Year: 1860

Mr. President and gentlemsn invoke YOU to look at the
lnJuStce ct every such qualifications qualification
witch no honorable man, except under very peculiar
circumstances. could ever submit to. a onafcotion
which 1t Is known that the representatives of these
eh states forming constituent proportion of the Dem
ocrac vote at every election held in this country for
years past will submit to Capplase and Ssrsl
Mr resident % ana brethren of the great Democratic


Hhl'y VINO are now contendlng for the the
Democratic cause-I ask you to halt not merely upon
the ground of right and justice but upon the ground of
policy. There is not member this body who hears
me who does not know that representatives from
the southern States will not give any such pledge. ZAP,
plauSe and Kisses


THE NOISE IN THE GALLERIES


Mr loge, OF Nlrgtnia-l rise To "a question of order |
ueslre to ascertain once for ALL when honorable gen
teman Ike the gentleman from Pennsylvania is address
ing the convention, whether he is he usued with
misses ask if the utterance OF sentiments 10 accord
ance with our to he greeted with Kisses from the
eallerles-wheher 1t had not better he announced at
once, so that we may retire from a position which in
Volves US in ignominy and oboquy. Whatever nwer
Sonos tllS Dody, whatever outside pressure NAV be
Drought to bear upon its deliberations for one will
hot sacrhce my personal honor without being either
AGAINST the outrage or permitted in way to
avenEe the insult. -


Ihe President thavng resumed the chair to which he
had temporarily called of the Vice Presidentsl said
The Chair informed by the suggestion made bv the
teman from Virginia, that disorder has occurred in the
galleries The Chair this morning called the attention
o the convention to that and the Chair now desires
once Tor all to give notice every person here present
not of the Convention that upon the rrnetition of
oraer tteyerln the galleries. the Chair will cause the
leries to be cleared of every spectator TCres of
good and great appause


Mr. Samuels, OF IOwa-Whie am very anXious to
heai every gentleman express his sentiments from
all interruption desire to say this farther that mani


estlons OF applause induce manifestations disappro
alike he permitted.


The President-The Chair perfectly understands that
and the gentleman from Iowa will remember
applause this morning to which the Chair called aten-
tion.


Mr.. Samuels-I am aware of the fact


The PresidentAnd the Chair repeats his remark that


upon any manifestation of any appreciation or disappro
cleared. -


ANIMATED DISCUSSION


Mr. Randall, tresumDg THE applause in the galleries
was unexpected and so general that if there was a
single dssonant serpentlike hiss the speaker did not
hea: was about to state to this Convention the in
justice and inequality the total want Of power or right
IN this Convention to establish any principle as the
honorable gentleman from New York presented in the
case OF certain delegations who thought proper to retire
from the Convention That with my reprobation
IN as strong terms any gentleman who NAV differ with


me upon the great cardinal question before the
Vehuon. But maintain the right they had return to
us and to unfeered by any possible doubt of the
free right of thought and action maintain that there
no power to X upon these members penalty that if
they differed from the majority of this body they should
be thereafter disfranchised. Mr.. President, there
is, as l understand, for this a single nrecedent
in 1S4S, fraught with the most pernicious CON
sequences, which ended in the diSfranchisement of
two coordinate branches of delegation and, what is
more important ended in the defeat the pary that po
posed in the sovereign State which was applicable
= mean the State of New York But. Mr. Presi-
dent depend not upon form; l depend not upon
the question of right, no matter how clear it NAV
appear, but appeal to the patriotism and the good
SENSE Ol lHOSe WHO are TO decide this subject
and, above all others. appeal to that State which
has been denOmnated the Empire State ask this hon.
orabe class of men to hold not only the empire power
nut the empire of reason and allegiance the common
party. invoke them not to take step which must end
in the dismemberment of this body-the dIsmemberment
of our common party and perhaps the dismemberment
OF the Union. pass from them and ! appeal TO our
Eastern and Northern brethren between whom and the
South the ties of Interest and honor patriot
ism are so complete to take such on this occa
sion as shall promote the harmony of the party.


What are we, Mr.. Speaker? Eighty years ago three
nlilons OF men in this country, declared themselves
independent, and we thirty millions We have
hecn engaged in three wars out of every one of
winch we nave come more free, and more indepen-
dent than before. few years ago it was
asked who read an American book
or knew an American author now we take the
lead in literature in arts in science, in mechani-
cal improvements and in everything that honors our
country viii any man, by his vote in this body eop-


The proposition before us, in my Judgment Mr.
President and gentlemen, will lead dismcmberme
of this body-wi lead perhaps to the ismembgrment of
the Unlon Since have arrived to years of manhood
and about the time of manhood shouldered my muskct
IN defence of the honor of country have had
one maXum which have exhibited and proclaimed upon
all occasions. can ndite it, and communicate it to this
body in few words-the union of the North and of the
South, and no divorce These, whom God hath united
let no man separate.


