The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-05-04
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SENATOR SCHURz' SPEECH
IN the Convention on Taking the
:" Chair Thursday.


Senator Schurz was conducted 70 the
platform, his appearance there being
,,ac,@d with hurrahlng, hand clappings
mi ,umnltuous long continued cheers,
nnmeIous delegates rising from their seaS
and waving their hats, His reception
%TS in the highest degree complimentary,
hpinv little less than an ovation. lie was
presented to the Convention by Judge
Matthews. he spoke as follows 10
body can survey this vast enthusiastic
assembly, gathered from all parts Of the
Republic' without an emotion Of astonish'
mert and hope, establishment considering
The snontaniety Of the impulses which has
brought II together, and hope considering
the great purpose for winch men, u o nas met
The Republican party may wen eongtatqi
late itself upon the fact that such meeF:
Ing was possible. Look at the circnm-
Stances from which 1t has sprung. We
Jaw tbe American people just issued
rom a great and successful struggle, and
in the Mi pride Of their national strength
threatened with new evils and dangers Of
Sninsidious nature, and the masses Of the
nonulation apparently not aware OF them.
Wa saw iobbery and corruption stimu.
lated TO- unusual audacity BY the oppor'
tunities Of q protracted civil war invading
The public, as well as almost all move
ments Of the social body, and we saw a
public opinion most deplorably lenient In
It's Judgment Of public and private dishon-
esty. We saw the Government INDUCING
In q wanton disregard OF the laws Of the
land and resorting to daring assumptions
Of unconditional power; and we saw
people apparently at last acqulescing with
reckless lenity In transgresslons threaten.
ing the very lie Of our free institutions.
Va saw those in authority with tyranni-
cal insolence thrust the hand Of power
through the vast machinery Of public ser.
vice into public and private affairs, and
we saw the innumerable mass OF their ad.
berents accept these Entertainments
upon their independence without pro-
test or resentment We saw men in the
highest places Of the Republic en-
ploy their power and appointments for
selfish advantage, thus stimulating the de-
moralzation OF our political life by their
conspicuous example, and the loud chorus
Bipartisan sycophancy drown the voice Of
honest criticism. We saw part OF our
common country, which had been con.
yulsed by disastrous rebellion most
grievously suffering from the consequence
Of civil war, and we saw the naughty
spirit of power refusing to Lift up those
who had gone astray, and were now
suffering, by a policy Of generous concilla-
lion and the craftsmanship OF common
sense We observed this, and at the
same time a reckless and greedy party
spirit, in the name Of great organization,
crowned with laurels Of glorious achieve.
ments, striving to palliate, to justify these
wrongs and abuses, to stifle the moral
sense Of the people, and TO drive them by
tyranniCal party discipline not only TO
submit TO this for the present but to per.
petuate 1t, that the political power Of the
country might be preserved in the hands
Of those who possesseiit. He who calmly
and impartially surveyed this spectacle
could not tail to be deeply alarmed,
not at the wrongs that had been and were
being perpetrated, but at the subjugation
Of popular spirit which did not rise up
against them. The question might well
have been asked, have the American PEG.
pie become so utterly Indifferent to their
interests, to their national harmony, to
the purity Of their political life, to the In
tegrity Of their Tree institutions, to the
very honor Of the American name, that
they should permit themselves to be
driven Ikea flock Of sheep by those who
assume 10 rule over them? That ques.
ton has now found answer. Mol The
virtue Of the spirit Of independence the
love Of liberty, and 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 Convention
Of American lreemen here assembled.
Indeed, those who, months ago, first
raised their voices did so with an abiding
faith that their appeals could not remain
without response; but the volume Of that
response has now far exceeded their an.
tiCipatiOn. The truss of narrow preIu.
dice, or self partisanship, which but yes
terday seemed TO stop every free pulsatien |
Of the popular heart, Is suddenly burst
asunder. The patriotic citizen rises
above the partisan. We begin to breathe
as lreemen. We dare again to call things
by their right names. We have once
more the courage to break through the
receptions with which the popular mind |
has been befogged. We ieel once more
that our convictions of.right and wrong
arc our own, and that our votes belong to |
the country, and thus we detiantly set our
sense Of duty against the arrogance OF
power. Like the bugle blast Of dooms.
day thesummons sresounding north and |
south, and east and west. The conscience
Of the people, which seemed dead, has
ARISEN From every point Of the compass
the hosts are hocking together, and here |
we are, let me hope, aye, do hope, with |
fearless determination 10 do our duty 10 |
our country.
II would seem to-day as II nothing
could Withstand movement so irresisti. |
bly, inspiring. Indeed the breath of vic. |
tory Is In the air which surrounds us, and |
that victory will not escape from our
grasp II VIC arc true to our mission. But
you must bear with me II in this hour Of
enthusiasm. when our hearts are big with.
proud presentments l address to YOU a |
word Of soberness. We have a grand |
opportunity before us, grand and iull OF
promise. We can crush corruption in our
public concerns. We can give the Re.
plolic pure and honest. government
we can restore to full vigor the Constitu. |
uonal safeguard Of our liberties. We can
intGse higher moral spirit into our polit.
zeal life. We can reanimate into the
nearts OF the whole people, in every sec.
national feeling. We can do all this, but
wecan do It only II, throwing behind us,
the selfish spirit Of the political crash. we
obey the purest and Hottest inspiration Of
the popular uprising which sent us this
great opportunity. 1t Is. as grcaI as he
noblest ambition might deserve; but
equally great, and in my mind fearful, Is
like this Is a momentous period in the
history Of the nation. An nnrisinrr az thn