Year: 1865

But, gentlemen of the Convention,


what a herculean task is before US all J


Ttneed not have beensupposed thatwe are


to have no lot or part in the matter


Who are we? We represent more than


200 900 of the electors Of this great and


powerful State. Werepresent more than


], 900, 900 of the population Of the State.


That population is looking you to-day,


with anxious solicitude that you shall do


for them, and for the cause of truth and


righteousness, just what is necessary to


restore to them the blessings which they


enjoyed prior to the advent Of the new


party that has come into power. That IS


what they ask you to do.


I And now, gentlemen, what is the first


thing to be doneP The first thing is to
bring our great and glorious country to-


gether again. The first thing, to which


we must direct our attention as free men,


leaving the past to takecare Of itself, and
hooking now to the discharge of our high
duties for the future, is to cooperate


manfully, resolutely and determindly, in
restoring our country, until we see the
happy spectacle of thirty odd States
again in peace, represented in the Ma
tional Council. [Applause.]


How this is to be done precisely do
not stop to inquire. Who it shall be
done by I do not stop to inquire. Ny
hand and my heart shall be with any
} man who, under the Constitution and in
l obedience to It, uses his best efforts to
[ bring again into the National Council
: and into the family union, all those who
} we're of our glorious and extensive coun-
t try. Having all this to do, mp fellow
4 citizens, what a task is upon US still +?
4 Hardly more difficult was the task of un
, burying again those cities of the East
f that had been buried hundreds Of feet
= deep in the eruptions from The noun


tains. Hardly less than rescuing Pom
I peli from its burial place, is the business
that now devOlvcs upon us, is to rescue
h our old genuine Constitution and laws
j from the vast rubbish that has been
+ heapgd upon them. In doing this, how
i ever, let me say to you as citizens in the
= honest discharge of your duties, it will
S be your task to see that the burdens
n which the party in power have laid upon
e us and upon the country, shall be equal
# ly laid upon the property of the whole
e country. We will go back again to the
. good old proposition that liberty and
V equality lie at the foundation of our in
e stitutions.


il We will come back again to the pro-
e position that our Government shall moi
II be made to build up aristocracies in it,
d moneyed or otherwise. Never made, OF
1t intended TO be so, that those who have
k the most of this worlds goods should be
i the very last to give cent of it to re.
ID lieve the public treasury. Applause.
10 What is the fact upon this subject


Gentlemen, the fact is, and I wish every
ct man, and every country, tounderstand it
ut and to appreciate it. The fact Is, tha
v while your rights have been trampled on
in your liberty of speech taken away, you
to men hurried to banishment and bastiles
,e this party in power have been building
at up national debt of-the Lord know
ty how much. They tell US that it is nov
OF over three thousand millions; and tn
ee further fact is, that along with the build
ed ing up of this great national debt, Ehicl
n, they have been accustomedto call "na
nd tional blessing" they have accompOnie
ed it with love to the moneyed interests O
n the country. If you take this debt, the
he say you shall stand independent of th
he States in which you reside. No trouble
lst some tax-gatherer shall now present him
We self to your door, and ask anything fror
,lv YOU. If ever there was a successful a
of tempt, so far as they have gone, to Great
So a moneyed aristocracy, privileged frol
ac- all obligations Of sharing the public bu
I'VE den, this is one. 1t was hardly worse
,ur France, prior to the revolution. 1 sa
I'VE to you now, that your duty will be,
sas soon as you can get the machinery Of II
wn Government to operate-as soon as IL
ee- family have assembled around the fami
zen circle, to see to the administration Of tn
ith liberty and equality which lie at Il
the foundation of our institutions. If "
his want to get all the benefits of protectic


in very large degree, you must co
rm. tribute, according to your substances,
hat the public burdens. That will be o.
re- thing to which we must direct our atte
on ton at very early day. But, gent
pom men, you are perfectly aware of anOth
ov- attempt, now being made. The Neg


race upon this continent have been tax
lere up by these privileged gentlemen, a
We they are undertaking. ROW to bring th'
tenn into perfect and complete association a
ary equality with men who we're the pioneer
ind. who came into these woods and level
n to these forest, and made them blossom
by the rose. That attempt is being mad