The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-26
them las the first Wing National Conven-


to plant itself deliberately, by vote near.
ly unanimous, upon the fullest and clearest
enumeration of principles which are at once
incontestably Republican and emphatically
Democratic, gives trustworthy assurance
that a new and more suspicious era is
dawning upon our long distracted country
Some of the best years and best efforts
of my life were devoted to struggle
against chattel slavery--a struggle none
the less earnest or arduous because respect
for constitutional obligations constrained
me to act for the most part on the defensive
jim resistance to the diffusion rather than
in direct efforts for the extinction of human
bondage. Throughout most of those years,
my vision was uncheered, my exertions
were rarely animated, by even so much as
hope that / should live to see my country
peopled by fieemen alone. The aifirmance
by your Convention of the Cincinnati plat.
form is a most conclusive proof that not
merely is slavery abolished but that its spi-
rit is extinct--that, despite the protests OF
respectable but isolated few, there re-
mains among us no party and no formda-
BILE interest which regrets the overthrow
or desires the establishment of human
bondage, whether in letter or in spirit. |
am thereby justified in my hope and trust
that the first century of American Indepen-
dence will not close before the grand ele-
mental truths on which its rightfuIness was
based by. Jefferson and the Continental
Congress of ZIG will no longer be regarded
as glittering generalities," but will have
become the universally accepted and hon.
ored foundations of our political fabric.
I lar,o,l ho 1,,t II
principles to our existing condition. Having
done what could for the complete eman-
cipation of blacks, now insist on the full
enfranchisement of all my white country
men. let none say that the ban has lust
been removed from all but few hundred
elderly gentlemen, to whom eligibility to
office can be of little consequences. Nv
view contemplates not the hundreds pro-
scribcd, but the millions who are denied the
right to be ruled and represented by the
men of their unfettered choice. Proscript-
ion were absurd, if these did not wish to
elect the very men whom they are forbid
den to choose. -..-s.,
have profound regard for the people
Of that New England wherein | was born.
in whose common schools / was taught.
| rank no other people above them in intel
ligence, capacity, and moral worth. But,
while they do many things well, and some
admirably, there is one thing which am
sure they can not wisely or safely UNDER
take, and that is, the selection for States
remote from and unlike their own, of the
persons by whom those States shall be
represented in Congress. If they could do
this to good purpose, then republican insti-
tutions were unfit, and aristocracy the only
true political system.
Yet what have we recently witnesse / (?
Zebnlon B. Vance, the unquestioned choice
of large majority of the present legislature
of North Carolina--a majority backed by a
majority Of the people who voted at
its election - refused the scat in the
Federal Senate to which he was fairly
chosen, and the legislature thus constrained
to choose another in his stead or leave the
State unrepresented for years. The votes
of New England thus deprived North Caro-
lima of the Senator of her choice, and COM
peeled her to send another in his stead-an-
other who, in our late contest, was, like
Vance, a rebel, and a fighting rebel, but
who had not served in Congress before the
war as Vance had, though the latter
remained faithful to the Union till
after the close of his term. | protest
against the disfranchisement of State
presumptvely, of number of States-on
grounds so narrow and technical as this.
The fact that the same Senate which refus-
ed Vance his seat proceeded to remove his
disabilities after that seat had been filled
by another, only serves to place in stronger
light the indignity to North Carolina and
the arbitrary, capricious tyranny which
dictated it. / thank you, gentlemen, that
my name is SO conspicuously associated
with yours in determined effort to rem
der amnesty complete and universal,
in spirit as well as in letter. Even defeat
in such cause would leave no sting, while
triumph would rank with those victories
which no blood reddens and which evokeno
tears but those of gratitude and Joy. 80,
Gentlemen, your platform, which is also
mine, assures me that Democracy is not
henceiorth to stand for one thing and Re.
publicanism for another, but that those
terms are tomean in politics. as they always
have meant in the dictionary, substantially
one and the same thing namely Equal
Rights, regardless of creed, or cline, or
color. ! hail this as a genuine New De-
parture from outWorn feuds and meaning
less contentious inthe direction of Progress
and Reform. Whether Shall be found
worthy to bear the standard of the great
Liberal movement which the American
people have inangnrated is to be determined
not by words but by deeds. With me, if
steadily advance; over me, if falter, its
grand array mo yes on to achieve for our
country her glorious, benefcent destiny.
remain, gentlemen, yours,
HORACE GREELEY.
To the Hon James r. Doolittle, Chairman
of the Convention, and Messrs. b. w.
Sykes, John G. Maccabe, and others
Committee.