Year: 1862

man, that is too good to pray at the
feet Of the old Gamaliels-if there is one
such under the sound of my voice, i ask him
if what | have said here to day in the
advocacy of free expression of right and the
condemnation of wrong, If il would not protect
him if We got in power as much as it would pro-
tect us when YOU are in pOwerg i would scorn TO
preach that which was good only for Democrats.
| would scorn to preach a doctrine that was not
as potent for the protection of my political enc
mics as myself and my friends. When had a
little difficulty on my hands in Kansas civil
i'm miniature exhibtiOn-and undertook to
settle the troubles there and bring society to or
der and peace, | was denounced bitterly by what
was called the free State papers And when |
was asked if / saw those attacks, would reply:
"Y es, and | have read them with interest and
care" Every expression that gave new light,
instead OF being used for the Imprisonment of the
author, | would use to the best advantage, and
let the rest 20.


Gentlemen, / have said enough. lGo on
don't stop The subject is inexhaustible. D
have asked and plead for the maintenance and
continuance of the organization of this old Dem
Ocratic party that have known from nv youth.
In nv study of revolutions and especially such as
this and particularly the manner in which the
civil part was prosecuted, have looked for the
time when we would be looked to and prayed to
as the last hope of the country. If the time
never should come when we could step in and
save the country, the organization would do no
harm, for it is peaceable and constitutional or
ganzation.


There is nothing riotous in our party, there is
no thieying and lying in US, at least beyond what
is natural to human nature, and not even as
much as can be found H. other quarters some
times. | have believed the time would come,
when the whole face of this rebellion would be
changed. and If it does come, | fear you, my
Democratic friends, will be the only Union men
left in the country. A vOice-They are all that
are left now If there shall be intrigues of
other nations, and the authority at Washington
shall ask you to submit peaceaby to the divi
sion of these States who then will be the dis
loyalists and disunionists? But we will let that
pass. for | fear an unhappy condition not far
ahead. j received to day most extraordinary
confidential letter, from a source but little ex-
pected, warning US that the hOur-not thirty
days, perhaps, distant, when it is believed that
proclamation will be issued from Washington.
asking us Northern people to submit to division
of tins country. Never; not bit of i'll l
ask, then, if this be the fact-and don't pretend
to state whether il is or not-who then will be in
favor of the dissolution of the Union? The very
men with contracts in their pockets. who have
erOwL rich bv the misfortunes Of their country in
this war; and they who hav, carried ropes to
hang those who never breathed a dislOyal breath,
will have to give the ropes over to us. [Ap-
plause


| thank you. gentlemen. most heartily, for
the manner in which you have honored me as
President of this body; and / think that | will
prove before many months, that of all men in
this world, neither YOUR President TO day, the
men making up this convention. are entitled to
the charge of disloyalty to their country.