Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-07-19

| IdlIh. rs TGFlCW OI inc CInClnDaL
movement, and an arraignment of the
present administration it surpasscs
any other production of the day
| Ed. News.
Gentlemen Of the ConUcntion:
1 thank you for this great honor
Words can hardly tell how much, but
you will allow me to pass at once from
what is personal to speak of the great
occasion, the duty and the purpose
which brings us here. Two years ago
nearly five years after the bloody pc
riod Of the civil war had closed, the
Liberal Republicans of Missouri, zap
! plauSe, feeling keenly all the evil OF
| the prescription, test oaths, the hates
! and the strifcs, and the passions Of the
war had left upon them, long after the
war itself had ceased, and feeling keen
| ly the exercise of Federal power in
! their local elections, determined to
| organize a movement to restore equal
rights TO all our citizens, (applause, }
white as well as black, (applause,) to
restore local self government and to ar
! rest the futher Capitalization of Fede-
raj power, (applaUsc,) They then said
this thing has gone far enough, if not
already too far. The time has come
when all honest and patriotic Repub-
licans must say halt, and re-assert the
vital doctrine of Republican govern
mCnt. That under the Constitution,
the powers of the Federal government
are defined and limited [applause and
cIies of good, goOdl and that the peo-
pie CT the States have the right to
govern themselves in their own Dem
ocratic affairs, upon the basis OF the
equality of all the States before the
higher law, [appiause1 Of universal
loyalty, amnesty, suffrage and peace.
Taking no steps backward, taking no
right and no franchise which had been
secured TO the blacks, plcdging them
selves to support them all in their full
Vi%Or, they OF the same time demand
ed in the name of peace, in the name
Of liberty, in the name Of republican
government itself, that freedom and
equal rights should be restored TO the
white people. LGrcat applause.
They organized nearly forty thOus-
and strong, and called upon 3. Grant,
Brown Tapplausc] to lead the move
mcnt. They placed him in nomina-
Uion for Governor. Then what fol-
lowed? Eighty thousand Democrat
ic Republicans [chCcrsl looking upon
the success of that movement as above
any party triumph [checrs, they re-
solved TO sustain il with their whole
strength, love Of country, love of Re
publican liberty, love of the equal
rights of all men, inspired that union
and taught men to act together who
had been politically opposed to each
other all their lives, upon other ques-
tiOns and in other times and without
violating honor, conscience, or cOnsis-
tency on either side. This patriotic
union was based upon higher grounds
than ordinarily control political ac-
ton. IGreat applause. Even those
who had fought against each other in
battle clasped hands over the bloody
chasm, Trcncwed applause] and side
by side, like brothers with hearts beat
ing in unison, beating strong with the
same high purpose, they helped to
bear its flag to a glorious victory.
That, gentlemen, is Liberal Rcpubli-
canism, Enthusiasm, and that is
Democratic Rcpublicanism. Great
enthusiasm. The victory which
came from that union was the end of
prescription, test Oaths, strife and of
all disloyalty. In word, the real end
of the civil war came with that victO-
ry and did not come until then in Mis-
souri,. Intense applause. 1t re-
deemed that State, it gave the right of
free men to seventy thousand men,
who had been bound and fettered.
Missouri is now q free State in this
Union with all her rights, dignity and
equality under the Constitution and
not one murmur of dislOyalty is any
where heard. BY that union Federal
dictatiOn in Missouri in their local
elections was oYerthroWn, and by that
union strife and hate have given place
to peace and to good will. BY that
union, liberty, with equal rights for
all have given TO the State unbounded
prosperity and to her people 4 Joy al
most unspeakable. So great was their
iOy and so complete their success, the
Liberal Republicans of that State
were not content without making an
effort to extend the same union of
Liberal and Democratic Republicans
and with il the same blessing of lib
erty, peace and faternity TO all the
other States. Rounds Of applause. ]
Accordingly, III State Convention, on
the oath of March last, they resolved
to invite the Liberal Republicans in
all the States to meet them in Ma
tional Convention in Cincinnati, on
the lst day of May, May-day. That
invitation was accepted. There was,
indeed, a great response. They came
by thousands, in such vast numbers
that a delegate Convention of repre-
sentatives of all the States was formed
both from principle and from necessi-
ty, to give form to its proceedings.
Many of the ablest men of the coun-
try, lately leaders in the Republican
party, We're there and took part In its
deliberations. They were assured
large numbers of Liberal Republicans
in every State and from all parts of
the country stood behind, ready 70
sustain them and they were morally
certain that if the millions whom we
this day represent Lcheers, would on
ly come TO theirsupport then the num-
Der of Liberal Republicans would
reach half a million or more, lgreat
appIause.1 That Convention presen-
ted platform and presented candi-
dates to the country, for President,
Horace Greeley, Hong ard continued
cheering, 7 and for Vice President, Is.
GratZ Brown, Tmore enthusiasm, and
that Convention, for the promotion
and success OF the principles declared
i'm that platform there enumerated aud
the support of candidates nominated
by that Convention, have invited ana
cordially welcomed the cooperation
of all patriotic citizens without regard
TO previous political af1iliation- Those
principles were so clearly ana concise
iv stated in the platform itself, and re
stated i'm letter of acceptance OF Mr..
Greeley, Cmoro cheeringl and they are IRE
50 well known 10 you all that WIZ