wound up with a screech for Sam. Houston, appealing in behalf of the Dutch and Irish of New York. He declared that what was wanted was a Southern Democrat to sweep up the votes.

Pendleton of Ohio declared that Ohio wanted a Southern Whig. This expression was received with an uproar of approbation, as it was understood to be a stroke for John Bell. So it was Southern Whig against Southern Democrat.

Houston's long-haired friend from Texas, made a wild speech for him. He (long hair) was an old friend of Henry Clay-loved, admired, revered him, and followed him through his days of adversity. But Sam. Houston was the man.

It was now clear, however, that the flood was for John Bell.

When the State of Virginia was called, Mr. Summers of Virginia stated that the delegation asked to be allowed a few moments for consultation, before announcing her vote.

The excitement was intense throughout the Convention, as upon the vote which Virginia might give, would depend the nomination of Hon. John Bell of Tennessee upon this ballot, as he then lacked but three votes of a majority of all the electoral votes represented in the Convention.

The ballot, as it then stood, was as follows:

Mr. Summers, on the part of the Virginia delegation, announced that

he had been instructed to announce that they cast 13 votes for John Bell of Tennessee, and 2 votes for John Minor Botts.

This gave Bell a majority, and there was a great clamor of applause, a tearing roar of cheers, a violent stamping-Bedlam broken loose.

The Convention now went through the formality of changing votes, so as to make the nomination unanimous. As State after State changed its vote, there were the usual demonstrations of delight, by which this Convention has been distinguished above all other caucuses ever heard of. Leslie Coombs, in changing the vote of Kentucky, paid a high compliment to Gen. Sam. Houston, and went over to Bell. Coombs said since the death of Clay, he had not been in active political life; but since the tocsin of disunion had been sounded North and South, he had thought it his duty to come up out of his political grave, and join the throng of the living, and enter into the campaign for the Union.

There was a great deal said of the great Bell that was to toll the knell of the Democratic party. Several gentlemen were quite captivated by their ability to pun on the name of the "favorite son of Tennessee, ," and a delegate from Pennsylvania proposed to furnish the bellmetal necessary for the enormous National Bell which was to be sounded over the Union. And so on for quantity.

While New York was changing her vote, there was a crash somewhere, and it suddenly occurred to every body that the galleries, which were enormously loaded, were giving way. There was a tremendous rush of terrified men for the doors and windows. By great efforts of those who were too far from tho windows to get out, and those who were in a position, and cool enough to see that there was no danger, the panic was subdued. When it was discovered that there was no peril, the crowd stared at each other, with white faces, and laughed.

The changing of votes was so tedious, that it became an almost insufferable bore. It was over with at last, however. Erastus Brooks moved to make the nomination unanimous, and the chairman put the question whether that should be done. Thereupon there was a yell that was called unanimous. Then the chairman arose to perform the proudest duty of his life. It was almost too big for him. But he struggled with it and triumphed, and he proclaimed that John Bell was the unanimous choice of that Convention.

Major G. A. Henry, of Tennessee, grandson of Patrick Henry, responded in behalf of his State. He spoke in glowing terms of John Bell, whose whole record he declared to be sound. No sectional sentiment ever soiled the paper on which his speeches were written.

He proceeded to make a Union speech. It would not do to allow the Union to be dissolved. He, for one, could not stand by and permit it. The revolutionary blood in his veins forbade him to be passive on such an occasion. A voice here cried out "A grandson of Patrick Henry!" There was at once a sensation. Three cheers and three more were given, and Washington Hunt sprang up, his eyes streaming tears, and grasped his hand. Mr. Henry is a tall, well-formed gentleman, with fine pleasant face, bald head, and fringe of silvery white hair about the ears. The old man had really inherited some

of the powers as an orator of his illustrious ancestor, and made the speech of the Convention.

"We are Union people; shall we throw this Union away ? How can we avoid the responsibility of standing up to defend it? With what face could we meet the wondering nations, if by strife and hate and blinded councils, and the blasted sway of demagogues accursed, we throw away the richest heritage that God ever gave to man, blot out our fair escutcheon to all coming time, deliver down our names to be accursed, teach despots that freedom is but a dream, quench its fair light wherever it may dawn, and bid the lovers of mankind despair? If such must be our country's early doom; if all her pride, her power, her cherished hopes, our stripes, our stars, our heritage of glory, and the bright names we have taught our children to revere-if all must end in this, never let free map meet free man again, and greet him with length of years.

"An early tomb,

Wherein to escape the hiss and scorn
Of all mankind, were sure a better doom.'

"Tear down your flag; burn your Capitol; dismiss your navy; disband your army; let our commerce rot; overturn all your monuments, here in Baltimore and everywhere else; give to the flames the once loved record of our father's deeds; scatter the sacred dust of Washington [Never, never,'], teach your boys to forget his name, and never let the pilgrim's foot tread the consecrated groves of Mount Vernon. Can we surrender all these bright and glorious hopes? If we can, then we of the Union party are the most recreant of all mankind, and the curses of all time will cling upon us like the shirt of Nessus."

His description of the return of delegates from Charleston was rich. He said:

"As I was coming on here, the other day, I saw some of the dele. gates returning from Charleston, and I declare to you that I never saw a more broken down and desponding set. [Laughter.] They were tired, sleepy, and disheartened; and I must say without any figure of speech, they were unwashed.' [Renewed laughter and applause.] I said to them, 'Gentlemen, what upon earth is the matter with you now? What has happened to you?' Oh!' says one man, 'our national Democracy is broken up, and the lamentations of the whole world, I reckon, will attend it.' Oh! yes,' said I, I shed oceans of tears over the result.' [Laughter.] They looked to me like the broken columns of Napoleon's army when they returned discomfited from Moscow.

