The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-09-19
sPnECn OF NOW. ). W. NnsM1Tn.

l. H.
livered by Hon. J. w. Nesmith at the
State Convention on Tuesday, week
while the Committee on Resolutions
were ont making their report;
MR.. NEsMITH's SPEECH,
Mr.. Mesmith had in the meantime
entered the room, and was next called
for. He went to the stage amid loud
cheering. He said: Mr.. President
and Gentlehen of The Convention-I
am not mendicant at your doors,
do not beg for bread; | raise ii loud
applause]; aud after life of fifty
three years, thirty Of which have been
spent among you, / am not inclined to
say to-day -
PITY the sorrows OF poor old man,
whose trembling limbs have borne him To
your door"
Laughter and applause.] l want
nothing from you except to be let
alone. was waited upon at the ho-
tel a few moments ago, and told that
resolution had been passed by you
giving each Of the candidates ten min
utes' time to address. to Convention.
But do not know whether can be
considered in the category Of candi-
date or not. Some friends partial,
kind friends-have asked me to sub
init my name to this very honorable
and respectable Convention of the
Democratic party. In an imprudent
moment, perhaps, l told them that
while | had no desire for the position,
| would, if it pleased you, accept
the nomination and do the best |
could to bear your flag to triumph
and victory. Loud applause. If
there is man on this floor who can
get up and say that ! have asked him
or approached him for his support, l
would like 10 see him do SO. IA
voice-"Cant do it."] / stand here,
my fellow. citizens, after a residence
among you of thirty years. Thirty
years ago on the 24th of last October,
| travelled in canoe past the site OF
this place-an humble mechinic, a
poor without education, without
means; and whatever l am / have
wrought out by my own hands, my
own brains [Cheers]. Well, this is
rather singular proceeding. l had
thought you would have prepared
your platform before asking your can
didates to speak. I am not here,
then, to speak to platform or make
one. / make only a few general
statements, / wish it to be distinctly
understood that have never breathed
a word against any of the gentlemen
who have been mentioned as candi-
dates. / have simply said, as 1 have
always, that the great ultimatum
which interests the people of this
country Is the success of the Demo-
cratic party. l might stand here for
two hours and tell you what haYe
done for Oregon. If time will per-
nit l will enumerate a few OF the
things, When l went to Congress
there never had been dollar appro-
priated to defend any port north of
San Francisco. l got 100000 for
the improvement Of the mouth of
the Columbia. / got $4,000 to
dredge the Willamette and open up
the river to the commerce of the
world. Then there was the wagon
road from the Dalles; the wagon
road from Eugene to Eastern Oregon;
another from Albany across the noun
tains; and one from Corvallis to
coast All these works we're the re.
suit of bills which drew up or sup
ported in their inception and dconsum-
nation. The increase of your mail
facilities was q work in which | also
took some share, aud ] gave my ear
nest support to the reduction of those
great Indian Reservations which were
overrunning the country, depFiving
white.men OF good farms and giving
them oVerto savages--a policy which
we still have reason TO deplore, along
with that accursed and damnable
Peace Policy, adopted by the present
administration, which means simply
free will to the Indians and the scalp
ing knife for the whites. [Applause. ]
Against this Peace Policy | have
raised my voice. If l were dema-
gogne, which / disclaim to be, this
would be a fine opportunity for me to
say a great many handsome things
about our party. 1 dislike to do so.
/ tell you honestly, as GodHis my
Judge, that / do not desire your nomi-
nation. Few men would have the
frankness to say this; butas | said at
the outset, am not mendicant at
your doors. l lived in Oregon before
any man in this town stepped upon
the soil. / worked for the bread |
eat; | do SO to-day. But | will re-
peat to you what / have said always
that | want harmony in the Demo
cratic party. We have been opposed
we have been robbed-by this
Credit Mobilier swipdle-this back
salary .grab--this damuable Indian
policy and, worse than all, gentle
men, what few Of US apprehend by
this abominable tariff Of ours that
robs a man of his earnings. ZAP
pIause1. Let me say that with the
nomination of some other Democrat
10 candidate l shall better satisfied
than with my own nomination. My
personal affairs are such that can i'll
afford to neglect them. do not say
this in any bour-grape expectation. l
say il honestly and fearlessly, as every
man who knows me will acknowl-
edge. Frame pure and strong plat
form; select the man you think best
fitted to uphold it, and take my word
for il, that on the 18th OF October, as
the setting sun shows its glimmering
rays over your valleys and bathes
your mountain peaks, it shall witness
the great Democratic banner thrown
ont II v;ctorv from the auemiee