Year: 1866

loyalty was unquestioned. The recent
rebel mob in New Orleans which dispersed
and with premeditation murdered mem.
bers of this very Convention, is the legiti-
mate fruits Of their criminal injustice and
stupid folly. Had the colored soldiers of
Louisiana been clothed by tho new State
Government with tho power of the ballot,
there would have been no such mob to
commit the atrocities which 30 recently
disgraced that State.


The members of the Convention knew in
1864, as all the world knew, that there were
not moro than 5000 or 5000 loyal white
voters in the State; they knew there were
10000 whith voters who were disloyal;
they also knew that there was an equal
number of tried aud true men of color who
wcre loyal beyond question, aud yet they
madly persisted inputting the government
of the State into the hands of the enemies
of the Union. Never was such induce.
ments held out to men to deal justly with
any race. Sell-interest and patri otism alike
demanded it, and yet they trampled upon
justice, bound the loyal whites aud blacks
OF the State hand and foot, and surrendered
all to the tender mercy of the rebel ma
jority. Search the history of all nations
aud you will no where find such criminal
stupidity; such objectionable blindness.
~ 10 WITHOUT pdIai'el anu WlthOut
shadow.


The rebellion had been crusNed Slavery
with all its assumed constitutional guaran.
tees has been buEned up in the lurid
flames of civil war. A new life had
been breathod into a dying Nation by
the death of half a million of its sons, and
it only remained fer the loyal men of Louis
lana and of the late rebel States to lay
broad and deep the foundations of their
reconstructed State Governments in order
that the fair structure of our National
Government should secure more of human
happiness than any Government ever es.
tablished by the agency of men. The
golden moment WAS lost--an opportunity
which comes to man but once in centuries
was rejected, aud God has permitted the
terrible retribution which has followed
THE Nation or people which does not
rule in righteousness shall perish from the
earth" This is Gods Justice also.


Mr.. President, in the grand march
which as nation, we have made tow6rd
freedom and unity we have learned that
| justice aud liberty are inseparable. We
have learned that policy is the right arm of
despotism. Justice is the ideal of the true
Statesman. Policy is the constant aim oil
| the politician. Shall Justice or policy
guide the future of the Union partyH The
Republican aud Union party have accom-
piished much, and l have high hopes aud
expectations for it in the future. What
ever may have been its shortcomings,
you know, and | know, that this great
party has done more for the cause of human
! freedom and the rights of mankind in this
country and in Europe than all parties
which have ever existed. As party it
has in its ranks the great body of intelli
| gent, Christian men of the nation, and its
purposes and aims are the grandest of any
party which ever swayed the destinies of a
| great people.


From the liberal convention a. Pittsburg
in the winter of 1855 and So there went
forth voice which has shaped tho destiny
OF the Republic. From the nepubltCan,
more than any other party which has ever
been organized, went forth those great
| IDEAS which in this country, and among all
enlightened people, have done SO much to
control and direct the march of human
| thought From it went forth the sublime
announcement-that human slavery was a
crime ard that all men were Cf right equal
before tho lawl From II went forth the
demand that Justice, impartial aud universal,
should be the law for all tie races aud
generations of men. The principles thus
announced commend themselves TO the
hearts and consciences of all right thinking
men and have faith to believe that they
will soon become the creed not only Of all
parties but all nations.


Wherever people are struggling for
human rights and against oppression,
whether it be in our own country, in Mex,
leo, in ireland, or in any land beneath the
sun, there will go out the sympathy of thus
| great aud magnanimOus party, and they
will espouse and defend the cause of the
| oppressed of every country and race, until
tile sublime principles to which it is
| pledged shall be received and accepted as
the authoritative voice of the people.


Mr.. President, this Convention will not
expect me to say anything to-day IN defence
Of or apology for my votes in Congress.
The repeated endorsement which the loyal
men OF the District have given me. is the
best evidence can have that my course in
Congress is approved by the great body of
men whom, for eight years, havo labored
faithfully to represent.


l have record of which l am not
ashamed. My name is hOnOrably associ.
ated with some measures which will live
long after am gone, while | am sure it ia
dshonorably connected with none. This
record may be found in the Congressional
7 Globe. copies of which are in every
county in this District. If any man does
not approve that record, let him vote
against me- No man need be in doubt as
to where stand. No rebel or rebel sym
pathi2er will ever vote for me. They
know | will not represent them. Even
my personal and political opponents con-
cede my fidelity TO the principles of
the Union party. Both at home and in Con
gress have defended and voted to main
tain them, without concealment and without
compromise. | have labored to maintain
them when defeat appeared certain, and
when silence or evasion seemed to promise
success. | did 80 because | have always
believed that when man was laboring to
better the condition and secure the happi-
ness Of others, he was doing most for himself
Not in money getting or in securing false
fame. but doing more for himself in that
which enlarges the heart, expands the in
tellect and ennobles human character.


As your Representative, in matters
purely of local character, have regarded
myself as the retained attorney of all the
people of the District, of whatever party,
and have felt it to be my duty to keep my
self in such personal relations with each
Department Of the GOvernment, however


much might differ with them, as would
enable me to discharge my duty promptly
and advantageously to ali.


Mr.. President | have read the, resolu.
tions, which understand the Committee
are prepared to report TO the Convention
and approve and indorse them. With this
platform | will go to the people. The State