Year: 1867

convention Of the Democratic party which
expounds its creed, administers its disci-
pllne and sits In judgment upon the claims
OF asplrants for its confidence and support,
Is indeed an august body. | congratulate
you that we have again met together on this
day. 1t is sacred by all its associations, to
patriotism and democracy. 1t is the omen
of coming glory. | trust our work will
prove worthy of both. Our party main
talns sound doctrine, we steadfastly believe
Sound doctrine in administration is essen
tial to all good government. Thus the
cause of our party and the cause of our
country are identical; and every earnest eff
fort to purify the tenetS and lnvlgorate the
councils and secure the success of the one
fultills the demands of patriotic duty to the
other. It is in this spirit, and acting on
this belief that we have chosen for the per-
formance of our highest party duty that
day whose recurrence more than my other
since the adoption of the Federal Constitu-
ton eXcites the patriotic enthusiasm of our
Western men. Let US catch from its mem
ories an inspiration of that patience and de-
termination and courage and patriotism
whose glorious illustration has made this
day immortal. The exigencies of our coun-
try demands these qualities. The posses
sion of the mouth of the Mississippi
control of all the trade of the northwest,
was the prize Of the contest. General
jackson was shut up in New Orleans-he
had his undsclpllned troops, his new levies,
and his unarmed recruits The right bank
Of the river commanded his position. His
batteries there were small and freely man
ned. He had open enemies and secret
spies in the city. The enemy advanced to
attack him. They had secured foothold
in Florida. They had met with success on
the coast. They were the veterans on the
Peninsula. They had been trained under
the eye Of Wellington. They had construct
ed the lines Of Torres Vearas. They had
stormed Cindad, Rodrigo, and Badajoz.- =
They had won the splendid triumph Of Wit
toria. The batteries on the river were ta-
ken-the right of the army was giving way.


1t was not the canal on which the line was
formed it was not the rampant of cotton
bales-but it was the patience and courage
and patriotic ardor, inspired by the dapnt-
less spirit Of their matchless chief which re-
trleyed the day and secured the victory. :
DO we not need the same spirit now? For
seventy years our government has secured
the object Of its formation The States
have performed their allotted functions. =
They existed as self governing colonies al


most from the settlement Of the continent
They became sovereign States at the declar-
alton Of independence. The States formed
the confederation. The States carried on
the revolutionary war The States formed
the Constitution. The States ratified it,
The States created the Union. The States
upheld the mighty arm of Washington
The States saved the government in 1900.
The States fought the war of 1872 The
States rescued the government from the
dangers of Hartford Conventonism. The
States sent volunteers to Mexico. Ave, and
in this great civil war the States enabled
the federal government to overcome the
armies of the confederates, and to maintain
its supremacy over every foot of its terrific
ry. The States have been at once the main
strength of the federal government and the
guardians and guarantee Of personal liber
ty Ii their organizations have given them
power to harm, SO also have they given
them power for good and at every period
of our history has this power vindicated the
rightfulness Of its existence and the wisdom
Of those who left it to the States untouch-
ed. But now bold, persistent, audacous
attempt is made to wrest it from the States,
and to change the spirit and form of the
government. The pretext is that the ordi


nance of secession destroyed the Union, and
that it must be reconstructed. The meth
Cd is the constitutional amendment. The
appliances are the denial of representation
to the Southern States, and, if necessary,
their reduction to the condition of Terrific
rles. The real purpose is the consolidation
of the government and the substitution of
an irresponsible, unbridled majority, which
the Radicals expect to hold for ever because
they happen to hold in now.


Constitutional Amendment will not
detain you with an analysis Of its provisions.


You know them we'll 1t wrests from the
State the power to define and protect the
rights of its own people. 1t peryerts the
rule Of representation. 1t DEGREES and en-
forces punishments enacted after the deed
has been committed. 1t sacrifices great
and paramount interests to the desire Of re-
venge and to temporary party ascendency.
1t subverts institutions which are benefi-
cent and stable thatit may enforce a rule of
suffrage not yet adopted at the North,
whose chief recommendation is that it is
utterly abhorrent to the people of the
South. The demands Of twenty States,
the surrender Of powers which are dear to
them, in order that it may deprive ten 9th
er States OF the same powers Why?
Constitutional guarantees against another
rebellion !! What guarantee do these
provisions afford? Will any man pretend
it? How does it prevent a recurrence of
secession by the States that the rule of rep
resentation in Congress is changed, or that
Congress defines and protects the people {?
The Democratic party has always maintain
ed the rights Of the States as essential to
the maintenance of the Union The great
founder of our organization, and apostle of
our creed, Thomas Jefferson, proclaimed it
in his first inaugural address. The supre-
macy of the Constitution, and all laws
made in pursuance hereof; The reservation
of all powers not granted to Congress
these are tho essential elements of our faith,
and to these we have adhered with unfal-
tering fidelity. Shall we adhere to them
still, or shall we now abandon them for the
profered experiment Of consolidation?


We are in the midst Of revolution Rad
ical ideas carried into execution by la4less
means-the anchorage of public opinion
everywhere given away-our opponents in
power in the States and in Congress; and
everywhere using that power to subvert the
Constitution, to exclude States from their
representation, to break up their social sys-
tenn, to foment discord and disorder In their