Year: 1864

Gentlemen ofhe Coarentl0a-You cannot be
mole sensible than | am, that the part which i
have to perform here to-day is merely a matter OF
form. and acting upon the principles OF my whole
life, was Inclined, when the suggestion was made
TO me ffom various quarter that 1t WAS IN the
minds of many members Of the Convention to con-
fer this distinction upon me, to earnestly decline
to accept; because | have never sought honors-I
have never sought distinction. | have been a
working man, and nothing else. But certain con
sderations led me to change my mind. Applause. I


There Is 4 class of men in the country far too
small for the good of the country-those men, who
merely by their example, by their pen, by their
voice, try to do good-and all the more Ill perious
tmes-with0ut regard eto the reward that may
come. 1t was given to many such men TO under
stand by the distinction conferred upon one of the
humblest of their class that they were men whom
the country would cherish and who would not be
forgotten.


Here is another motive relative to yourselves
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 to cherish all generous i'm
pulses, to follow all noble instincts; and there are
none more noble none more generous than to purge
yourselves of all selfseekers and betrayers and to
confer them, if it be only in mere forms, upon
those who are worthy to be trusted, and ask moth
ing more Applause. Now according to my
convictions of ofpropriety, having said this / should
say nothing more. (Cries of '.go on


But it has been intimated to me from many
quarters, and in way in which cannot disregard,
that should dlsappolnt the wishes of my friends,
and perhaps the just expectations of the Conven-
tion if did not as briefly, and yet as precisely as
| could, say somewhat upon the the great matters
which have brought us here Therefore in very
few words. and rs plainly as | can, viii endeavOr
to draw your attention to and another of these
great matters in which we are all engaged.


In the first place, nothing can be more plain
fba fbatt- fl,a
tives OF a great nation-Yoluntary representatives
chosen without torm OF law, but as really repre-
senting the feelings, the principles, and If you
choose, the prejudices of the American people, as
if it were written 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 great crisis, Is just as certain
suppose to become that ruler as anything under
heaven is certain before it is done. prolonged
cheering.) And, moreover, you will allow me to
sly, though perhaps it is hardly strictly proper
that shouldn't as far as know your opinions
suppose 1t is just certain now before you utter
it whose name you will utter, and which viii be
responded to from end to the other of this ma
tion as it will be after it has been uttered and
corded by your Secretary. Does any man doubt
that this Convention intends TO say that Abraham
Lincoln shall be the nominee? (Great applause
What / wish, however, to call your attention to is
the grandeur of the mission upon which you are
met, ana therefore the dignity anu SOennlIy, ear
nestness and conscientiousness with which, repre-
sentng one of the greatest and certainly one Of the
first people Of the world, you ought to discharged
these duties. (Applause,)


Now, besides the nomination OF President and
Vice President, IN regard to which second Office
viii say nothing, because there is more or less diff
ference of opinion among you; but, besides these
nominations, YOU haye other most solemn duties
to perform. You have to organize this party
thoroughly throughout the United States You
have to put it in whatever form your wisdom will
suggest that viii unite all your wisdom energy
and determination to gain theYictory which [ have
already said wasin our power. More than that
you have to lay down with clearness 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 we succeed Plainly, moi
| in double sense-briefy, not in a treatise, Will
the dignity and precision Of a great people to ut


ter by its representatives the political principles
/ by which they intend to live, and for the sake O.
! which they are willing to die. See that all lner
everywhere may understand precisely what ",


mean, aud lay that furrow SO deeply and clearly
| that while every mans who is worthy to asseciat,
4 with freemen may see it and pass over il, ever


man who is unworthy may be either unable to pas
/ it or may be driven,faE fronl-us We want .aoul
but those who are like us to be with Us. tAp
plause.l