The Democratic National Convention

Baltimork, JulyOth, 1872. Ford's Opent Houec, whero the Conrention aseembled, is handsuinely deooated with banners, on which nru micribtd tho Coats of Arms of tho several States. Tha building, though too small lor such an assemblage, isadtuirably v.-ntilated, and more coinfortable than coiüil be expected in this oppressivu weather. Tho Chairman's desk is equipped with a livo oak gavol, inado froni n piece of tho frigato Constitution, and whioh has done service at sovcvul pvevious Democratie National Conven tions. Among ihe distinguished visiloison tho platform is Hoii. Bevordy Johnson, whoso entrauce was greoted with applausc. The Convention was callod to ordor af. 12 o'elook uoon, by August Belmont, ehairman of the Democmtio National Executivc Committoe, Mr. Belniont Sttid : GentUmen of the Cüm-eution-lt is again ray privilege to weicoma the delegatcs ut the National Democracy, who havo iua in order to present to tlio Amerioan ppople candidates for Vrcsidtnit and VicePresident, tor whom they sohcit tlic suifrage of the Democratie and conservative votors of this great Repubjio. At our last National Convontion, on the 4th of Juiy 1868, I predicted that the oloction of Oen. Qnvnt would result in tho gradual usurpation of all tho tunctious of thp govurninent by the Exocutivo and by Congress, to be enforced by the bayonets of military despotism. A vast maoritv of tho people of tho United btutes iiavewitnoBS.Kl witli grief and sorrow tho correotness of that prodiotion, and thoy look forward with fear and apprnhension to dangnrs which are threatening us ït, by the re-election of Gen. Grant. tho policy thus far pursued by the Kadical party be continued Thinking men ot botli partios have become alivo to thü tact that we are now living under a military despotism, overriding civil authority in many States of the Union ; that by tho enaotment of arbitrary and uncoiishtutional laws through a depraved uiajonty of Congreas tho rights of theBO States are infringed anl trainpled upon, and that Cfcsarism and centralism aro undermining the very foundations of our fedoral system, and are swoeping away the constitutional bulwarks erected by the wisdom of the fathers of the llepublio. These abuses have booome so glaring that the wisest and best men of tho Be publican party have severcd thonisolve s from the Kadical wing whioh is trying to f asten upon the country another lour years' reign of corruption, usurpation and despotism, and whatever individual opinión we may entertain as to the choice of a candidato whom they havo selected in opposition to Gen. Grant, there cannot bo any doubt as to tho patnotic impulses whieh díctate their action, nor cj'-n auy fuv: be found with tho platform 01 prinoipba upon whioh they have placed their candidates. The resolutions of tho Cincinnati Convention are what tho country re.quires, and they mustcommand the huarty support of every patriot throughout tlie vast extent of our land. In tho struggle -which is beforeus we must look to principies and not to mon, and I trust that no personal predilectious or'prejudices will deter us from doing our duty to the American people. Gen. Grant bas been il good and faithful eervant during our civil war. His stubborn, indomiUble courage bas helped to crown the Union arms with victory, and the Ameriaan poople have rewarded his services with the most unbounded generosity. I am wiiling to concede that his intentions on taking the Presidential chair were good and patriotic, but ho has most signally and sadly failed in the discharge of the high trust, imposed upon him, by tho confidence of a gratefnl paople. He is at this momont the vory personification of a misruls; which is opDressinc us. and his re-election is fraught with the most deplorable consequences for the welfare of the Republic, and endangers the liberty of oür people. On the other hand, Mr. Greeley has been heretoforo a bitter opponent of the Democratie party, and violent attacks against myself individually, which have lÉi vlu Mint? tw timo cj-ol " lio jwuinal, eertainly do not entitle him to any sympathy er preference at my hands. But Mr. Gresley represents the national and constitutioual principies of the Cincinnati platform, and by his admirable and mauly letter of aoceptance he has shown that he is fully alive to their spirit, and that, if elected, ho means io oarry them out honestly and faithfully. If you should, thereforo, in your wisdom, decide to pronounco in favor of the Cincinnaü candidatos, I shall for one most cheeriully