The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1872-09-06

mind and body, there 10 an absolute sen.
sation Of relief that I can terminate nv
self-imposed duties and abdicate my
functions.
Colonel Duncan's remarks were inter.
spersed with frequent applause, and wa,
followed by long.continued hand. clapp.
ings at the close.
Colonel Levi 8. Chatfeld, Of New York
was appointed temporary chairman.
On motion, Colonel Duncan appointed
Judge Spalding of New York, Judge
Lyons OF Virginia, and Hon. William
Wheaton Of Michigan, as q committee &c
conduct the chairman to his seat.
CHATFIKLD's SPEECH.
GENTLEMEN or THE CONVENTION: 1t Il
my first duty as il is my sincere pleasure
to tender to this convention my most
hearty thanks for the compliment implied
BY my selection to preside TEN porarily over
your deliberations. The circumstances
which have called us together, the crisis
in which We fnd the great old democratic
party to-day; the fact that the party hav.
ing been cloven and driven down and
slaughtered In tho house Of its friends, are
subjects for the consideration of this
body. ] know our present situation ID
not one which was contemplated by the
authors OF the democratic party--thoss
who gathered together the elements OF
the hrst government, who comprehended
the philosophy of the government and of
the rights OF man. When they had Sc.
cured those principle in the form which
would be made applicable TO the wants
and happiness Of mankind, they supposed
they had laid down the foundations Of lib
erty deep, and, building the superstruc-
ture high, that it would stand for all time.
Early educated in these principles; having
sat almost, as l may say, at the feet Of
Gamaliel in learning my political creed,
have been member Of that party all my
life. My first vote was given for Andrew
Jackson. tApplause.1 l had known that
before Andrew Jackson such men IS
Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, james
Monroe and others of the early apostles
of democracy had lived, with whose prn-
pies / claim to be tolersbly familiar. APP.
plause. 1t was In that school that l
learned my political crsed and l have
never seen occasion 10 change il. ZAP
plause.l ! do not desire to leave that
church and seek the salvation Of the coun-
try In some heretical church. [Applsnse.l
So long as We adhere faithfully to these
principals the country will be the great
and glorious nation 1t was intended to DO
when the fathers founded IT, So long TO
the old democratic party were faithful to
these principles SO long we're the people
faithful to the party.
But the time came when the element
that comprised what had been known rs
the federal party, advocating q concen.
tration of power, seized the reins of gov.
eminent and fastened on the country their
principles, which was followed in 1861 BY
The melancholy spectacle of q new party
being formed on the blood and the graves
IF the citizens Of this country. Our party
together, but distrust and pas
lions were excited in this country, and
burning prejudice continued because Of
he institution that was abolished by the
political action Of that day. But the
party continued, and as time grew on ex-
and passion were quelled and
the party grew stronger, and have no
doubt If it had not been cloven down and
sold out in its own household, In the com.
ing election that party would have no
doubt occupied the position it ought to.
[ Applause. But l am not to complain,
as l have no doubt they were mistaken.
And what was my regret as the party
went on and selected an individual as
its standard.b bearers man entertaining
opinions and principles wholly antago.
nistic to those the party has always held.
They claim the right to sell the party out
10 old "Hod," as he used to be called-to
the old white hat and old white coat-for
let me tell you, gentlemen, that Is about all
there is Of that old man. [Applause and
laughter.
deny that my representative or my
agent has the right to get my property or
my money that place in his hands for
any particular purpose, and then use it
for his own purposes. GApplause.1 l
deny that the people who assembled at
Baltimore--not representing me or elected
in the usual mode of election BY congress
sional districts, but simply appearing there
as representatives Of State convention
had any right TO transfer or trade me to
the Republican party or to H.-Horace
Greeley. Great applause
The work for US here to-day is to en-.
deavor to correct that failure Applause;
to see whether we can not rescue the Dem
ocratic party from the destruction that is
implied in that transfer. CONTINUED APP
plause | say, gentlemen, all thanks are
due to Colonel Duncan, Van Allen, Mr..
Pomeroy and Judge Flanders [great ap.
plause who appeared upon the ground
when that infamous transfer was made,
and protested against it in spirit which
can spring only from true Democratic
principles. Long and tumultuous APP
plause.
That protest has eliminated in drawing
together this large representative body Of
earnest, faithful and true Democrats that |
see before me. Applause. You have
met here TO rebuild and found anew the |
great party 30 ruthlessly ruled out. Let
the foundations be laid deep and strong,
and more enduring, that hereafter ambi-
tious politicians shall not be able TO pre-.
vail against 1t. Applause l have all
my lifetime been Democrat. l could
not help it. / was born SO, and l shall
die so. IApplause.l If there is no other
Democratic party but myself, l will wrap
the old flag around me and 90 down in
the grave with it. Loud aud continuous
applause, and waving Of hats.
No, = temporary chairman ought not
to bore the convention with q speech of
any considerable length. [Cries Of go
on.] Believing as do, that every mem
Der Of this convention is as deeply imbued
with the spirit Of Democracy az ! am, it
would hardly become me TO attempt to
teach them their duty, and l shall not,
therefore, gentlemen, set the bad example
in the outside of the convention, for
look upon It as working, and not talk
ing convention. The convention 10 now
ready to proceed with the business that
brought II together.
The speech WAS interrupted nv freouant