Year: 1864

The following isa report Of Gov. DENIM
sons speech % taking tie chair as Presi-
dentof the Baltimore Conventions


thank You for tha honor you have con
ferred upon. me, and while will bringto
the discharge Of the duties Of the Chair,
little experience in parliamentary rules, it
will be my pleasure, ; IS my duty, to spare
no efforts in contributing, to the extent OF
my abilities, thefaeibtsting of.the business
OF the Convention, and securing such re-
suits from your deliberations as. viii meet
the loyal expectation of the country.


I Wemeet here as the representatives. of
the true friends Of the Government, and Of
impartial Gberty-of that large portion Of
the people whot gratefully appreciate the
unscathed blessings which flow from our
institutions, and reject every form of hu-
NAM enslayement not in punishment Of
crime,T as no tless inconsistent with the
rights of humanity than of the generous
and peaceful working Of a republican gov
ernment rfff s4r


In no sense do we meet as members or
representatives. Of, either of the old politi-
cal parties which deride the people, or as
the champions of any political measure,
peculiar either to the extraordinary con
dition of the country since the outbreak Of
the rebellion has, from necessity taken from
the issues of these parties their practical
significance, and compelled the formation
of substantially new political organizations.
/ Hence the origin Of the union party IL
party it can be called, Of which this Con-
vention for the purpose of its assembling
Is the accredited representative, and the
only conservative and the only condition
of membership, in which is unreserTed,
unconditional loyaltyzto the Government
and Union of the States 's


Let me congratulate you on the favoring
auspices of our meeting while the deepest
/ anxiety is felt by all patriotic men as to the
result of the war reasonably forced upon
the government BY the bad, ambitious men
and their deceived followers in rebeIlious
States, and the cogntry,is filed with dis
tress and mourning over the loss Of SO ma
/ ny thousands of our brave men who have
fallen in battle or died IN hospitals from
wounds received in the defense Of the CON
stitutional authority of the government
Weyet have IN what has been accomplish
ed towards the suppression Of the rebellion
and the extinguishment of its cause, in the
heroic deeds Of our noble armies and gal
liant navy, In the revival Of the patriotism
of the country, that seemed almost paral-
yzed under the influence of material pros
perity; IN the muni6cent generosity Of the
people, awakened by the wants Of the gov
ernment and the necessities of its defend
ers, as those who have much, very much,
Of the highest fluctuations, and for which
the country is grateful to Almighty God
and may not add to these causes Of con-
graduation the formation Of the political or.
ganization Of which this convention is rep
resentstive, that has so nobly sustained the
Government in its efforts to put down the
rebellion, and to the complete accomplish
ment of which IT'S energies are consecrated,
the patriotic harmony that has marked our
assembling, and win characterize all our
proceedings and display itself in the renom-
ination for the Presidency of the United
States of the wise and good man whose un-
selfish devotion to the country in the ad.
ministration of the Government has secur.
ed to him not only admiration but the warm
affection of every lover Of constitutional
liberty.


l need not remind you Of the very grave
responsibilities that devolve upon you as
members of this Convention. The loyal
people of the country have authorized and
expect you to renew, In their behalf, the
pledge of their faith to support the Govern
ment in the most vigorous prosecution Of
the war, to the complete suppression Of the
rebellion, regardless of time or the resour-
ces required to that end, and they equally
expect and call upon you to declare the
cause and the support Of the rebellion to be
slavery, which as well for its reasonable
offences against the Government as for its
incompatibility with the rights of human
ity, nature and the permanent peace ofths
country must, with the termination Of the
war and as much more speedily as posi-
| bic, be made to cease for ever In every State
and Territory of the United States.


But Unjust not refer to other subjects of
interest that will challenge your attention.
Let me repeat my thanks for expression Of
confidence in rae, having selected me to
preside over your deliberations.