Year: 1868

to lend us money at lower rates of interest !?
But for this covert reputation our national
credit would not be tainted in the markets
of the world. tApplause.l Again, they de-
clare of all who were faithful in the trials Of
the late war there were none entitled to more
especial honor than the brave soldiers and
seamen who endured the hardships of cam
paign and cruise, and imperilled their lives
III the service Of the country. The bounties
and pensions provided by the laws are obli
cations never to be forgotten. The widows
and orphans of the gallant dead are the
wards Of the people-a sacred trust be-
uueathed 10 the nations care. How have
these sacred trusts been performed


They pay to the manned man, to the
widow, or to the orphan, a currency which
they have sunk onc-quarter below its right
full value by their policy Of hate, Of waste,
and Of military despotism, the pittanccs
paid to the wounded soldiers, and pinched
down twenty-five per cent. below the value
of that coin which he had right to cx-
pect. Loud cheering.l


Is there no covert reputation in this !?
lApplausel Again, they say foreign inn
migration, which in the past has added so
much to the wealth, development, ana
resources, and increase of power to this re-
public-the asylum of the oppressed of all
nations-should be fostered and cncou-
ragged by Il liberal and just policy. Is tins
foreign immigration fostered by policy
which in cruel mockery of laws just passed
declaring eight hours to be. legal day
labor though the cost Of government and
Of syarms of officials so swclls the cost Of
living that men must toll on to meet these
exactions? TCheers.


The time was when we could not only in
vite Europe to share with us the material
blessings of our great country, but more
,hnn that, we could tell those who fled from
oppression that We lived under govern
ment of laws administered by the judiciary,
which kept the bayonet and the sword in
due subordination. [Cheers.l We could
uoint to written Constitution which not
only marked out the powers Of government,
but with anxious care secured to the hum
blest man the rights of property, OF person,
and of conscience. Is immigration encou-
ragged by trampling that Constitution in the
dust-treating it with contempt-shackling
the misunderstanding the Executive
and giving oil the world to understand that



rights are destroyed !? [Great applause
But the crowning Indictment against the
follies and crimes Of those in power Is III
these words: That we recognize the great
principles laid down in the immortal Decla-
ration of independence as the true toun-
dation of democratic government, and
we hail with gladness every effort to-
ward making these principles a hv-
ing reality on every inch Of American
soil" If within the limirs Of ten States Of
this Union an American cil.-~n, stung by a
sense of his wrongs, should publicly and
truthfully denounce the men in power, be-
cause, in the very language of this Dcclara-
ton of Independence, they have erected a
multitude of new offices and sent hither Il
swarm of officers to harass our people and
eat out their substance, he would, in all
human probability, be dragged to prison ;
or if, in the indignant language of our
fathers, he should exclaim "they have af-
fected to render the military independent
of or superior to the civil power, they have
abolished the free system Of English laws,
and established therein an arbitrary govern
ment," for the offence Of asserting these
principles he would be tried and punished
by military tribunal. tGreat cheering.l
Having declared that the principles of the
Declaration of Independence should be
made living reality on every inch of
American soil they put in nomination a
military chieftain who stands at the head
of that system Of despotism that crushed
beneath its feet the greatest principle OF
the Declaration of Independence. lCheers.
To-day, in some States, it is held by mi
litary orders to be crime to speak out the
indignation and contempt which burn
within the bosoms Of patriotic men. If to-
morrow military order should be put forth
in that State where the ashes of Washing
ton are entombed that it should be an
offence to declare that the military should
ever be subordinate to the civil authority,
to speak out the sentiment that it was L
disgrace to our country to let hordcs OF
officials eat up the substance of the people,
he who uttered these words could be drag
ged to prison from the grave where lies the
remains of the author OF the DECLARATION OF
Independence. Loud cheers.


From this outrage there could be no ap-
peal to the courts, and the Republican can
didate for the Presidency has accepted n
position which makes the rights and hbcr-
ties of our people dependent upon his will.
fApplausel In view of these things, can
there be one man in this Convention who
can let personal ambition, passion, a
prejudice, turn him aside one hairs breadth
in his effort to wipe off the wrongs and
outraees which disgrace our country
[Cheers. Can there be one man whose heart
Is 30 dead to oil that is great and noble in pa
triotism that he will not gladly sacrifice all
other things for the sake Of his country, its
liberties, and its greatness Can we suffer
any prejudiccs growing out of past differ
ences of opinion to hinder us uniting now
with oil who will act with us to save our
country? [Cheers.l


We meet to-day to see what measures can
be taken to avert the dangers which
threaten our country, and to relieve it from
the evils and burthens resulting from bad
government and unwise counsels.


| thank God that the strife of arms has
ceased, and that once more in the great
conventions of our party we can call through
the whole roll of States and find men to
answer to each. .-


Time and events in the great cycles have
brought us to this spot to renew and rem
yigorate that constitutional government
which more than eighty years ago was in
augurated in this city. Loud cheers.l 1t
was here that George Washington-the first
President-swore to "preserve, protect,
and defend" the Constitution of these
United States. Cheers.l And here this
day we as solemnly pledge ourselves to
uphold the rights and liberties of the Anne
rican people. Then, as now, a great war
which had desolated our land had ceased.
Then; as now, there was in many patriotic