The Chicago Convention

Chicago, August S9th, 18G4. At 12 o'clock, hoon, to day, the Natioual Democratie Convention was callee! to order by Hon. A. Eclmont, Ohairman oí the National Deiiioci-utio Coinniittee, ivho spokc na follows : Gentlemen of the Oonvenlion - Wo are assemblee! bero íc-day as the National Democratie Convention, under the cali of Iho Democratie National Comrnitteo, for tho purposo of nomina ting candidates for tho Preíidoncy and vice-Presidency. The task is atany time a most diíHcult and arduous one. Never sinee the formation of our goverüüient has thero been an assemblage, the proeeodings of which, wero fraught with more momentous and vital rsults than thoso whiuh must flow írom youi' action hore. Towards you. gen tlomen, are dirceted at this moment, the anxious fé'ors and douhta not only of millions of Americana, but also of every lover of civil liberty Ihroughout the vvorld. In your hands resta, under the ruling ol Aü-vviso Providence, the future of this ropubliu. Four yars oí misrule by s. seetionul, ianatical, and corrupt pai'ty has brought our eöunti'y to the very verge of ruin. The past and present are sofllcient guáranteos for the disastrous conseqnenccs which would bofifli us if Mr. Lincoln's reelection shouid bo made possiblo by our want of patrioiism and nnity. The inevitable result of such ,a calamity must be the utter disintogration of our whole po-Htietil and social systom, amld bloodsbed and anarchy, witn l;e greal probloms of liberal progress and self-grtvornment, jeopardizod for gonorations to como. The American pooplc have at last awakened to the convio'.ion that n chungo of' íidiniuistration can alono stay our downwavd course, and they will rush to tho support of your eandidate and platform, provided you Wíl] offer for their eufírages, a triod patriot svho has proved his devotion to the Union aod ConEtitution .; and provided you pledge hiai and yourselvesto mnintain their hollowod importante by every efíort and sacrifice in our power. Let us, at tho very outset of our proeoeding!", bear n mind that tho dissensioim oí t h-o last National Democratie Convention wei ó otva of the pi-jiwipal caunes which g:ve the reins oí govern-' ment n:to the handri of our opponent, and iet us not ftiH egain iuto the sarne fatal error. We must bring to the altar of our country tho snciifiee of our prejudiee and opinions, the moment they threaten the harmony so indispensable to our success. We are not liere as war detnocrats, nor as peaco demoeiats, bot as citizens of thirj great republic, which we wil! trivo and labor to the last In brina; buk to its former greatness ai-.d prospeiity, wilhout one single Btar taken irom the brilliant constellaion that oneo encireled its youthful brow, and let puro and disintorested paW'iotism bu temj" orcd by moderation und forboarance, and under the blöaèings of the Union, the Constitución and th! laws must prevail over í'anatieísin and treason. Mr. Belmont waa outhusiasticallv applauded during the delivery of his speech . Ciiioaoo, August 21. At the close of Mr. Belrnont's reraarks, bc nominated ex GoYornor Iiiglcr, of Peunsylvania, for temporary Prciidout., whic-li inotion was oarned unannmous'ly. W'hen tho clicere which groetod Governor Bigltr subsickod, he said : "GentlcHien of the convenlion, I am greatly honored in your He'lecüon of inydolf to prtwside over tho proliminary d-f.liberations of this democratie body. My acknowledgmerr.s for tho high coui.plimeut, and for the kind greotings jast extended to me by (.bic vaat coneourse of my, fellftw-cit'zenh, will be best tnanifcateil by a proper discharge of i hu duües ol' Ihe jiOKhion to whie-h you have eafted j inu. Jt is not expeeted, nor would it bö bc fitting in ono assumitig iha mere tempcrary pvosideney of tho' Coi tion, thiit he shoijld enter apon any genera] disenssion of' lbo inanv topics stiggested by the unhappy condition of' our country. A brief alluMon to the occasion aña purposes of our nssom blage ie al] that jirill be ueetesary. No s'i.ii];:r boily ( ver assembled in Arr.enica with mightier