Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-07-24

than surrender or yield single sylla
bic Of the opinions that were based
upon the doctrines Of the Constitution
and the plain principles Of free gov
ernment, should by its chosen repre-.
sentatives, with unexampled unanimi'
ty, place the standard Of their faith
and their organization in the hands OF
one who during all these years was
over foremost in their denunciation
and who by his antagouism to the
cardinal tenets of that faith had won
for himself among the masses Of their
party an unenviable place as one who
sought to destroy and not to heal may
well be said to be singular spectacle.
OF the reason for this result it is my
purpose TO speak, and whilst in my
place as Senatorial delegate, repro.
senting the Democracy of the State, !
did what | could in honor TO resist the
tide, and voted with the twenty.three
men from Pennsylvania who composed
the minority of the delegation and
voted against Mr.. Greeley, yet | can
appreciate the arguments that were
so potential in accomplishing the end.
More than two thirds of the Convon.
tion and a majority of your own dele.
CATION, having in solemn form yielded
their assent to those arguments, ,turth.
er opposition would have been but
factious, and in obedience to the in.
structions of your delegation, which
had so honored mean avowed anti.
Greeley man-as to place me at its
head, | accepted the result, singular
as it was, and moved and voted to
make it unanimous. What has pro
duced this most marvellous change Z
What potent influences or unanswera.
ble arguments achieved so momentous
purposeY Why has the Democracy
passed by their own men of intellect,
of culture and of craftsmanship and
chosen one who has been an alien TO
their views, their thoughts and their
purposes? The periods of peace that
Immediately follow times of great
social commotion or OF internecino
war have invariably been those during
which the liberties of a free people are
in jeopardy Laxity of morals, famil-
liarily with bloodshed, habits of lux
ury and the subordination of civil TO
military power breed neglect of legal
and Constitutional restraints, and that
which before war would have been
a crime meriting deposition or punish.
mont, passes after it rs but venai
offence or a trifling irregularity, and
the man in official station who is bold
est in despisng its legal and moral
obligations is he who receives the
highest plaudits of vitiated and de
bauched public sentiment. To such q
condition has this, our unhappy coun
try, come. need not stop to point
you to these evils--you know and sec
lbom; you hear them criticised, con
demned or condoned in every hour o.
your waking moments. No sane man
denies their existence; none can jus
tify or excuse them. They strike al
tho very vitals of the political and
social fabric. They sap the founda
ton of free government, and if not ar
rested will destroy our institutions
and sacrifice our liberties.
To pat an end to these and to re
store to the republic period of puri
ty Of official morals, District obedience
to official obligations, of relief from
oppressive taxation, and from unne
ccssary prescription was the desire o
all within our organization and many
thousands without its pale. The unior
of these forces for the attainment o
these ends, all conceded to be eminent
" it and proper. That this unity
could only be effective by the actor
had at Baltimore, was the influenc,
and the argument that produced thu
nomination of the ticket aud the en-
dorsement of the platform. Our owl
statesmen were passed by because i
was believed that an effective unior
could not be had on any Of them. IL
o word, il was believed there, and 8,
acted upon by vast majority Of th,
convention, that tho only way TO dc
feat Grant was to nominate Greeley
My judgment and convictions did no
reach this conclusion nor do they now
but when majority Of our delegation
declared for this result, although ou
State is universally regarded as h,
pivot on which all will turn, we wcr,
powcrless TO enforce our view upoI
the Convention. Pennsylvania unite,
could have turned the scale aud con
trolled results; divided aud in minor
ity we could but vote our opinions an,
acQuiescc ia tho will of two. thirds o
the convention formally declared =
Distasteiul as | know this nomination
to bo to many thousands of our peo
Pile we must yet accord to the candi
date tho possession Of purity of char
acter and integrity of purpose. Tha
if elected he will administer the gov
ernment purely and honestly, and vii
) so far as in him lies "protect, prescrv
: and defend the Constitution of th
, United States" we can scarcely doubt
Whilst many of our people believe tha
! ho is ono of tho causes of the man,
ills that have come upon US within tn
, last twenty years, we must remerbe
that there is place of penitcncc 70
oil. Since tho war, upon the impoI
tant questions that affect tho peac
, and prosperity OF the republic, tina
7 tend TO restore local sclfgovornmcn
0 and tho subversion of tho military /
the civil power, his record is as goo
as is any of ours, and for those thing
!. which rankle and tester in tho mcmol
] les OF many Of our most ardent brett
}, ren, we must remember that ho is III
j candidate Of the Democracy of III
J. southern States, with scarcely di
c senting voice, and that when the fcud
of Cesar and pompcy had well nir