btiry our difl'ernnces, and vote and labor for their election with the same energy witk which ï have supported heretofore, and mean ever to support the candidatos of the Democratie party. The American people look wi th deep solicitation to your deliberations. It is for you to devise means by whioh to free them from the evils under which they are suffering, but in order to attain that end you are called upon to make evcry sacrifico oí' personal and party preference, however much you might desire to tight the coming battle for our rights and liberties under ono of the trusted leaders of the Democratie party. It will becomo your duty to discard all oonsiderations of party tradition, if the selection of a good and wise man outside of our ranks offers better chances of success. You must remember that you are here not only as Deniocrats but ascitizens of our common country, and that no sacrifico can be too great which bho demanda at your hands. Now, before I propose to your acceptance the temporary ehairman of this Convention, permit me to detain you one moment longer by a few words of an entirely personal character. With my present action terminates my official functions as ehairman of the Democratie Committee, an office which by the confidence of my constituents and oourtesy of my colleagues I have held for 12 consecutivo years, and during all that time I have striven with honest zeal and with all the energy and capacity which God has given me to do my duty fttithfully to the party and to the country, to render niyself worthy of the great trust confided to ine. While I was grieved and deeply mortlfied to see at various times rny motives and actions niisconstrued by eeveral Democratie papers, that some even descended to the fabrication of the most absurd fals-hoods coneerning my social and political conduct, I have had tho proud, consoling satisfaetion that my colleagues on the National Committee, all those who knew me, did justice to the integrity and purity of my intentions in all the trying situations in whioh my official position has placed me ; and let me teil you, gentlemen, that thcre is not one amongst you who has a warmer and truer affection for your party and our countrv than I have and ever shall have. You love this great republic, your native huid, as you do the mother who sravo you birth ; but to me she is the cherished and beloved choice of my youth, the faithful and loving companion of my manhood ; and now that I enter upon the seur and yellow leaf of lifo, I ding to her with all the fond reeollections of the manif'old blossings received at hor hands. I retire from the iosition which I have held to tako my place in the rank and iile of that great party whose national, constitutional and conservativo principies havo claimed my unwavering allegiance for the last 30 years, and as long as the Almighty will spare my life, I ehall never falter in my love and devotion to-our party and our country. I havo tho honor to propose to you as your temporary ehairman tho distinguished and venerable citizen of Virginia, the grandson of the patriotio t.it esman, Thos. Jefferson. It is an auspicious omen that a scion of the author of the Declaration of Independonce is to inaugurato thestniggle of Democracy for freedom and equality to every American citizen against oppression and tyranny in our fiiir landMr. Belmont'sromarks wero frequently interrnpted by moderato applause. The mention of Ureeley's name was roceived with loud demonstrations of approval ; o alo wero the speaker'g poronal mooi to himaelf. The V.ind playert e. Mr. Itandolph's iiamo was received ivitli cheers. SPEECH 01" MR. HAMKM.l'II. The temporary Chairman, Mr. Hanlolph, on taking bis sent said : 1 ;uii iwari; tliut the vefy gi"at honor pi .1 on me by tliiï body in duo ■ nö :i ment oi' my own; but is a token [ Ot to tbo Htnto from which 1 come, :md a reoognïtioD of other circuin9 possibly advenitious. 1 ma, pethapa, the oWtt meniln r of tbii borty, umi iv life öi 8(1 years spin; in thu Democratie oon8ti-utes mu a senior member. I emenibor freslily evéry f residöattol cïtoee( Eroui tho fust electibu of Jèflfewon to he present time, ar.d I can say .wïth rntii tlmt I ramembei none wlnch in'olved bihei qufistioiu ofporaou&l libery, lo;.-nl self governmont, lumest fidmingtration and oonstitntiopal freedom than ,ho prerent, or ono whicli dèirinuded üt our party and our people n cali lor pore earneat recourse toprud-.