objeots bcfore it, oi' to which Fuch a vast proportion of the American people looked with such profuuml eolicitude for mëasures to promott: tbc wej'faro of the coiüitry and ndvance ijieir individual l)appin)8s The terrniuutioQ of democratie rule in this was t':e end of peaceful reLtions b,i tween the Ktates and the people. The elevation of a seeiioual party to iiuthorily at Washington was the cuhninntiön of ii long inten-ded nnd acritnonious war of crirmhntiop aud ve I crimiuation bet'ween extreme men at I tlie North nnd South, and was prorr ptly foilowed by dissoiution nnd civil war, and in lbo progress of ihat war, even the bulwarks of civil libeity l.nvo been lïiiperilL'd, and the. whole fabiio bruugrit'ïo' the vury vérge of cüs.-o!ution, and nq'w al, the end o! more tba:i three years of war unparnlleled in modern times, for i's magnitude, and for its barbarous desolations ; after moro than two millions of nj(;n have been called into the field on our side alone; after the land has been literal] y drencbed in it ntertial blood and wailings and la nientaiiomi tiro in every corner of our coinmon country, the hopos of Ibe Union, and our cherished object, are in no wise ii.ipmved. The men now in authiirity, through a feud whieh they have long maintained with violent nnd unwise men at the South, bccanse of a blii.d fannlicism about an institution in fiomc of the States, in relation to hicb thcy have no duties to perform, and no rt'pponsibi'ities to bèiar, are worthles.s and incapnble of adopiing the proper means to roscuo our countrv, our whole councry. from its present lamentable popiliÓTi. 'J'hen gent'emen, the next indcspensaUl-j fc the accomplishment tú' this great work is the overthrow, by the ballot, of the present Administraron, and tho inanguratioii of anothor in its stond, v.hich will wisely and'zealously, bui temperak-iy r.nJ jd'Stly wicld the power of the govornment to bring about n speedy settlement of our na 'iona! trouble?, acc:rding to the prin ciples of the constitution, and on terms honorable and just to all sections. North and South, Bast and West, and which wil] stand unfalteringly by civil and religions liberty, which, instead of relying solely on its peculiar dogmas nnd doctrines, and the ravages of tb. o sword, wil.1 refer tho natión s troubles to the poople - the founlain of politieal authority - and to the States, under the forms of tho Constitution, one of which will have no condition precedent to the restorntion of the TTnion, but which will öeek that result, personal peace arnong tho people. Gentlemen - We have been commis sioned by the pcople to come here to initiate steps to aceomplish these great objects, to select an agent and the agencies in this g-ood work. That (he task will bc well performe, I have urifaliering fuith, nnd thnttho people, and thnt God mny bless these means to the desired end, is my earnest prayer. Tlic ceremonies then were openod by prayer, by ReV Mr. Clarkson, of' the Protestant Episcopal church. After appointing coinmittees on credentials, permanent orgaüiz.ition, and resolutions, and transacting otiier preliniinary busincs.-!, the convontion -ad journcd uatil Tuesday moruing. tuesday's session. Tíhi eonvention convencd on Tuesday morning nt 10 o' clock. The committee on permanent organ ization reported, and Ilon. Hokatio Seïmouh, of New York, was elected President. On taking tl:e chair, Governor Seyiriour spoke as iollows : Gi:ntlkmi: or the Convevhox - I cannot forecast the rosolntions and actious of this conventioiijbut I can say that every .. mernber of it loves the Union, desires peace, and wil] uphld Oonstitutional freedom. While the resolutions and actions of this convention are of' the utmost import fin e o, thovo aro reasnns wby tho democratie party should bo restored to power and they are groat reasons. Tho democratie party wül restore the Union l)eeause it longs-for i'a restoration; it will bring peacc because t loves peace. It will bring liberty to our land because it loves iiberiy. Ifc will put down despotisrn because it bates the ignoble tyranny