Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-07-19
For the Sake of the South and the
Southern People, he Earnest
Iy IndOrSes the Ticket,
and Hopes for Good
Results.
He RehearSes the Condition Of the
South, and "Skins' the Grant
Administration for its
Sales of Arms TO MUr-
der Germans.

cepung the Democratic nomination fOr
Congress at the Convention in Spencer
to-day, Hon. Dan. Voorhees, made long
prepared speech, the emOstinteresting por-
tons of which are given UerbGtiHl in the
following language:
MR.. VOORHEES, SPEECH.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION
You have done me a great honor to-day,
the greatest l ever have received, and a
greater, l think, when all the circum-
stances are considered, than usually falls
to the lot of public men in this country.
You have, one and all, refused to listen
to what has been said to my disadvan-
] tage, and you have demanded that
should remain in your service. You
know me better than all the world be-
sides. We have labOred together in the
past, and you have bestowed upon me
already,
TEN YEARS OF OFFICIAL LIFE.
If, therefore, after 50 much experience
of each other, you find me in any de-
/ gree worthy of such confidence as you
have here manifested, may indeed feel
/ that l have not lived altogether in vain.
1 call you to witness, also, that I have
not sought this nomination, but urged
that it might be given to some one else.
/ 1t is a prize, it is true, coming from the
source it does, which is equal to the
| highest ambition; but circumstances of
a purely personal and domestic life led
me to declare, two years ago, publicly in
every part Of the district, that l was then
MAKING NY LAST RACE,
for Congress. Again, one year ago, l re-
peated my wish to quit public life, and to
bestOw what ability and energy pos
sessed To my private interests. 1t can
not, therefore, be said the reluctance
which I have manifested in regard to
the present contest is Of a recent date.
l am not here, however, to sbun the
events of the last two months. DO the
new and peculiar responsibilities which
they impose deny an occasion for per
feet frankness between you and me? l
will talk to you as if ! was seated at your
hearthstOne, and if the outside world is
listening it will hear nothing of which
we will hereafter be ashamed.
A close observation Of the
LAWLEss AND OUTRAGEOUS CONDUCT
of the present administration and the
great and increasing disgust in the pub
lie mind long ago convinced me that an
easy opportunity would be presented
this year for the Democratic party, by
presenting one of its ablest and purest
men for the Presidency, to regain the
control Of the government, and re-estab
lish civil liberty and equality in the bur
dens as well as the blessings of the Re
public. I gave honest Republicans the
same credit which they now give Us in
believing that they would sufficiently
rise above party to vote against
CORRUPT Administrations,
without regard to the company in which
they performed so noble an act. | still
believe they would have done so, and
then any one of four or five Democratic
statesmen who might be named, emin-
ent for ability and pure character,
could have been elected TO the Presi-
dency over the present unpopular i'll
cumbent. Entertaining this opinion,
with the force Of absolute conviction,
made an earnest effort to prevail on the
minds Of others in view of an approach
ing National Convention. l exercised
my right as a member Of the
DEMOCRATIC PARTY, &.
in pointing out what 1 thought its action
ought to be. This is a right for which |
am beholden TO no one. have no apol-
l did. ] would do so again under SINH
lar circumstances. / do not claim to be
a shrewd and managing politician, ifl
shTewdness and management consists in
suppressing my honest opinions on pub !
lie questions, and waiting until [ find
whether they are popular or not. hold |
that all men have a duty to perform in
assisting to create
CORRECT PUBLIC SENTIMENT,
by expressing their own on al proper
occasions. In opposing the nomination Of
Horace Greeley. l acted on this prin- |
ciple, and no one will expect me now or
hereafter TO retracta word / have spoken /
or written on that subject. The inftu- |
ence of my words, if they had any, was
directed to the
BALTIMORE CONVENTION,
and not beyond the action Of that body. 1
They must stand as my sincere utter I
ances i'm behalf of an object over which |
that body had legitimate authority and I
ultimate control. But i will doubtless /
be reminded that my views We're not |
adopted at Baltimore, and that my /
opinions were disregarded. All this is
true, and ] do not pretend TO disguise |
my deep regret. | would gladly have |
had it otherwise, and | have given the /
subject a careful and conscientious eX-
animation in order to ascertain the
TRUE PATH OF DUTY
as it has been in my power to make.
If / could at this point abandon my
public station consistently with my Obli-
cations to my party, my friends, and tbe4
duties l owe as a citizen to my country,
the path before me would be easy and |
Your action alone. hewever,
here to-day, under all the circumstances
of the past and present, impels me TO
accept your nomination, and make one
more campaign with you, and for that
purpose we must LOOK the present and
future
COOLLY AND RESOLUTELY
in the face, and in the light of the recent
result at Baltimore. Whenever and
in all the ages and nations of
the world, men have associated them
selves together for common objects,
whether in affairs Of church or State,
the power of a final decision over mat
tiers in controversy among themselves
has been specially lodged somewhere.
Without this authority, no bond would 1
be strong enough to produce a united
action in behalf of any purpose, how
ever great and beneficent, so widely do
men honestly differ in regard to the
means and the details by which the
most desirable ends are to be attained. I
OF course no sect or party, religious or
political, has the right or the power TO
crush out the
INDEPENDENT CONVICTIONS
Of its members. And it is not only the
privilege, but the duty, of the lnembers
Of any organization 10 abandon it when I
ever they perceive they can more surely |
secure the great objects they have inl
view by doing So Great and binding, !