-ntial principies. :t strikes mo as the duty of this liour and this body to wrest tho governmuht from tho luinds of its present despotic and oorr-jpt holdcrs, und to pln.ee it iu honest ïiinds, to restore to citizens evurywhero tlui proud oonsciousness of personal nght, ind to all State perfect intogrity of loctil aelf-governmont This, witk the rocognjtion of tho supremacy of tho Constitu;ion and law, will, in my judgmont, disohartre all mv present duty. The foregoing rmnarks wero dehverod with muuh energy and eff ctiveness, considuring tuut tho speaker is nenrly an octogonarian, und were repeatodly cheered. Tilo Kev. Henry Slicor offored prayer Frederiok O. Princo of Massuchusetts was choson temporury Secretary. Mr. Madugan, of Maiiiü, moired that E. ü. Perrin, oi' Xow York, bo appointod teiuportvry lteudiug Secretury. Agreod to. Mr. McHeiiry, of Kentucky, offared a j resolutioii of thanka to Mr. Beltnoiw on his retiriug as chairman of the National Committee. ïhe chairraan ruled all reBolutions out of ordei' until an orgauization was perfuoted. Mr. Lamberton, of Ponnsylvania, moved that eaoh State bo called in alphabetical order, that the chairraan may narno their members of tüo several committccs, and may ulso, in case of contesta, name tho contestants. Aftor tho appointment of the usual committees thu conventio took a recesB till i tilia afternoon. PEUMANENT ORQANIZATION. The convention reassembled a few minutes after 4 o'clook. Tho Coinniittoo on Organization reportad James B. Doolittle, of Wisconsin, for permanent President, with a Viuo-President and Secretary from each State. For reading Secretarie tho committee named E. O. Perrin, ol New York, A. T. Whittlssoy, of Indiana, and ïhos. H. Moore, of Marylaud, and for llecording Socrotary, John C. Barnes, of Pennsylvania. On inotion tho report of the Committee on Permanent Organization was adopted and the comiuitteo disoharged. General Bayard, of Dulaware, and Gov. Iloffuian, of New York, were appointed by the ohftirman to eaoort the permanent President to the chiir. SPEECH OF HON. JAMES B. DOOLITTLE. On mounting the platform Senator Doolittle was received with applause. Ho spoke as follows : Gentlemen of tle Convention-I thank you for tlii grcat honor, I cannot teil how much, but will pass at once from what is personal to spoak of the gre.it occasion, the duty and purpose of which brings us here. Two years ago, nearly iive years after the bloody period of the civil war had clostd, the Liberal Republicana of Missouri (applause), feeling keenly all the evil of the proscriptive tests and hates and strife the passions of war had left upon them long alter the war itself liad ceased, and feoling keenly Executive Federal dictation in their local elections, determined to organize a movement to restore equal rights to all citiiens (applause), white as well as black fapplauso), to restore local self-governmenf ana opposo the fuTtbcr i;untrallsation of Federal power. (Applause.) ïhey then said this thing had gone far enough, if not too far. The time has como when all honest and patnotio itepublicans must say halt, and roassert the vital doctrines of republican governnient, that under tbo Constitution the powers ot the Federal goyernment are defined and limited (applauso and cries of " good, good"), and that tho people of the States havo the right to govern themselves in their own doinestio affairs, upon the basis of the equality cf all tho States before the higher law - before the Constitution - and tho equality of sll men before the law [applause] of universal loyalty, amnesty, suffrage and peace. Taking no step backward, taking no right or no franchise which had been secured to the blacks, but pledging themselves to support theni allin their full vigor, they at the same timo demanded in the name of peace, in tho name of liberty, in the name of republican government itself, that freedom and equal rights should bo restored to tho white people. [Great applause.] They organizod, nearly 40,000 strong, and called upon Gratz Brown fapplauae] to hoad the movoment. They placed him in nomination tor Governor, and then what followed ? Eighty thousand Democratie Republicans [loud eheers], looking upon the success of that movement as above any party triumph [eheers], resolved to sustain ít with their whoie strength. Love of country, love of republican liberty, love of the equal rights of all men, inapired that union, and taught men to act together who had been politically opposed to oach othor all their lives upon other questions and in other times, and without violating either honor, logic, conscienco or consistency on either sido. Thls patriotio