PROCEEDINGS OF THE Republican National Convention HELD AT CINCINNATI, OHIO, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 15 AND 16, 1876. Resulting in the nomination for President and Vice-President of RUTHFORD B. HAYES AND WILLIAM A. WHEELER. Officially reported by M. A. Clancy, of Washington, D. C., assisted by CONCORD, N. H.: PRINTED BY THE REPUBLICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION. REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION, 1876. PROCEEDINGS. FIRST DAY-WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 1876. Pursuant to the following call of the Republican National Committee,— The next Union Republican National Convention, for the nomination of candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States, will be held in the city of Cincinnati, on Wednesday, the fourteenth day of June, 1876, at 12 o'clock, noon, and will consist of delegates from each state equal to twice the number of its senators and representatives in congress, and of two delegates from each organized territory and the district of Columbia. In calling the conventions for the election of delegates, the committees of the several states are recommended to invite all Republican electors, and all other voters, without regard to past political differences or previous party affiliations, who are opposed to reviving sectional issues, and desire to promote friendly feeling and permanent harmony throughout the country by maintaining and enforcing all the constitutional rights of every citizen, including the full and free exercise of the right of suffrage without intimidation and without fraud; who are in favor of the continued prosecution and punishment of all official dishonesty, and of an economical administration of the government by honest, faithful, and capable officers; who are in favor of making such reforms in government as experience may from time to time suggest; who are opposed to impairing the credit of the nation by depreciating any of its obligations, and in favor of sustaining in every way the national faith and financial honor; who hold that the common-school system is the nursery of American liberty, and should be maintained absolutely free from sectarian control; who believe that, for the promotion of these ends, the direction of the government should continue to be confided to those who adhere to the principles of 1776, and support them as incorporated in the constitution and the laws; and who are in favor of recognizing and strengthening the fundamental principle of national unity in this centennial anniversary of the birth of the republic. E. D. MORGAN, Chairman, WM. E. CHANDLER, Secretary, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE. WASHINGTON, January 13, 1876,— the Republican National Convention met at noon this day in Exposition Hall, on Elm, Fourteenth, and Plum streets, in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, and promptly at the hour was called to order by Ex-Governor Edwin D. Morgan, of New York, chairman of the Republican National Committee, who there upon announced that the proceedings would be opened with prayer by the Rev. D. H. Muller, D. D., of Covington, Ky. Dr. Muller offered the following PRAYER. O God, whose throne is the universe, by whom kings reign and princes decree justice, in whose hands are the hearts of men, we acknowledge thee as the ruler of the nations, the author of every good and perfect gift. We come before thee with thanksgiving, for thou art a great God, and a great King above all gods. We acknowledge thee to be the giver of all national prosperity, and as our helper in past disasters; and we declare this morning, that "If it had not been that the Lord was on our side when men rose up against us, then had we been swallowed up quickly, when their wrath was kindled against us." Because thou hast blessed and helped us, therefore under the shadow of thy wing may we rejoice. Because thou hast heard our voice, therefore may we call upon thee as long as we live, and make thee our refuge and our portion. In behalf of thy servants here assembled, we invoke thy blessing and aid. Bless them with health of body and mind. Preserve them from harm during their deliberations, and by thy providence return them in safety to their homes. By thy grace give to them the spirit of concord, that harmony may prevailin their councils, a spirit of wisdom, that the right means may be discerned and used to promote the end for which they are convened; a spirit of patriotism, that the prosperity of the nation may overshadow all personal or sectional desires; a spirit of integrity, that they may be faithful to the deepest convictions of duty. Give grace, and wisdom, and strength to the presiding officers. For the work which thou hast wrought, for the Republic and humanity through the organized agency represented here, we give thee thanks; and we earnestly pray that its future record may be more glorious than its past one, and that the issue of the consultations and acts of thy servants here may be ruled by thee to thy glory, to the good of this country, and to the prosperity, and welfare, and honor, and safety of thy people. Guide, we beseech thee, therefore, their efforts in the choice of the men who may be commended or presented to the confidence and suffrages of the people, to the conception and declaration of right principles; and, invoking such results, we pray thee that national peace, governmental purity, truth, justice, and liberty may be established among us for all generations. We pray thee that thou mayest uphold and bless thy servant the president of the United States, and all others in authority. By the help of thy Spirit may they be inclined to thy will and walk in thy way. Grant them health, and prosperity, and long life. For the mercies which thou hast given us as a nation, we praise thee. We pray, this morning, that thy work may appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children, and that the beauty of the Lord our God may be upon us. Establish thou the work of our hands; yea, the work of our hands, establish thou it. These blessings we ask for Christ's sake. Amen. The delegates having been seated, Governor Morgan made the opening address, as follows: GOVERNOR MORGAN'S ADDRESS. Gentlemen of the Convention: The day and the hour have arrived at which the representatives of the Republican party were invited to assemble to nominate candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States; and, in obedience to the authority of the Republican National Committee, I now respectfully ask that you will maintain order. In 1856, at Philadelphia, in 1860, at Chicago, and in 1864, at Baltimore, acting under the same general authority, it has been my privilege to call Republican conventions to order. If I except the action of the convention of 1864, the duties which this intelligent body has to perform, in comparison with former ones, are the most important of all. There is no special or parliamentary authority for any remarks from the chair. In the nature of things, there cannot be any. Custom, only, is my excuse (if excuse is needed) for even a few words. In June, 1864, we were in the midst of the war for the preservation of the Union. We had great armies in the field, but they had achieved only partial successes, and when successful, always at very great cost of life. The bravest and best of our young men had fallen in battle by tens and hundreds of thousands, or were in prison at Andersonville and Libbey. President Lincoln, seventeen months prior to this, had by proclamation, but only as a war measure, declared the slaves free, while their masters kept them within their lines, and held full dominion over them. It was then modestly suggested by your chairman of the national committee, that the convention would not discharge its whole duty unless, among its resolves, is should declare for such an amendment of the national constitution as would, when adopted by the requisite number of states, forever prohibit African slavery on this continent. The suggestion was received with unexampled enthusiasm by the convention. The resolution to secure this national blessing was written in your party platform on that day; both houses of congress very soon after passed the required amendment; twenty-nine sovereign states ratified it; the noble Lincoln proclaimed the result to the people; and from that hour to this "the sun has not risen upon a bondman nor set upon a slave" in all this fair land. Not to the North, not to the South, but to that Supreme Being alone who controls the destinies of nations as well as the affairs of individuals, let us give all the glory. But all this is past, and the past we conclude is secure. Pardon me, gentlemen, if again, with like modesty, I make a suggestion or two bearing directly on the present. This convention should emphatically demand the prompt and efficient execution of those solemn promises of both houses of congress, and the president, to redeem in coin the legal-tender obligations of the government on the 1st of January, 1879, and signify its opposition to any modification or repeal of this law that does not guarantee a still earlier or better method of returning to specie payment. Let no doubtful word go out from this convention upon the subject of honest money. Prices are already at a specie point. Stand firmly by your numerous resolutions and platforms a little longer, and your currency basis will be transformed into a coin basis so easily and naturally that you will be yourselves surprised regretting only, as you will, that it was not determined upon at an earlier day. Resumption accomplished, then, in all human probability, will follow ten or fifteen years of prosperity equal to that of any former period, perhaps greater than the country has yet seen.. If you will, in addition, put a plank in your platform declaring for such an amendment of the constitution as will extend the presidential office to six years, and make the incumbent ineligible for re-election, you will deserve the gratitude of the American people. |