorious achieve
mcnts, striving to palllatc or Justify
these wrongs and abuses, to stliie the
moral sense of the people, and to drive
them by tyrsnnicel party discipline,
not only to submit to this for the pres
ent, but to perpetuate it that the polite
a! power of the country be preserved in
! The hands of those who possessed it;
he who calmly and impartially surveyed
this spectacle could not fail to be deep
Iiy alarmed, not only at the wrongs that
had been and were being perpetrated,
but at the suhiugation of the popular
spirit which did not rise up against
them The question might well have
been asked, "Have the American peo-
pie become so utterly indifferent to Their
true interests, to their national harmoay,
to the purity of their political lite, to
the integrity of their free institutions,
To the very homer fthe American name,
that they shou!d permit themselves to
be driven, like flock of sheep, by those
who assume to lord it over them -
That question has now found an answer
No; the virtue. the spirit Of independ
ence. the love of liberty, the republican
pride of the American people are not
dead yet, nor do they mean TO die; and
that answer is given in thunder tones by
the Convention of American freemen
here assembled: indeed, those who
months ago, first raised their voices, did
so with ain abiding faith that tlseir ap
peais coull not remain without re
sponse, but the volume oC that response
has now far exceeded their antcipa
lioLs, the crust of narrow prejuCices, o.
selfish partisanship, which but yester
day seemed to stop every free pulsa'ior
OF tie popular heart is suddenly burst
asunder the patriotic citizen rises above
4 the partisan we breathe again as free
men; ne dare again to call things by
their right names; we have once more
the courage TO break through the de
ceptions with which the popular minG
has been berogged. We feel once moro
that our convictions of right and wrong
are our own, and that our votes belong
to the country, and thus we delianuy
set our sense Of duty against the AFRO
gauce of a power. Like the bngle bias
Of doomsday the summons is resoun
ding, north and southland cast and west
The conscience of the people. which
seemed dead, has arisen from every
point of the compass. The hosts arc
Hocking together, and here we are, lei
me hope, aye, do hope, with fearless
determination to do our whole duty tC
our country. 1t would seem to day as
if nothing could withstand a movement
so irresistibly inspiring. Indeed, the
breath of victory is in the very air which
surrounds us, and that victory will moi
escape from our grasp if we are true tc
our mission. But YOU must bear WITH
me if in this hour of enthusiasm, wher
our hearts are big with proud present
ments. address TO you word Of so
barness We have a grand opportuni
ty before us, grand and full OF promise
We can crush corruption in our pubic
concerns. We can give the Republic :
pure and honest government. We car
revive the authority OF the laws. W.
can restore to full yigor the constitu
: tional safeguard of our liberties. W.
can infuse higher moral spirit into oul
political life We can reanimate in tht
hearts Of the whole people in every sec
ton Of the land fraternal and PROUD
national feeling We can do all this
. but we can do it only if, throwing be
: hind us the selfish spirit Of the polite
al thrash we obey the purest and lofties
inspiration of the popular uprising
: which sent us here great opportunity
: 1t is great as the noblest ambition NIGH