Year: 1868

nal regard and common desire to promote
the peace, the order and tde happiness OF
all portions of our lard.


| Events in Congress sincs the aiinurn.
meut Of the Conscntion have vastly increas-
ed the importance of political victory by
those who are seeking to bring back ccono-
N.Y. simplicity and justice in the admins
tration Of our national affairs. Many Re
publicans have heretofore clung to the par>
| ty, who have regretted the extremes of vi
olence to which it has run. They have
cherished faith that while the action of
| their political friends has keen mistaken,
their motives have been good. They must
now see that the Republican party is in
! that condition that it cannot carry out a
peaceful policy. What ever its motives may
be, it is misfortune not only to country
but to government party itself, when it's
action is unchecked by any form of orpo-
sition. , 1t has been the misfortune of
the Republican party that the events
of the past few years have given it so
much power that it has been able to
! shackle the Executive, to trammel the
Judiciary, and carry cut the views Of
the most unwise aud violent OF its members.
| When this state of things exists in any par
ty, it has ever been found that the judge>
ment Of its ahcst leaders do not control -
| There is hardly an able man who has help.
>cd build up the Republican organization
who has not been borne down and forced to
give up his convictions of what the interests
of the country call for, or if too patriotic to
do this who not been driven from its ranks.
If this has been the case heretofore, what
will be its action with this new infusion ri
men who, without decent respect for the
views of those who had Just given them
their positions, beginning their legislative
career with calls for arms, and demand that
States shall he regarded as in a condition of
civil war, and declaration that they are
ready and anxious to degrade the President
Of the United States whenever they can
persuade and force Congress to bring tor>
ward new articles of impeachment


Tho Republican party as well as we arc
Interested in putting some check upon this
violence. 1t must be clear to every thiuk-
ing man that disposition of political pow
er tends to check the violence of party ac-
ton, and assured the peace and. gold order
of the country The election of Demo
cratic executive and majority Of Demo
cratic members to the House of Rcpresen-
tatives would not give to that party organi-
zaton power to make sudden or VIC lent
changes, but would serve to check those ex-
treme measures which have been deplored
by the best rnen of both organizations. The
result would most certainly lead to that
peaceful restoration Of the Union and re-es-
tablishm, mt of fraternal relationship which
the country desire.


am sure the best men Of the RepuhIi
can party deplore as deeply as I do the
spirit of violence shown by those recently
admitted tn seats in Congress, for the con-
dition of civil war which they contemplate
must be abhorrcnt to every right thinking
man.


have no mere personal wishes which
mislcad my judgement in regard to the pend
ing election No man who has weighed and
measured the duties OF the President of the
United States, can fail to be impressed with
the cares and tolls of him who is to meet its
demands. 1t is not merely to fout with
pose. On the contrary, while our Constiu-
ton gives just weight to the public will, its
Distinguishing features, that it seeks to
protect the rights Of minorities; its greatest
glory is that it puts restraints upon power;
il gives force and form to those maXims
and principles of civil liberty for which the





ages; it declares the right of the people to
be secure to their persons, houses and pa
pers, against unreasonable search and seiz-
ures; that Congress shall make no law re-
spectipg the establishment of religion or the
free exercise thereof or abridging free dom
of speech or of the press, or the rights q!
the PEOPLE to petition for redress of gric-
vances: it secures the right Of a speedy and
public trial by an impartial jury.


No man can rightfully enter upon the
duties of the Presidential Office unless he is
net only willing to carry out the wishes Of


the people expressed In constitutional
way, but Is also prepared to stand up for
| the rights Of minorities. He must be rea-
| dy to uphold the free exercise OF religion;
! he must d1nouce measures which would
wrong Personal or home rights, or the re-
liglous conscience of the humblest citizen OF
the land. He must maintain without dis
tinction of creed or nationality all the priv
ileges Of an American ctiz nship.


The experience of every public man who
has been faithful to his trust, teaches him
that no one can do the duties of the office
of President unless he is to ready not on
lyt undergo the talsehoods and abuse Of the
| Fad. but to suffer from the censure Of the
good who are misead by preiudices and
nisreprescntations. There are no attrac>
tions in such positions A great change
Is going on in the pnblic mind The mass
of the Republican party are more thought
ful>tempersd and just then they were dur
ing the excitement phich attended the pro-
gress and close of the civil war.


As the energy of the Democratic party
springs from their devotion to their cause
and to their candidates, | may with pr0pri~
ETY. speak of the fact that never, in the po-
Iitical history of our country, has the action
of any like body been hailed with such
universal and real enthusiasm as that which
! has been shown in relation to the position
of the National Democratic Convention.
With this the candidates had nothing to
do. lIad any others of those named been
selected, this spirit would hare been per
baps more marked. The zeal ana energy
of the conservative masses spring from a
desire to make a change of policy, and
form the thought that they can carry out
their purposes. In this faith they are
strengthened by the cooperation Of the
great body Of those who served in the Un


ion army and navy during the the war;


Having given nearly sixteen thousand com


missions to the officers Of that army,
know their views and wishes, They de
mand the Union for which they fought. Th,
largest meetings Of these gallant soldier,
ever assembled was held in New York, aud
inaorsed the action Of the National Conven


ton in words distinct with meaning. The


called on the Government to stop in its pol
lev of hate, discord and di,union, aud il
terms of fervid eloquence demanded &.


restoration of the rights of the America


people. When there is such accord be


tween those who proved themselves brav


and self.sacrifcing in war, and those VIII
are thoughtful and patriotic in council, | car


- Io,,hi ma shall nain q nnliiical trinlnn