Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-06-10

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Cameron then spoke as follows:
CAMERON'S ADDRESS.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION: l
ask your attention for a few moments.
Gentlemen Of the Convention, before the
convention enters upon the important
duties that have called us together, l
ask your attention for single moment.
During the canvass just ended there has
been manifested in many sections of the
country considerable bitterness which,
trust, will entirely disappear before en-
tering upon the grave duties devolving
upon us. Let there be but one motive
governing our action, and let that be a
determination to place in nomination
the strongest possible candidates, men
strong in themselves, strong in the con-
tidence and affection of the people, and
men who will command the respect of
the civilized world. Our country, of
which we are justly proud, has grown
so rapidly in population, wealth, and
influence during the existence of the
Republican party, that we have attained
position as one of the leading powers of
the world. We can no longer be satisfied
with our isolation. Recognizing the
changed condition we must place in po-
sitiOn men whose familiarity with other
nations will ennable them to direct our
affairs so that we will take the lead in
commerce as we have in agriculture
and in manufactures. Do not for a mo-
ment doubt the strength of our institu-
tionS. They have been tried in blood,
and came from the contest better,
stronger power than the most ardent pa
triot dared to hope for. No combination
of circumstances, no cOterie of individu-
ais, no personal ambition can ever pre-
vail against the intelligence and the in
born love of liberty which are implant-
ed in the hearts of Americans. When
the nominations are made and the con-
vention has completed its work, let there
be but one sentiment animating all
earnest, sincere, and unselfish Republi-
cans, and let that be that each shall vie
with the other in carrying our grand old
party through the coming contest to vic
tory
have been instructed by the Repub-
lican National Committee to place in
nomination as temporary chairman the
Hon. Geo. F. Hoar, of Massachusetts,.
Tremendous applausel. All who are in
favor of that nomination will say aye
unanimous. Contrary mo- Not con-
trary vote heard. Mr.. Cameron--The
Chair will appoint Gov. Davis, of Tex
as, the Hon. VIM. B. Frye, of Maine, and
the Hon. Green B. Raum, to conduct the
chairman to his seat" Mr.. Hoar, on
being conducted to the chair by the
committee, was received with great ap-
plause.
The Chair-I take great pleasure in
introducing to you Hon. Geo. F. Hoar,
of Massachusetts. IApplause.l
MIR. HoAR's SPEECH.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION: 1
l thank you for this distinguished mark
of your confidence. The trainers of the
Constitution expected that the President
would be chosen by electors who were
to assemble in their respective States,
and on consultation with erch other
give their ballots for chief magistrate.
In the case of failure by the Electors,
the House of Representatives, acting by
States, were to make the choice from the
four who had the highest number of
votes in the colleges. So far from di-
rect popular action did the Constitution
remove the choice of the Executive; but
the people, by the customs they have es-
tablished, have baffied the expectation of
the trainers of the Constitution. The
ElectOr to-day is but scribe. The con-
ventiOns of the great political parties
designate each a man for whom the peo-
pie vote directly through their agents,
the Electors, and to a choice between
whom they are practically restricted.
The functions of this convention, there
fore, are to name one of the two men
whom the people of the United States
are to select for their President. If it
peforms its duties wisely, fearlessly,
freely, it is to nan e the man whom the
people will make their President. Your
tenure of office is brief, but scarcely any
duty is entrusted to the most honored
citizen of the Republic which in dignity,
in authority, in far-reaching public i'm
portance equals yours. 1t is twenty
years since the Republican Convention
met in this city which, after a stormy
but friendly contest, put in nomination
Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Ham,
lin. Lincoln has gone to his rest.
His companion upon that ticket,
in fresh and vigorous age, is present
with us to-day to give US his counsel
from the stores of an experience gath
cred from a life of honorable service.
Lincoln has gone to his rest, as have
Douglas and Breckenridge, his two COM
petitors for the great office of the Presi-
dency; but the parties which confronted
each other are now unchanged in pur-
pose, in temper, and in character. The
Democratic party was ruled then as
now by the South. The single purpose
of its being was to give political supre-
macy to the oligarchies of the South
and office without the influence of their
subservient Northern allies. In the
pursuit of that end every great public
interest was sacrificed or disregarded,
expending but little for public improve
ments, either in the West, in inland or
lake. In 1860 the credit of the Nation
was poor, its treasury empty, its six per
cent bonds below par. Our unprotected
manufactures contended at fearful dis
advantage with the pauper labor of Eu-
rope, ON whose workshops we depended
for large portion of the necesSaries
and comforts of life. Our little navy
was scattered over the four quarters of
the globe. Four millions of our eoun-
trymen were in hopeless bondage. To
them every new State as it took its
place in the great family but added a
new dungeon to their gloomy prison
house. At last, as the Democratic par
ty let 60 its hold on power, the National
flag itfelf seemed about to be folded and
laid aside, to be regarded thenceforth
as miserable symbol of the futility and
foIlv of tho last grant axOeriment of gelf- |
government.
The Democratic party confrOnts US to-
day, as 1 said, unchanged in purpose, in
temper, and in character. United in
nothing else, proposing no other meas
ure of policy, it urges its warfare upon
the safeguards which the Nation has
thrown around the purity of its cleo
tions. 1t can see no other evil except
that freeman should cast free vote
under the protection the National au-
3D..