Year: 1868




CALLED TO ORDER BY GOV. WARD.
Governor Ward, on taking the
chair said.


DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL Con-
vENTIoN OF THE UNION REPUBLICAN
PARTY: You have assembled at
the call of the National Committee
to nominate its standard bearers for
the ensuing campaign, to declare
your answering attachment to
Union and liberty, and to pledge
that you will take no step backward
in the work of reconstructing the
rebel States, and re- establishing the
Union. Applause. You are here
to bear witness that the war SO gal
lantly and gloriously waged for the
life of the nation was not failure.


You are here to point to a Re-
public, boundless in extent and re-
sources, guarded and protected by
one common flag, and upheld by a
patriotic and loyal people. Ap-
plause, An emaneipated race has
been lifted from the debasement of
slavery, and to-day, with the Union
men of the South, reorganizes in
the name of liberty the Govern
ments and institutions of the rebel
lious States, The history Of the
Republican party is a record of the
true progress Of our nation. It has
successfully met and conquered all
those hostile parties represented by
the effete ideas of the past, and 1t
must now determine to vindicate
anew its resources and its policy by
the wisdom and courage which plans
and the determination and labor
which organizes victory. 81


In this spirit you are here assem-
bled to perform the responsible du-
ties assigned you, and doubt not
your action will meet the approval
of the vast constituency you repre-
sent. The nation understands that
neither armed treason nor political
treachery can arrest the triumph of
our cause and the success Of our
candidates. Loud applause. If,
as indicated by. the unanimity of
feeling which prevails, you shall
designate as our leader the great
captain of the age! great applause
whose brilliant achievements in the
field have been equalled by his wis
dom in the Cabinet applause =
the nation will greet it as the pre-
cursor of victory to our cause and
Of peace to the Republic. Loud
applause. III


Bishop Simpson then offered up
prayer, invoked Divine blessing,
asked that the spirit of harmony
might prevail in the councils of the
Convention. that it may reach such
results as shall lead to the prosper
ity, perpetuity and glory Of our be-
loved county. ....


The Chairman, by direction of
the National Committee, nominated
Carl Schurz, of Missouri, Temporal
ry Chairman of the Convention. The
vote was unanimous.


Lyman Tremaine, Of New York,
and Richard W. Thompson, of In
diana, waited upon that gentleman
to the chair. Presented to the Con-
vention by the Chairman, Mr.
Schurz said


SPEECH BY CARL sCHURZ.


GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION !:
1t is difficult for me to express how
highly 1 appreciate the honor you
have conferred upon me by this ap-
pointment. You will permit me to
offer you my sincere thanks. This
is the fourth National Convention
of the Republican party. The short
career of that party has been mark
ed by events to which coming gen
erations will point with pride, ad.
miration and gratitude


The Republican party was born,
and in its very infancy it grappled
with the prejudice Of race, which,
until then, seemed to be omnipo-
tent with the masses of the Ameri-
can people. Our second onset
broke through that and carried
Abraham Lincoln into the Execu-
tive chair of this Republic, as the
great champion of the anti slave
cause. Then came the slave hold
ers' rebellion, and the loyal people
of this country displayed a heroism,
devotion and perseverance under
distractions and defeat which NAV
serve as a glorious example to all
nations on earth. Applause.


The result of the, struggle CORE
sponded with the great effort. The
life of the nation has been saved,
the dark blot of slavery has been
wiped from our national escutcheon.
Four millions of bondmen have
been raised from the dust, and from
their ancient degradation. and this
day these States, the peculiar con
dition of which were but recently a
disgrace to the American name, re-
turn to US under the national ban
ner, which is at last, as it ought to
have been, great national emblem
of justice, universal liberty and equal
rights. -5 g..-


All these things have been accom-
plished, under Republican auspices,
and without indulging in vain, self
glorifcation, it may be said, the his
tory of the Republican party is
closely identified with the noblest
achievements of this century. But
new problems equally great are now
before us.


We have to secure the results
which have already been accomplish
ed, and to prevent unfavorable reac-
ton, we have to adapt the institu
tions Of this country to the new
order of. things. The solution OF
this problem will require greater
enthusiasm, greater devotion and
greater perseverance than the strug