Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-07-16
|8NATIoNAL DEMOCRATIC CoN-.
VENTION.
FIRST DAY

President of the United STATES assembled on
Tuesday last, at Ford's Opera House, Balti>
more.
AT ten minutes past twelve Mr5August
Belmont, the chairman of the National Dem.
ocratic Executive Committee, advanced to the
front OF the stage, raped three times with
his gavel, and called the convention to order
in forcible aud eloquent speech, concluding
as follows ::
! You must remember that you are here not
| only as democrats but as citizens of our COM
mon country, and that no sacrifice can be too
great which she demands at your hands,
And now, before I propose to your accep>
lance the temporary chairman of this conven.
ton, permit me to detain you one moment
longer by few words of an entirely personal
character. With my present action terminate
my official functions as chairman of the Ma.
tionnl Democratic Committee. an Office which
by the confidence of my constituents and the
courtesy Of my colleagues have held for
| twelve consecutive years.
During all that time have striven with
honest zeal, and with all the energy and ca
pacity which God has given me. to do my duty
faithfully to the party and to the country and
to render myself worthy of the great trust
confded to me.
While was grieved and deeply mortified
| to see at various times my motives aud actions
misconstrued by several democratic papers,
and that some even descended to the fabrica-
ton of the most absurd fasehoods concerning
my social and political conduct, have had
the proud and consolng satisfaction that my
colleagues on the national committee, and all
those who know me, did justice to the integ-
rity of my intentions in all the trying situa-
tions in which my official position had placed
me and let me tell you, gentlemen. that there
is not one amongst you who bears a warmer
and truer affection for our party and our coun.
try than I have done, and ever shall do.
| You love this great republic, your native
| land, as you do the mother who gave you birth ;.
but to me she is the cherished bride and
choice OF my youth, the faithful and loving
companion of my manhood, and now that I
enter upon the sere and yellow leaf of life, I
cling to her with all the fond recollections of
the manifold blessings received at her hands.
L retire from the position which have held
to take my place in the rank and file of that
great party whose national. constitutional and
conservative principles have claimed nv un-
wavering allegiance for the last thirty years,
and as long as the Almighty will spare my life
l shall never talter in my love and devotion to
our party and our country
have the honor to propose to you as your
temporary chairman distinguished and vener.
| able citizen of Virginia. grandson of the
patriot aud statesman, Thomas Jefferson 1t
| IS an suspicious omen that a scion of the
| author of the Declaration of Independence is
to inaugurate the struggle of the democracy
for freedom and equality for every American
citizen, and against oppression and tyranny in
our fair land
Mr.. Belmont, in concluding, proposed the
Hon. Thomas Jefferson Randolph, of Vir.
GINA, for temporary chairman of the conven-
ton.
The band Immediately struck up Dixie, the
convention unanimously responding to the
suggestion, and cheer after cheer again went
up.
Mr.. Randolph, on taking the chair, spoke
as follows:
l am aware that the very great honor con,
ferred on me by this body is due to no
personal merit of my own, hut is a token of
respect to the State from which came, and a
recognition of other circumstances possibly
adventurous. l am, perhaps, the Oldest
member of this body, and life of eighty
years spent in the democratic republican party
constitutes me senior member.
I remember freshly every presidential con-
test from the first election of Jefferson to the
present time, and | can say with truth that
remember none which involved higher ques>
tons OF personal liberty, local self govern
ment, honest administration and constitutional
freedom than the present, o: one which de-
manded Of our party and our people calmer
or more earnest recourse to prudential prin-
cipes.
1t strikes me the duty of this hour and
OF this body to wrest the government from
the hands of its present despotic and corrupt
holders, and to place it in honest hands. to re
store to the citizen everywhere the proud con-
seriousness of personal right and to all the
States perfect integrity of local self>govern-
ment. This with the recognition of the SUI
prcmacy of the civil constitution and the law,
will, in my judgement, discharge all our pres
ent duty. Applause..1
The Rev. Henry Slicer was then introduc>
ed and opened the proceedings with prayer,
as follows:
Almighty God, maker of all things redeem
er. preserver and judge of all men, we come
before Thee with hearts full of gratitude for
the mercies which have been lavished on us
in tho past and at present, and with hope and
confidence in Thee for the future We thank
Thee for all Thy mercies shown to our revo-
lutionary fathers. In the darkest DAYS oc
their colonial history Thou didst guide them,
as with pillar Of cloud by day and a pillar of
fire by night, aud didst enable them, under
Thy guidance, to achieve success in the first
war for Independence; and when peace had
come Thou didst favor them with wisdom and
patriotism to lay broad and deep the founda-
lions of the great government which has been
preserved by Thy providence to be blessing
to them and their posterity. We look to Thee
to>day for the guidance of this body, called
together from the mountains of Vermont and
from the savannas of the South, from the
West aud from the East-called together in
council to devise ways and means to meet the
emergency that is now upon the country
Grant that Thy blessing may come down upon,
our whole country, and unte us. East and
Wesf North and Sonth in ona aa.a..a.