whioh now degrades the American people. Four years ago, a convention mt:t in this city, whf n our country was peaceful and pvopporous and united. lis ueleg.ites (lid not mean lo destroy our govcr;imei:t, nor to load us with debt, or deluijo us with blood ; but thev were uuitod by intolerancc and fanaticism, and blinded bv an ignorance of tiie spirit of our institutions, the cbaraoter of our peoplo, tliü cciistiitition of our land. They thought they might safeiy indulge their passions, and they concludf d tu do s o. They would not heed the wnrning of theii' f;ithers, and they did not uonsidor that tnedd'ing be gets strifo. Their paesions have wrouglit out theír natural result. They were compelled to refuse all méasures of cempromiie, step by step, and ihey have marchcd on to the rcsults v, hich at the outset t'i)(-}T would have shrank from wilh horror. Even now, wben war bas desolatcd our land, bas laid its lieavy burdens upon labor, and when bankruptcy and ruin overhang us, they. will not have the Union restoied upen öondition- known to o'ir eonftitu'ion. They ill nrt iet tiie t-hedding of blood cease oven for a little time to seo if Christian charitv or the wiso wisdom of 8tntesmapship mny not work out a method to enve our country, Nny, more than tlii.i, thcy will net listen to a proposiil for penco which does not oIkt thnt wliieh this government lïftB no right lo a.sk. TbH ubrrinisti . cannot now have t!.: Uni in '[l' ;- '"";-1 i II has !y lts procinmatiïm, ly vindictivtj lo:;i.-liU:on. and liy displays of hate and piassion, placed obsticles in its own pathway whioh it cntl not overeóme : it bas humpered ils own freedom of aation by unconstitiitiounlities. It r-an not bo said that the hiilure of its polic'f is doe to the want of courage and devotion on the part of our armies. Never in the history of the world have Bo'diers given up their lives more freely, thaa have those of the armies which have battled for the flag of mir Upion in the Southern States. The wörïd will hold that tiioy havo dono all ihat arms can do, and har! wisestatesmanship Rccured the frw's of their wtories to d:iy, lliero would have been peaeo in ttfiï land ; but while our Boldiers have de-perately stnigglcd to curry our ban n ere southwaad to the Gulf of Mexico, even now the goveniüjeat declares, in llie edict of. ;i General, that rebellious diocoftUwt has worked northwurds to the Rhores of the gieat lakei. Tho guaVaïitéed ri'gtil of the people has been trampled under loot, to tho very borders oi Ganada, so that American pervitude is put in bold contrast with Briiish liberty. This ndministration thu declares to the world that it has no faith in the prople of the StBteí, whose votes placed it in power, it also admita, by such an edic', that these people have 110 faith in this administration W lulo those in power, without remorse sacrifico the blood aud treasure of our pcople, thoy will not give up their own passions lor tho public good. This Union is not beid asuuder by military ambition. If our politica! troubles could be referred to tbc peace ful nrbitramont of the eontending srmies n the field, our Union would ro.■-tored. The right of States would be guaranteed, the sacredness of homes and persons bo agnia respected, and an insulted judieiary wontj again ndminister tho laws of the land. Let not the ruin of our country be charged to our soldiere. It is not duo to' their teaehings or fanatiefcm. In iny con stant official intercourse with them, I have oever heard uüered one sentiment of batrefl towards the peopïe of the South. Boyond all men they value tlie blessings (f peace nnr] the virtues oí mercy, of gentleness and of charily ; wLüe rnany vrh'o st'iy at home cry havoc, and demnnd iliat no mevcy phall bo shown. The bigntry ot iuaatics and the intrigues of p'.acorr.en have made the bloody pages of the history of the ast three yéars. It was a soldier upon wliom our Savior bestowed his ouly commendütion; and vvhen l:o hung upon tho citifs, when priests and Pharisees rnoaked his Piiffpr.iñgs, a soldier, alone, discovèred His diviniiy, when bo heard him pour forth a prayer for inercv and forgiveness for the author of his suffenngs. The Administration cannot sive this Union, We care not wheUier Mr Lincoln values many things ubove tho Union. We put it the first of all. He thinks a proclamaron worth more than pence. We thi.qk the blood of our pèop'le more precious than the edict ( f the'PrVvdtnt. Tliere are no hindrances in our pathway to Union and peaèè. Wc de mand hú condföona for the restoration of our Uniou. We are shockod with no hates, no pejiidices, no passions. We wish ior fraternal fi-imdship yith the porijüu of the South. 