These sir. are my sentiments. 7 am irrespective of
candidates Although amongst all the that pro-
posed may nave some leaning TO another yet any
sound orthodox statesman shall receive my support Zap
pausel therefore hope, and have assigned briefly
the reasons why that the amendment of colleague
may be adopted and the amendment proposed by the
gentleman from New York may be rejected. I have no
object in view; have motive hut the sentiment of
Decatur which heard the time he delivered it, at the
corner of Eleventh and Market streets in the city of
Philadelphia when the city government gave him cee-
braon IN honor of his naval victory the Macedonian
Our country may she always be right but cOun-
try-God bless her-right Or wrong" [Applausel


Mr. Richardson, of Illinois Il desire, Mr.. President to
call the attention of the Convention the proposition
mtted by the gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr. Gilmore)
am opposed to its adoption sir, and will state briefly
the reasons why am opposed to its adoption 1t declares
that the President of the Convention shall issue his tick
cts to the delegates of Florida, Mississippi and Texas
Takng the other day in the city of Washington with
delegate from the State of F'orda who was at the Rich
mond Convention, learned him the fact that they
were not accredited to this Convention.


The gentleman from Pennsylvania therefore proposes
by his amendment TO elect delegates from the State
Florida that the people have not accredited To that
opposed. 1t true sir he said to me- that if this
Convention invited them extended I believe the words
olive branch to them hat then thew would
come here want no delegates here Mr.. President, who
have not been accredited / do propose to sit
side by side with delegation of men who do not
represent the people-who not bound by anything
when am bound by everything.


Sir, there is another reason why the amendment pre-
posed by the gentleman should not be adopted We
have been informed here to-day that there is a contest
in the State of Arkansas Does the gentleman propose
to close that contest without hearing? Ifthat is the
principle upon which the party is going act, / de-
nounce it. Whenever there is contest among Demo
Gratis and they ask for hearing would hear them. 1t
conforms the usages that were applied to ali
others. would.appy them, and no more have heard
Mr. President, do not know whether it is true not
that in the State of Texas there has been Conven



Convention itself before it determines upon their right
seats here to be informed and whether these de
legates represent the people nowhether they have
been accredited here according to the usages of the Demo-
cratic party in that State.


Now, sir, want to say another thing, shall not
wander from the discussion of the questions before
far as know far as have heard, there is contest
about the State of Mississippi vote against the amend
ment because brings delegates here that have not been
sent and because in another State decides controversy
without a hearing.


Sir will not enter into the discussion of anything else



think we have quite enough to do if discuss ques-
tions they arise. will say that in all cases in
my judgment the usages of tie party require they
should be investigated by committee before anybody is
put upon this floor


A voce-It not done in Charleston.


Mr.. Richardson-The it done at Charles
ton was that there was organization; but after
ganizaton if they come in at all by contest they have
come through n committee always


And tell the gentleman who interrupted me- another
thing the Democratic party is committed to the doctrine,
and over again. of giving the right of hearing in
every case where there has been contest and am IN
Oft If State is here without don't
take very long for the Committee to report and the dele
CATION is admitted upon that report, and then the Com
mtee investigate the other matter. do choose
Mr. President to be drawn into the controversy in
to another question 1t enough for to discuss
the question that is properly before the Convention.


Mr. Cochrane, of New York; do not rise sir for the
purpose of entering fully into the discussion Of the
positions that are before the Convention Their state
ment sir is their argument 1t is unnecessary gen
tlemen ef intelligence. such as before me- should
have these propositions further opened up to their minds
than the language opens them up in which they are
couched. But, sir in the few brief moments that are
given to me here hope to advert in such manner to the
considerations which group themselves about these pro-
positions. and the occasion which assembled
that at least may suggest to the minds of honorable
gentlemen the course which their intelligence should
pursue.


Sir we stand here upon an occasion of more gravity
and Importance to the party and to the whole country
than have witnessed now for these many years Upon
action, sir, not only depends the question of the
coming campaign, and the fact whether the ad
of the affairs of this great country shall he
to the hands of the Republican party Upon
decision rests the future destiny of that country
ITSELF We here delegated with authority from our
are loaded with burden of such
spOnsbility that to answer to them for our
proceedings and they to either by rebuk
ing us for the pursue greeting us with the
welcome words, well DONE good and faithful servants


Sir, these flags that float above me instinct with
the gravity OF the occasion We sit beneath them with
owofpatriotsm and hope logic will respond
the recommendations of patriotism 1t that
the Convention has lost sight of the which
compose the issue before The Convention
which sitting at Charleston the 23rd of April
last sitting here in Baltimore the 18th day Ct June
1t is fresh and independent question of accredited
delegates from their constituencies to aConventiont
infinitely greater 1t is the of Convention
upon its adjournment having presented to it this impor
ant question: Why is it that yonder seats vacant?
Why is it that delegates who have participated your
deliberations have departed from your doors and left
these vacancies there? Sir, that is the question be
answered. 1t is not question of the power of
encies but the question raised by the infinitely wide
spaces between the delegations this floor 1t is the
question of secession And it TO be met by these
lutons by which this Convention is called upon to deter
justification for the from the doors of the
National Democratic Convention; if there just-


cation then excuse and, if neither justification nor
excuse then whether the preservation and integrity of
the party depends upon the attempt of the number
of Democrats here assembled to recall their errng
brethren, and proclaim amnesty of peace


Sir am not in favor of either of the propositions
fore in its integrity cannot say, sir under the
cumsances that any of these gentlemen who have