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Here and there I caught one and asked him what occurred down there. Why,' said one, I have not slept a wink for four nights.' [Laughter.] I said to one, who I thought treated me a little scurvily about it, Why, perhaps a little good brandy would cheer you up.' 'No,' said he, even burnt brandy wouldn't save me now.' [Renewed laughter.] Gentlemen, upon my honor, I expect every one of them to die soon, and in every paper I read I look to see the death of some of the Charleston members."

6

The old man was in good earnest, and his effort was immensely acceptable. In truth, I have seldom heard a speech better calculated to arouse popular feeling. When he closed he was given about twentyfive cheers, and the Convention being in the humor for talk rather than business, the Hon. W. L. Sharkey of Mississippi was called upon for a speech, at the conclusion of which the Convention took a recess.

Upon reassembling, there was an eagerness on the part of nearly all the delegations to put forward for nomination for the second place on the ticket, the name of the Hon. Edward Everett. Only one other name was proposed. Col. Finnell of Kentucky nominated the chairman of the Convention, Washington Hunt, who declined to allow the use of his name, in a speech entirely too long and rather awkward. After about twenty speeches, which filled up three hours, and such stamping and shouting as was absolutely deafening, the nomination of Everett was made by acclamation.

The speech of this part of the performance was made by the Hon. Geo. S. Hillard, one of the editors of the Boston Courier. Mr. Hillard's effort was exceedingly graceful, and well worded, and the ladies honored him by throwing bouquets upon the platform. He responded by telling them that unfortunately the ladies of Massachusetts were Republicans almost to a man.

The following is the passage of his speech:

"Now, gentlemen of the Convention, you have this day done a good and glorious work. It will send a thrill of joy and hope all over the land. I know well the feeling which will be awakened in New England. It would be felt there like the breeze from the sea after a day of exhausted heat; like as a man at the poles who is languishing after the protracted darkness of an arctic winter feels, when he sees the first ruddy spark which tells him that the spring and summer is coming, so shall we at the North welcome the intelligence of this Convention. [Applause.] As the greater part of creation waiteth for the manifestation of the Son of God, so all over the land will the true and patriotic citizens of America rise up and call you blessed. As you go home you will be received with applause, with the waving of handkerchiefs, the clapping of hands, and eyes sparkling with joy and triumph. As the English poet has said upon a great occasion

"Men met each other with erected look ;

The steps were highest which they took;
Friends to congratulate their friends made haste,
And long inveterate foes saluted as they passed.'

6

When we go back to Massachusetts, and to New England, all over our bills and valleys which are but just beginning to feel the genial touch of spring, what a thrill of joy and exultation will ring along our cities, our towns, our villages, our solitary farm-houses, which nestle in the hollows of the hills! It will be so every where. [Applause.] How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring tidings of peace.' How beautiful, beautiful upon the mountains, are the feet of those who reconcile sectional discord; that bring together the North and the South and the West, and bind them together in the unity of

the spirit of the land of peace!" [Cries of "Good," "good," and applause.]

On motion of Mr. Lathrop of Pennsylvania, the following persons were constituted a National Central Executive Union committee;

Anthony Kennedy, of Maryland.
A. R. Boteler, of Virginia.
Joshua Hill, of Georgia.

John A. Campbell, of North Carolina.
Robert Mallory, of Kentucky.
Thos. A. R. Nelson, of Tennessee.
Henry M. Fuller, of Pennsylvania.

J. B. St. John, of New York.
R. W. Thompson, of Indiana.
John Wilson, of Illinois.
James Bishop, of New Jersey.
John A. Rockwell, of Connecticut.
Marshal P. Wilder, of Massachusetts.
William Temple, of Delaware.

Several gentlemen spoke of Mr. Everett as the "Ladies' candidate," and the ladies were especially called upon to persuade their husbands and sweethearts to vote for him. They were frequently informed that they must remember how assiduously he had labored for them in the Mount Vernon business; while the rest of mankind were informed that while engaged in that business he had become wonderfully imbued with the spirit of Washington.

Among the glowing compliments paid Mr. Everett was the following, by Mr. Watson of Mississippi:

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I have made the remark again and again, that Edward Everett was at this moment better known throughout the length and breadth of this land than any other living being at this good hour. [Applause.] "I have been told that every man was familiar with his name. I say that not only every man, but every lady is familiar with his name; and not only every lady, but every child is familiar with his name; and every school-boy has recited his glowing eloquence again and again. You may take his record up from first to last, and see his patriotism in his antecedents. His ability is matchless, and above all, his virtue is fearless in every sense of the word. [Applause.] That man has studied the character of Washington, and in his studying, he has drawn in an inspiration that has so purified and elevated his patriotism that it is enough of itself to save the Union, were there no other embodiment of patriotism within our limits." [Applause.]

It was remarkable, and I shall not say it was not a refreshing fact, that the Covention avoided altogether the discussion of the slavery question. It was only referred to by indirection. Hon. Neil S. Brown of Tennessee thanked God that he had at last found a Convention in which the "nigger" was not the sole subject of consideration. Not a word was said from first to last about the question of slavery in the Territories, or the execution of the Fugitive Slave law, and old John Brown was only referred to a couple of times.

And there was nothing said of Americanism-not a word. The Hon. Erastus Brooks declared that the Convention was of a new party, a party only six months old, and that all old party affiliations were submerged. The whole talk was of the Constitution, the Union and the laws, of harmony, fraternity, compromise, conciliation, peace, good will, common glory, national brotherhood, preservation of the confederacy. And of all these things it seemed to be understood the Convention had a monopoly. The Constitution, the Union, and peace between the sec