'Wedemand for them what we ask for oursulve.- - the in reeognition of the ïight of Stiltes. We mean that every star pn onr naïion's bAnn'.r shaij shino with an '■(-:;ii lustre. In the c'imina; elfction men must decide with whioh ot the two pui ties, into which our people are divided, they wil! aef. If they wisÉ fór Union they will act v.ilh 'that party whiuh does now and ulways did oye and reverenee them. In a dem.ind for peace they will act wijtit tllWo w'Ko fought to avfert this war, and now aiui to res ore good will and harrrony nmong all sections of our country, among all clasfios for the sacredness of their homes. Tbey wiil net wkh thoro cflro stfKd up to resist arbitrarv arrests, despo'ie legisistion, and the overthrow of the jüdicary. If, upon th other hand, they ara vvilling to continue the present policycf government and condition of fifiarrs, let them act with that organization whieh made tho present coudiáon of oer country, and there are many good men who will be ied to do this by their passions nnd prejudieeg, and Our land swarms trith placeinen vvho wil' hold upon power and plunder with deadly grasp ; but as for us we aro resolved that the party whiuh has made tho hi.-.tory of our country, since thoir advent to power, seom like some uncalural dream, sball be iramediately overthrowti. Four j'oars ago it had its bit'th upon. this spot. Let us see by our action that it will dio here, v, here it was born. We desire union and peace - the administraliou deny lio unión and peace, for thpy deinar.d conditions and exact a price whieh they know wcll will prolong the war; and war unduly prolouged, becomes disuuion. AViso statemanship eau now bring this war to a close upon the terms aolemnly set forth by the (loverument at the outset of the contest. We are battling for the rights of those vho belong to all politieaj organizations. We mean that tho right of spcedi shall be uni;!ipair3d; although that right rnay bo nsed to denounee us. We intend that tiie rights of conscionce shall bo protected, although mistaken views of duty may turn the temples of religión into theatres for partisan deuuueiatioü. We mean that homo rights and the nacredness of the üreside shall bc respected by thoso in authority, co inatior what political views mat be held by those who sit beDcatli tlieir roof trees. When the J)emocratio party ehall have gaincd power, we ehall not be ress but more tcnacious upon those subjects. We have borne much, bacause thoso who are now charged with the conduct of public affirrs know but 'littlo abcut the principlea of our Government. We were unwilling to px-eseut an appearanee of factious oppositifni, but when wc shall havo gnined power, that official who shall viólate one principie of law, one Ringle right of tho humblest man in tho land shall bo punished by the full rigor of the law, it matters not if he sits a tlia l'r.Gsidential ch;ür. or holde offloo uuèev tír goníurtfmout. ■■■ III I ■! 1WI I i II !■■!