Year: 1864

Of the excellent Chairman Of the Nation
J al Committee. [ do not know that I
would be willing to go so far as; proba-
1 bly,, be would, but 1 cordially agree1with


him in this, / think, considering what


has been done about Slavery, taking the
thing as it now stands, overlooking alto
gether, either in way of condemnation or
approval any act that has brought us to


the point where we are; but believing in


my conscience and with all my heart that
what has brought us where we are in the
! matter of Slavery, is the original sin and
! folly of treason and Secession. Because
/ you remember that the Chicago Conven-
! tion itself was understood, and / believe
it virtually did explicitly state that they


would not touch Slavery in the States


Leaving it, therefore, altogether out of the
question how we came where we are on


that particular point, we are prepared to


go further than the original Republicans
themselves were prepared to 60. We are


prepared to demand not only that the whole


territory of the United States shall not be


made slave, but that the General Govern


ment of the American people shall do one


of two things, and it appears to me that
there is nothing else that can be done,


either to use the whole power of the Go
evernment, both war power and Speace
power, to put Slavery as nearly as possible


back where it was for although that will
be fearful state of society, it is better
than anarchy, or else to use the whole


power of the Government both of war


and peace and all the practical power
that the people of the United States viii


give them to exterminate aud extlnguish.
{ Prolonged applause. have no hesita-
tion in saying for myself that, if [ were a


Pro Slavery man, if believed this insti-
tuition was an ordinance Of God and was


given to man, [ would unhesitatingly join


those who demand that Government
should be put back where it was; but |
am not Pro Slavery man. | never was.
[ unite myself with those who believe it
is contrary to the brightest interests of
all men and of all government, contrary
to the spirit of the Christian religion, and
incompatible with the natural right of
man. | join myself with those who say,
away with it forever-(applause )-and [
fervently pray God that the day may
come when throughout the whole land
every man may be as free as you are,
and as capable of enjoying regulated lib
erty. [ will not detain you any longer.
One single word you will allow me to say
in behalf Of the State from which [ come,
one Of the smallest of the thousands of
Israel, We know very we'll that our ele-
ven votes are of no consequence in the
Presidential election; we know very well
that in our present unhappy condition It
is by no means certain that we are here
to-day representing the party that will
carry the majority Of tie votes in that
unhappy State. | know very well that
sentiments which / am uttering will
cause me great odium IN the State, in
which was born, which [ love, where
the bones of two generations of my an
cestors and seme Of my children are, and
where, very soon, [ shall lay my own. |
know very well that my colleagues will
incur odium if they indorse what / say;
ard they, too, know it, But we have,
put our faces toward the way In which
we intend to go, and we will go in it to.
the end. IF I'VE are to perish, we will
perish in that way All | have to say to
you is, help us if you can; if you cannot,
believe in your hearts that we have died
like men. applause 81


As soon as quiet was obtained, Mr.,
Dennison addressed the Con7ertion as
follows:


I thank you for the honor you have
conferred upon me, and while [ will bring
to the discharge of the duties of the chair
little experience in parliamentary rules,
it will be my pleasure as we'll as nay duty
to spare no effort in contributing to the
extent of my ability to the facilitating of
the business of the Conyention, and Sc
curing such results from your delibera-.
tons as will meet the. loyal expectations
Of the country. We meet here as repre-
sentatives of the true friends of the Gov
ernment and of impartial liberty, of that
large portion of the people, who gratefully
appreciate the unmatched blessings which
flow from our institutions well admins
tered, and reject every form of human
enslavement not in punishment OF crime as
no less incompatible with the rights of
humanity than with the genius and peace
full workings of Republican Government.
In no sense do we meet as members or
representatives of either Of the old politi-
cal parties which bound the people, or as
the champions Of any principle or doe
trine peculiar to either. The extraordi-
nary condition Of the country since the
outbreak of the Rebellion, has from ne
cessity taken frorf the issues of these par
ties their partial significance artf COM
PEELED the formation of substantially new
political organizations; hence the origin
Of the Union party, if party it can be
called, Of which this Convention is, for
the purpose of its assembling the accred-
tied representatives, and the only test of
membership in which is an unreserved
unconditional LOYALTY to the Government