Year: 1861

mated a "People's or Union Convention, -
and fixed the time for holding the same
the day after the Democratic Convention
Rad been calcd to assemble. They show.
ed no desire to affiliate with the Repub-
licau convention. They showed no dis
position to act in any way with the Re-
publican organization of the State. Now
they had their choice to determine
whether they would place their cOuven-
tion in position to act with the Repub-
lican party, or with the other. They
chose the other convention, and attempt
ed to act In conf junction with it. They
called their Convention TO meet the next
day utter the Democratic convention
which met week in advance Of the
convention Of the RcpubI.can parity
Both conventions were held, and no
agreement between them could be effect
cd. Why the "People's" Party made
that choice, thereby placing it out Of
their power to act with the Republican
organization, it is not fer me 10 say -
They ch,sc {, do it and did it. They
went to the Mahoney Convention for
their allies. They would not and did not
attempt to affiliate with the Republican
Convention. | was not here .: the time,
hut understood that cons ultations were
had, and that no agreement cou.u be et-
fected. The Democratic or Mahoney
convention met, acted, and adjourned on
the day it was called. On the next day
the Union convention met and adjourned
They could, had they been 80 disposed,
have met with the Republican conven
tion, called for the 3lst Of July, when
that convention was yet in the future -
They let the Republican convention meet
aud pass by, as they haA right to do !;
but they did not intimate TO them in any
way whatever that they had any desire
to affiliate with them.


In the course of events, two more con
vcntions were held in your city last week


oh the one dav Union convention
and on the next I Democratic convention
If you can take their acts as Indications,
my friends, our Democratic and Union
brethren have shown they wero unwilling
to act with the Republicans. Twice have
they met in convention on succeeding
days; and while they were willing to thus
act in conjunction, they were unwilling
to attempt to act with the Republican
organization.


What did the Republicans do when
they met in convention? Take THEN
platform and read it. Search through
it from brs;nning to end, and what is
there in it to drive from its support any
man who loves his country? There is
uothinY. Scrutirizc it as closely as you
please, and You Wi! fnd no partizauship
there lvu viii ind nothing there but
devotion to Ia, American Flag and love
t"r the American Union. Applause.
i hr r yahlicaus placed themselves IN a
position t. .iliiiatc with the patriotic
portion of any party, or all parties, in the
State, Democrats or Union mea, call
them what you please; but they were
>'ieutIy passed by; 30 desire was shown
to have anything to do with them; and
rely ing upon the justice Of their cause,
they threw their banner abroad, aud APP
peaIed to the people to rally around it, in
maintenance of the Federal Union and
the honor of the Federal Flag. The Re
publicaps do not ask you, my Democratic
friends, to give up any Of your precon.
criycd notions on the subject Of slavery
They don't ask you to accept their polit
ical faith OF abandon yours; but as tic
predominant party in tnls State, ignoring
for the time being all past political issues,
they ask every man who is willing to raj
Iy around the flag to step forward to aid
them in this patriotic cause. Is it
wrong in them to do this ! Every Re
publican is a Union man. Where in all
the broad land can You fnd one who is
not? They are, and for some years have
been the dominant party in the State. -
They have placed themselves, as an Or
canIzation, IN posl-'on TO be consulted
with BY any party OF any men who might
for the Union but had completely, per.
taps studious y, been ignored by all -
They then for the sake of harmony and
good will, laid aside all party issues, and
all party tests, and simply &,ked that all
mcn Of =, parties VITO like themselves
were devoted to the Union, should step
forward aud act with them, not for party,
but for the Union, 1t seems to Inc tia
more could not have been asked with
fairness, nor yielded w,,h selfrespect.


The other organization is divided. 1t


is torn asunder With the present con-
dition Of the courtry, whoever is not in
favor of upholdlDg the Government, is
against it. Aud my friends. it seems to
me that if we could once H. aside all dis
sensions on this subject, and as a united
people rally around the Administration,
We could soon carry the war to Il success
fu, issue aud place the country in a po-
si,ion such as it is entlled to occupy.


Now, my friends, few words upon a
subject to me more delicate. As the
Chief Executive of the State since tna
war commenced, much fault has been
found with me. | am plain man aud
although it may not be prudent in me as
candidate to pax in regard to these
matters, yet l propose to say some things
to you in a very plain way. A great
many gentlemen thluk | have not been
energetic enough; that | have not been
efficient enough that l have not pushed
forward the work as vigorously as | should
have done. That may be true That
may have committed errors, l think is
not only very possible, but very probable.
1t would be the height Of presumption in
me to assert the contrary. | think that
all our public men have committed er-