■ lililí f I' We liave liad upon tLig floor a touch. ing and significant proof of the folly oí thia nduiinistration, which has driveu from its support those upon whoin thej chiofiy leaned at the outset of the rebel lion ; then'their hopes, eveu their oivi personal safety, were upon the nobli men in the border States, who, undei circumstancea the most trjing, severci fumily lelationship and ancient associa tions to uphold the fhig of the countrj Many of these inen are now mcrnber, of thia convoiition. They boar itnprcsscd on their countenanco, and manifest ii their presenee the high and generoui purpose which animates them ; and ve it ia true. and, great God it should bi true, thcy are slung wifh theseuse of in jusHce and ingratitude of low and un. worthy men, who have insultcd and ruined them and their families, an trampled on their TÍghts by vindictiti Icíírislation, and through tho agency ol miserable and dishonored subordiuates. Gentlemen, I do trust lliat our pro. ccedings here will bo marked by har. mony. I do carnestly believo tbat wt shall be animated by the greatnessol this occisión. In all probability tlic fature destiüy of our country Langs upon our aetion. Let this consideration in. spirc us with a spirit of harmouy. God of our fathers, bless ns now. Lift us up above all personal considerations, witli a just idea of the great responsibilitioi which rest upon us, and give again to onr láncls its Union, its peace, and iti liberty. Loud and erithusiasfic applnnse greet ed Gov. Seymour íis be coneluded hú fpeech. THE PLATFORM. The foltowing resokitionR reportecí by the commitie wero unanimously adopíedi Resolved, That in the future and ín tbe past, we wil) adhere with unswerving fidelity to the Union the Coastitution as the oiily soüd foundation for oui' strength security, nnd huppiness, as a people, and as n frame work of governmant cqualiy eondacive to tlie welfare and pospeiity of -M the Statrs, botb Northern and Sontliern. Resol sed, That fhis convention doek explicilly declare, as the sense of the A?nevican people, th it after four years of failure to restore the Union by the erperimeut of war, during whioh, uncler th pretence of a iniütury nccessity, or war power, higher tban the Oonstitution, tbe Uonstitution itself has been disregarded ia evcry part; public liberty and private lig' t, alike trodJeu down, and the oonditioA of tha country matorially impaircd ; justiee, liberty, Luraanity and the public welfare demand tbat inmediato i.'fforls bo made for a eessation of hostilitie?, wiih a view to an ultimsl eonventiou of all the States or otter peneeful iaea:is, to the end that at the eurliest practicable motnent, peace may be rcs"o ed on the ba&i of the Federal Union of the States. Resolved, That tho direct interference of the military authority of the United States in the veceüt eleetions LelJ in Keotueky, Maryliincl, Missouri, and Delawaro, v?as a shamcful violatioo of the Constitution, fiud such acts in tho approachiug eleeüoi will ba held as revolutionary and resisted with all the uieans and power under our control. Resolved, That the aim and object of the Democratie party is to preserve tin Federal Union and tho rights of tbe the States uiiimpairod ; and tliey bereby dec-lare that thoy enns-idor the administrativo usarpetion of' extruonünary ana daiigerous powers not granted by the Constitution : tho subversión of the civil by military nrrcnt., mprbonment, tria!, and sontencu nf American citizens in States, where civil taw exists in füil force; tho siippression of freedora of speech, and of tue piess; the denial o{ the rig'it of asyluiü; the opeu aud avowed dl-írogárd of. St:Ue ritffate; tbe employinent of unusual test-oathe, and the inicrferoi:ce with, and denial of tha people to Uear anas, as ealeuïsUa to prevent a restoration of the 'Union, and the perpeluation of a goverument dcriving its just power.s fro:a the eonsent of the governed. Resolved, That the sharacful disregari of thü administrution to its duiy to wit fellow-citlzens, who are now, and loDg have been prisoners of war in a sufferiog coadition, drserves the eeverest reprobition on the soore alike of public and coumou humanitfy. Resolved That tho syrnpathy of tk democratie pnrty is he.-irtily and earnestíy extended to the soldiury of our array, who are and have been in thefiel under the flag of our country, aud in the event oí our attaining power by the United State?, wiií 'ecaiifo H care, protectiou, regurd aud kiodness tbat our brave sold era of the ivepublio hava w nobly earocd. LS" Little Mac is the maa To flux out Abraham. JgJ