union was based upon higher grounds than ordina rily control politicaí action. [Great applause.] Even those who had fought against each othorin battle claspod hands ovor the bloody chasm [renewed applause], and side by side, liko brothers, with hearts beating in unisón, beating strong with tho samo high purpose, they helped to bear its flag to a victory. That, gentlemen, is Liberal Republicanism [cheers], and that is Democratie Republi canisra. [Great applause.] The victory which came from that union was tho end of proscriptive test oaths, of pain, and strifo, and of all disloyalty - in a word, tho real end of civil war camo with that victory, and did not como until then in Missouri. [Immense applause.] It redeemod that State. It gave the rights of freemen to 700,000 who had been bound and fettered. Missouri is now a free State in this Union, with all the rights and dignity, and equality undor tho Constitution, and no munnur of disloyalty is anywhore haard. By that union Federal dictatiun in Missouri in their local elections was overthrown, and by that union striíe and hato havo given way to peace and to good will. By that union liberty, with equal rights all, havo given to the Stuto unbounded prosperity, and to poor people joy ahnost unspoakable. So great waa thJeii joy, and so complete tho succoss, that the Liberal Republicans in that State wcre not contuiit without making efforts toextend the game union with all Liberal and Democratie Republicans, and with it tbo same blessingg of liberty, peace and fraternity, to all the other States. [Rounds of applause.] Accordingly in State Conven tion on the 2-lth of March last they resolved to invite the Liberal Eepubiicans in all the States to meet them in Nationiil Convention in Cincinnati on the lst of MHy. That invitation was acceptod. There was, indeed, a great response. They camo by thousands, in such vast numbers that a delegato couvention of Republicans of all the States was formed, both from principies and from necossity, to givi! form to its proceeding. Many of tho ablest men of the country, leaders in the Republioan party, were thero and took place in its deliberations. Thoy wero assured that n large numbor of Lib eral Republicans in every State, and from all portions of tho eouutry, stood beliind raady to sustain thcm, and tliey wero muraliy oertain if tlio millions wc this day represent [ohoers] would only como to their support thu uumber of lanero! Ropublicaiis woulti ruauh halt' a milQuu or more. [_lireat cliuurs.] Thutounvention presentad a platform and pro Bantod oandidates 'to the country - presented Horace Grceloy [long-coutinued cájeors tor 1 'resident, and for Vice Presidont 1. Gi'tt-z Brown [moro cheers], and that oonvention, foi tfee promotion of tbe ot ii'.: principies declarod in tbat plutioTm there enunciated and the euppurtors ot t!ie cundidatcs nominatcd by tuat couvontiorii have iuvited nl oordittlly Wöloouied thu co-operution of all palriotio citi.enp, without regard to previous pülitieul allüiiitious. Tbose prinoipii.'S wurc olearly and oonoisely stated in tbe lUvtt'urm LUeif, aud restated in the lettor of aooeptance of Greeley. (Moro chrers.) They woi'e so well known to all tb ui I will not róstate thum. For weeks tliat platttrm and these candidatos bave beun before tbt; country. Meanwhile tlie couvontion oallu'l to nominato General Grant (hisses) und to indorae and oontiuuo the principies, praotices and poliey of bis administraron has dono its work. (Ilisses.) Between tho Liberal Bepublicims and tbo foUowers of tbe Graut admiTÜstration tbc issuois now olearly made up. It is Grant or Greoley. (Gioat choors and cries of "Greoloy.") WhÜB events werc passing tho publicans wlioui wo represent nela tuou jonventions in all the States. The Liberal Ropublicun tuovement, tho oxarnple of Missouri, tho Ciueinnati oonvention, its platform and candidatos, with their letters jf accoptance, were all boforo these Oonrentioné, whieh wero very largely attended by thoir ablest men, aud the paramount questions bet'oro all theso Conventions were : Shall we aocept this invitation to co-oporate with the Liberal Ropublicans? [Qreat applause.] Shall we adopt t'::is platform ( [Luud cries of " Yes, yos," and sorae cries of " Never."] and shivll wo elect them? ["yes, yes, yes," and loud cheoring] or shall we rofuso to co-op.erate, [" no, no,"] noininato other candidatos, '"No," "no;" "Grooley," "Greeley,"] and strivo to eloct them over both ticketa in the fiold. Gontleiaon, these are the questions whioh j'ou aro to decide hero. That