The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-06-07
Address Of Mr.. Bucknlew to the Reading
Convention, upon accepting the nom.
inatiOn for Governor.

OF THE CONVENTION: appear tnlS :
in your presence in pursuance !,
of the requc7t of the committee when /,
waited upon me, to tender to you, and
the people of this State, my sincere,
heartfelt, earnest thanks for the great
honor which has been done me in NOM
mating me as the Democratic candidate
for Governor of this Commonwealth.
lCheers.
This nomination 50 rendered was no
solicited by me. 1t came, IL l under
stand the facts correctly, es the legiti-
mate outgrowth of public opinion in
this State; not so much b 'luoe of any
general conviction of preeminent abll-
ity in the indiv. uual who has been se-
lected, not because of any shining or
distinguished character which hes bt On
established ~ him, but because the
people throughout this Commonwealth,
having had an opportunity for nearly q
quarter of century OF observing ms
course and conduct in public position,
have attained to the belief that, what
ever may be said of your candidate, he
| is neither to be seduced nor intimidated
in the performance of public duty; an.
| that judging by the past, it is likely in
the future, when the interests of class
or clique are upon the one hand, and |
the interests of the people upon he |
| other, he will stand firmly with that |
prr mass of humanity from which he |
srrang AID with which he sympathizes
in every fibre of his being, Renewed |
applause
| Gentlemen, of this action taken by
you l speak impersonally. This action
taken by you will be sanctioned and
ratified for no low or mere personal OBJ
iects, but from patriotic motives. VITA
honest convictions we go forward into
the contest assured that its result will
be triumph. Cheers. And what do
we desire? Not merely that certain
men representing us shall hold public
office; not that mere qualification of
party passions shall come to us, but that
this Government of ours shall be hon.
est and pu. e, fair and equal, in its action
/. with regard to all our people, and above
all, at this juncture, that those reforms
which are necC 3sary in the government
of our State, as well as in the govern
ment of the United States, shall be Sc
cured to the people by all the agencies
. appropriate and adequate to their at
taiument.
The people of this State have deter
| mined that O Constitutional Convention
a fairly selected, and representing all the
3 people of the State, shall be convened
9 the present year, and that, so far as it
: is necessary to meet the exigencies of
. the times by fundamental change 5,those
changes shall be secured. But we know
that something more than this is nCces-
. sary; that constitutional provisions
1 must be general and vague in character
: at least to a certain extent, and that for
the application and enforcement of
' sound principles of government we
must have reliable men in public office.
g An old political motto and q favorite
! one, which you have often heard, is
j this, "PrincipleS and not men," / be-
Q lieve the Latin equivalent for this eX-
9 preston was placed by Mr.. Madison
I upon his carriage, so that he should be
Q constantly reminded of the truth which
0 was supposed to be contained in it.
: Well now, gentlemen, l think under
. the experience we have had in receut
d times we should amend this motto; we
: should say now, "Principles, and men
(; to support them" Look to your Gov.
u ernment in the State, look TO your Gov.
n ernment at Washing gton, and is it not
t manifest that although good principlg
# are written in your fundamental laws
and although the people are everywhere
c desirous that they shall be applied, ye.
u there is failure because the agents fol
q their application are unfaithful or in.
J. competent? Be it now our mission in
l. this year of initial reform, 1872, be il
n now our mission to go forward in the
Is selection of men who will apply Amer
e lean principles in American Govern
II ment. Great cheering
y Gentlemen, my ideas of the duties O
y tho Governor of the Commonwealth
l. are, | suppose, somewhat peculiar. My
l. idea is that he is magistrate, a3 he i.
J. called-that in his high, his importan
e office, mean in the actual discharge o
II its duties, he is not to know that par
II ty has elected him. Tremendous ap
)f plause. He is to be the magistrate o
d the entire people of the Commonwealth
He is not to let loose criminal from
,. your penitentiaries because political ia
" vorites demand his release Applause
V nor is he in any manner to prostitute
B. those powers which were created TO
1T the common advantage, 10 the purpose
d or interests of any limited number or o
Of few. Gentlemen, believe there is
e. disposition at this time in our Common
to wealth to get little beyond and out
l. side of that circle of intense party pas
to sion which ragged over this country du
ID ring the war and the first years after tn
@. conclusion Of the war. Our people are be
y ginning to understand that there ar
es many matters, and those of the creates
as significance, upon which gontlemen o
ut intelligence and liberal opinion cal
es heartily unite to subServe and promot
as those purposes for which political socie
rs ty was organized. Here are question
e. relating to the harmony of the differen
Of parts of the Union, ordinarily EXPIRE 3se
e, by general amnesty and oblivion Of tn
Or past. Here are questions of finance AM
le taxation, in which there are commo
a. interests and upon which parties ar
lie not sharply divide ], and many other
Of now in view. l shall not occupy you
)e time upon thc]e. Cries of go on (!
ID and applause. Now, in view of tn
b. general disposition to have reform in
H. troduced into our State and into ou
8, National Governments, we are entitled
e. when we set up candidates for WHOM
III and around whom public confidence ca
I'd gather, we are entitled to appeal to me
le of all parties and shades of opinion to g
Or with us, and to establish new departur
is which shall be one of purity, energy
i. faithfulnesS, integrity, and Justice i
to government. Great cheers.
a. II is source of deep satisfaction t
of me to know that at the end of this am
te cable controversy upon the question c
pt the selection ofa candidate for Governor
the utmost good feeling prevails, an
ne that other gentlemen who were name
le or proposed for nomination for thi
te Office, and their friends, are now COZ
ne daily united and acquiescent in the rC
Mt suit which the convention has reached
C. All of those candidates for nominatio
n. are known to the people of this State 6
H. men of high character and merit.
speak of them kindly, not from motive
ne of policy, but sincerely and truly.
of respect them and respect their frient
q. who stood by them and presented the
10 names for consideration in this convel
n. ton, and now what desire is that eac
q. of them and their friends, the resu
having been reached, will stand by M
d.. in this contest, upholding my feeb
,r. hands, and, like band of brothers joil
ms ed, we shall proceed forward to victor,
"a. Wild applause Allow me one add
n. tional remark in this connection. Thei
ar. has been too much disposition in on
is great Common wealth among her publ
Of men to push personal rivalry little tC
.s | far-a little haYOud the limit of VIII