Year: 1864

Speech OF DR.. BreCki nridge.


In the organization ofthe National Union
Convention, DR., Breckinridgc was tempo
rarily called to the chair, greeted with loud
applause, as he advanced three cheers were
given for the "Old War Horse of Kentucky"
Tic delivered the following address


Gentlemen Of the Convention-You cannot
be more sensible than / am, that the part
which have TO perform here to-day is
merely matter of form, and acting upon
the principles Of my whole life, | was in
clincd when the suggestion was made to
me from various quarters that it was in the
minds of many members of the Convention
TO confer this distinction upon me, to ear
hestly decline to accept because | have
never sought hOnors-l have never sought
distinction. ! have been working man,
and nothing else. But certain consdera-
Lions led me to change my mind. Ap-
plause.


There is n class Of men in the country far
too small for the good of the ecountry--those
men who merely by their example by their
pen, by their voice, try to do good-and all
the more in perlous times-without regard
TO the reward that may come. 1t was given
TO many such men to understand by the
distinction conferred upon one of the hum
blest of their class that they were men whom
tho country would cherish and who would
not be forgotten.


Here is another motive relative to your
selves and TO the country at large. 1t is
good for you, it is good for every nation and
Every people, every State and every party,
10 cherish all generous impulses, to follow
pill noble instincts; and there are none more
noble, none more generous than to purge
yourselves of all self-seekers and bctrayers,
and to confer them, if it be only in mere
forms upon those who are worthy to be


rusted and ask nothing more. [Applause.
Now according 70 my convictions of pro-
priety, having said this, should say moth
ing more. Cries of "go on"


But it has been intimatcd to me from
many quarters, and in way in which /
cannot disregard, that ! should disappoint
the wishes of my friends, and perhaps the
ust expectations Of the Convention, if | do
not as briefly, and yet as precisely as j
could, say somewhat upon the great matters
which have brought us here. Therefore, in
very few words and as plainly as ! can, !
will cndeavor to draw your attention to one
and another Of these great matters in which
wc are all engaged.


In the first place, nothing can be more
plain than the fact that you are here as the
representatives ofa great nation--voluntary
representatives chosen without forms of law,
but as really representing the feelings, the
principles, and fyou choose, the prejudices
of the American people as if it were writ
ten in laws and already passed by votes
for the man that you will nominate here for
the Presidency of the United States, and
ruler of great people in a great crisis, is
ust as certain suppose to become that ru-
er as anything under heaven is certain be-
fore it is done Prolonged cheering And,
moreover, you will allow me to say, though
perhaps it is hardly strictly proper that
BhOuld-but as far as know your opinions
! suppose it is just as certain now before You
utter it whose name you will utter, and
which will be responded to from one end to
Tho other of this nation, as it will be after
i has boon uttered and recorded by your
Secretary. Does any man doubt that this
Convention intends to say that Abraham
Lincoln shall be the nominee. TGreat ap-
plause. What wish, however, to call your
attention to is the grandeur of the mission
upon which you are mot, and therefore the
dignity and solemnity, earnestness and con-
Fcientiousress with which, representing one
pf the greatest and certainly one of the first
people of the world, you ought to discharge
these duties Applause.


Now, besides the nomination Of President
Ind Vice President, in regard to which Sec
pnd Office ! will say nothing, because know
there is moro or less difference of opinion |
among you; but, besides these nominations,
you have other most solemn duties to per.
FORM. You have to organize this party
thoroughly throughout tho United States.
You have to put it in whatever form your
wisdom will suggest that will unite all your
cisdom, energy and determination to gain
thc victory which have already said was
ia our power More than that, you have
10 lay down with ccarncss and precision the
principles on which you intend to carry on
This great political contest and prosecute the
war which is underneath them, and the
glory Of the country which lies before us if
NE succeed. Plainly, not in dovble sense
briefly, not in treatise, with the dignity |
Ind precision Of a great people to utter, BY |
tts representatives, the political principles
|by which they intend to live, and for the
sake of which they are willing to die. So
khat all men everywhere may understand
precisely what we mean, and lay that fur.
Row 90 deeply and clearly that while every
|nan who is worthy TO associate with free
|men may see it and pass over it, every man
who is unworthy may be either unable to
|pas. il or may be driven far from US We