you will decide wiaely I can not doubt, nor can any one doubt who looks over this body of men, representing, as they do, threo niillions of citizens, and wlio feel, the high and patriotic purpose whioh inspires you. Gentlemen, what mean this graat uprising whioh you every where see ? What ineans this proposed union of three niillions of Demooratio Republicana with a million, it may be, of Ropulicans V What ineans this union upon a oommon platform and this proposed union upou tho gamo candidato - a union so sudden, so compact, so earnest as to surprise its friends and to confound its enemieë [applausej ; whioh comeg as the winds come ; whioh, to borrow a figuro, " overwhelnis the ordinary currents of public opinión as great storms, run counter to surface currents." What means all this F ïhere aio some things, sentlomen, it does not mean. It means no abandonment o what is just, of what is good in liumai government. [Applause.] It means no union of tho dead upon dead issues, bu a union of tho living upon living isaue of the present. [Applause.] It mean not for the spoils of oöioe [applause], bu it ineaiis a uuion of men of tho same fait) upon the great and paramount issues o the present hour - u frank, manljr, honor ablf and cqual union - who have tho sa gacity to sec and tho moral courage to accept tho situatiou. [Cries of "good, and loud choering] It means a union o men who have sagacity to see wlmt i past and to deal with tho issues of tb present, and for the future to do thcir du ty to their country, their God and thei fellow-nian. [Applause.] The issue o to-day is not the ropeal of tho Mi3sour compromise, nor the question of sjaverj in the Territorios, upon which alone tb Republican party was organized in 18ö(3 It is not apon that which followod, wben tho Lecompton constitution for K;ms;i divided the Democratie party in twain an elected Abraham Lincoln to the Prosideu cy in 1860. It is not tho question of se cession, nor or of war to put down rebel lion, nor of the abolition of sltivery in the States by military order or by con6ti tutional amondinent, upon which Lin colu was ro-eloeted in 18(51, nor yet is i a Question of reconstruotion, nor of tho fourteenth or fifteenth amendments, 1101 a question of negro suffrage, nor of the establishment by federal power of uni versal Buffrage as a condition preceden to the States of the South having mij rights or existenceas States of the Union It is none of thse quostions that are noi at issue. All these havo been issues o tho past, great issues, sufficient in themsol ves to dissolvopolitieal parlies, because ideas are strosiger tban men or parties Buttbeyare all past issues. Tbey havi been fought out, and fought to the end and tliry are no more un issue to-daj than tho Mexican war or war of the rebellion. [Applauso.] Wo could not roopen them if we would, and thoy falselj misrepresent our purp oses who iiy tha we would re-open them if wo could (Loud choers.) This great Union, theiv - fore, means uo step backwaid. (Choers Forward is tho word (loud choers), anc iirst of all it means to-day for all the other States of the South what it bas alroady dono in Missouri. (Cheers.) Instead of proscriptive test oaths, suspension of the habeas corpus and military dospotism, it means personal froodom for individuals and republican govornment for all. (Loud applause.) Iiistead of negro supremacy, adoptod . by proscriptiou and the bayonet, it meaus equal rights for al men, white as well as black. (JLouc applause.) Instead of thieving governinents, organized to plunder subjugated Statos, it means the domination once moro of intelligence and integrity. InBtead of 8trife, bate and robbery, it means justioe, liberty, poace, royalty and good government for our whole country, east, west, north and soutb. It means instead of a war President, trained only in the military sobool, nud whoso whole oharactor has been formed in the ideas, arts, habits and duspotism of military life - instead of this it meaus a peaco President, trained in the ideas, arts, blessings and ropublicau simplicity of peace and universal froodom - of poace not enchained, of liberty not under arrest, awaiting trial, sentenco and execution by drum head court-martial, but that liberty and that peaoe whicli tho Uou.stitution secures by placing the oivil law above the sword (loud applause), by preserving in full vigor the saored writ of Ifilicoscorpux, by right of trial by jury. (Applause.) It means another thing, and porhtips the most important of them all. It means to assert the most