Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-07-18

the Republican party, were tnere
and took part in its deliberations
They were assured that large mum
bers of Liberal Republicans in every
Estate and from all portions Of the
ecountry stood behind ready, to sustain
them, and they were morally. certain
that, if the millions whom we this
day represent (cheers) would only
come to their support, the number OF
Liberal Republicans would reach halt
million or more, (Grest applause. }
That conventionpresented a platform
and presented candidates to the coun-
try. For President, Horace Greeley,
dong and continued cheering,) and
for Vice-President, B: Gratz Brown,
! E(more epthusiasm,) and that, conven;
tiohl for the promotion ard success Of
the principles declared on that plat
form there enunciated, and the sup
port. of the candidates nominated by
that, convention, have invited and
cordially welcomed the cooperation
of all patriotic citizens without re-
gard to previous political ahliation.
Those principles were so clearly and
conoisely stated in the platform itself,
and restated in the letter of accept
ance of Mr.. Greeley, (more cheering J
and they are SO well known to you all
that I will not restate them. For
weeks that platform and these candi-
dates have. been before tie country
meanwhile the convention called to
nominate General Grant, (hisses, and
to endorse and to continue the princi-
pies, practices and policy Of his ad-
ministration, has done its work. Hiss
es.) As between the Liberal Republi-
cans and the followers seof the, Grant
administration, the issue is clearly
made up; tits Grant or Greeley. Im-
mense enthusiasm and cries of Gree
leyD While these events were pass
ing the Democratic, representatives.
whom we represent held their con-
ventions in all the States. The Lib
eral movement, the example Of Mis-
souri,, the Cincinnati Convention, It's
platform and its candidates, with the
letters Of acceptance, were all before
these conventions, which were very
largely attended by the ablest men.
The paramount questions before these
conventions were: Shall we accept
this invitation to cooperate with the
Liberal Republicans? (Great ap-
plause.) Shall we adopt their plat
form? Loud cries of yes yes! and
some cries Of never4 Shall We nom
mate the same candidates? yes, yes!1
and shall we elect them? yes yes !
and loud cheering,] or shall We re-
fuse to cooperate and nominate other
candidates, mol no! Greeley! Gree
ley and strive to elect them over
both tickets already in the field. Gen
tlemen, these are the questions which
you are to decide now and her.. That
You will decide them wisely, | cannot
doabtl Nor can any one d6ubt'wltd
looks over the body OF men, repre-
sentins as they do.three million Of
and. Whe.feel, as every one;
here must feel, the high and patriotic
purpose which inspires you. Gentle
men, what means this great and rising
movement which we everywhere see !?
What means this proposed union Of
three millions of Democratic Repub-
licans with a million, it may be, Of
Liberal Republicans? What means
this union, upon common platform
and proposed union upon the same
candidate; u union so sudden, so
compact, so earnest, as to surprise its
friends, and to confound its enemies !?
Applause. Which come1 as the
winds come; which, to borrow fig
ure, oJerwhelms the ordinary cur
rents OF public opinion, as the great
storms always run to the surface cur
rents? What means all this? There
are some things, gentlemen, it does
not mean. 1t means no abandonment
Of what is true, Of what is just, Of
what is good in human government.
T Applause. It means no union of
the dead upon dead Issues; butunion
Of the living issues Of the present.
It means no union for the spoils OF Of
fee [applause;] but 1t means union
of men with the same faith upon the
great and paramount issues Of the
present hour-a frank, manly, hon
orable and equal union of men, who
have the sagacity to see, and the NOR
al courage to accept, the situation.
GOOD! good and loud cheering. It
means union Of men who have the
sagacity to see what is past and dead
with the issues of the present, and
for the future to do their duty to their
country, their God and their FELLOW
men. The issue of to-day is not the
repeal of the Missouri Compromise,
nor the question of slavery in the
Territories. upon which alone the Re- {,
publican party was organized in 1856.
1t is not upon that which followed
when the Lecompron constitution for
Kansas divided the Democratic party
in twain and elected Abraham Lin
coin to the Presidency in 1860. 1t is
not the question of secession nor OF
war to put down rebellion, nor the
abolition of slavery in the States by
military order or by constitutional
amendment, upon which Mr.. Lincoln
was reelected in 1854; nor yet is it
the question Of reconstruction, or OF
the fourteenth or fifteenth amend
ments; nor the question Of negro suf-
frage; nor the establishment by fed
eral power of universal negro suffrage,
as condition precedent to the States
Of the South having any rights, or
any existence even as States in the
Union. 1t is none of these questions
that is now in issue. All of these
have been issues of the past; great
issues, sufficient in themselves to Gre
ate and dissolve political parties, be-
cause ideas are stronger than men or