important principies of our ropublican system, in which it lives, and moves, and has its being, that Constitution wo made by the people in their sjvereign capacity for the express purposo of doiining and limiting the powers of the government - the powers of all governments, State or national. It means that we aro determined that Presidents, and govornmeuts, and Congress, and Stato Legislatures, and every department ot tho government shall obey the Constitution. [ProUinged applause.] It moans, also, a genuino civil service ro form, baginoing with tliu President. [Applauge.] It means to put an end to the prácticos which havo grown up with the adniimstration, which has driven eo iinmy of the ableRt Kopublicans to joiu the Liberal movement, ind wbicli havo deeply wounded the hearts of all RepublicHiis, as well as Demócrata, in thii country - [applause] - prácticos whicb never existod under any other administintioii, which aro but too well known to all the world, and wbich our nation's good ïeputatioij will best be eonsulted by noteven naming. [Cheew.] It means, also, to give strength and stability to oiar íiuuncial ati'airs and our national eredit by bringing honesty and economy and lidclity to every depiirtment of the Federal, State and municipal govorunnmts where j)ublic moneys are colleoted and diabursed. [Cheers.] It meane, also, the bonest payment of our tiona. [Renowed applause.] It means to give a highor tono and groater vigor to the adminintratim of our foreign and ilomestic aftairs, eo as to command tho ; respect and confidenco of our own peoi)e and of all the civilizad world. It : ineans to placo in tho highoat offico of i our governmont men of whom all the world will suy, " ïhey ftro honost and thoy aro oapable." [Applaufio.] Gontlemen, I have thus briofly statod the situation, duties and purposes which brings uu horc. A great respon aibility rests upon this Convention. If itB action símil be such, and I do not doubt it will be, as to put an end to tho misrule which for the lust few years has alllicted ur boloved country, thi.s eneration and enerations to corae after us will reraemer with prido and gratitudo the Convetiiou at Baltiuioro of the öth of July 872. Amid loud and long-continued apjlause Mr. Doolittle took his neat. , Tlio Vice-Presidonts thon, upon tnvi;ation of the President, came forward and took their seat-s upon tho platform. The Committeo on Resolutions was then appointed, and severul resolutions offered md refprred theroto without debate. Tho CoTiimittee on Credentials ryported the number of seats under tho cali as 732, with no contested seats ; that Xexas eenda 20 delogatos that they be admitted to seats with the privilfgo of casting 8 votes ; and that the delegates from the Territorit! be admitted to soats without votea. The roport was accompanied by a full and correct list of delégate?, and was adopted. The States werp ollud al phabetically and tUo names selected as raembers of the National Committoe announced, after which the Convention adjourned to 10 o'clock A. M. to-morrow. WEDNESDAY'S rjlOCKEDIXOS. The Convention met at 10 o'cluck A. M., and was called to order by the President. Prayer was offored by Dr. Leybnrn, of Baltiraore. Mr. Burr, from Conn., reported the resolutions agreed upon by the Comniittee - the Cincinnati platform, without cnange or adduion anti raovea xtie previous question, whicb was sustaimsd, yeas, 573; nays, 179. Tho hour aNowed ior discussion was ocoupicd by MesSrs. Biiyard, of Delaware ; O'Connor, of South Carolina ; and Reagan, of Toxns, after which tlie platform was adopted, yeas, 670; nays, C5. Tho (onvontion then proceded to vote for a caudidate for Prosídent, with the followiug result ; For Horaoo Grooloy, C86 " Jeremiah S. Black, of Penn., 21 " Jamos A Bayard, of Del., 15 " Vf. S. Groosbeck, of Ohio, 2 " Blank," 8 Tlic Totes for Judgo Black woro givon by Pemisylvania ; those for Mr. Bayarrt, 6 by Delaware and 9 by New Jersey : the 2 for Mr. Grocsbcck, by Wost Virginia ; and the S blank, 2 by Florida, 4 by Georgia, and 2 by Pcnnsylvania. On motion of Mr. "Wallaco, of Pa., the nomination was made unanimoup. Tho vote for Vice President rosulted : For B. Gratz Brown, 713 " Gov. Stevenson, of Ky., 6 "Blank." 13 "JUlank, W The nomination was made unanimous A cominittee was ppointed to notifj the candidatos of their nomination, the President of the Convention to bo chair111:111, votes of thanks were passed to the officer, the proprietors of the hall anc the oitizecs of Baltimore. The Ccaveution thon adjourtved t'uïe die.