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 man meet free man again, and greet him with length of years.

"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 delegates 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, 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."

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.'

When we go back to Massachusetts, and to New England, all over our hills 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!" applause.]

[Cries of "Good," "good," and

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

tions would appear from the record of proceedings to be in the exclusive care of, and the peculiar institutions of, the no-party and no-platform gentlemen here assembled.

The Convention adjourned in high spirits.

At night a ratification meeting was held in Monument square. An extraordinarily large and elaborate stage was erected. There was a platform for the speakers and musicians. Upon each flank of this was a tower near thirty feet in height, each tower bearing a flag-staff from which the celebrated flag of our country streamed. In front of one of the towers was a likeness of Washington, and Clay adorned the other. On one tower appeared the name of John Bell, on the other that of Edward Everett. An arch spanned the platform, inscribed, "The Union, the Constitution, and the Enforcement of the Laws." Circling above the inscription were the coats of arms of the States. The centre of the arch was intended for the American Eagle. But a suitable bird could not be procured to perch in that exalted place, and a few small flags were substituted. The whole thing was decorated by lamps, and presented an exceedingly brilliant appearance. I imagine that nothing more complete in design, or elaborate in execution, was ever in the United States constructed to serve a similar purpose.

THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.

CHICAGO, May 15.

Leaving Baltimore in a flood we found the West afflicted with a drouth. At one end of the journey, there was a torrent tearing down every ravine; at the other there was a fog of dust all along the road.

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The incidents of the trip were a land-slide on the Pennsylvania Central, and the unpleasantness of being behind time to the extent of six hours on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago. The detention was occasioned by the fact of the train consisting of thirteen cars full of 'irrepressibles." I regret to say that most of the company were unsound," and rather disposed to boast of that fact. The difference between the country passed over between Baltimore and Chicago, and that between Louisville and Baltimore, by way of Charleston, is greatly in favor of the former. I have not had any disposition to speak in disparaging terms of the Southern country, but it is the plain truth that the country visible along the road from Baltimore to Harrisburg alone, is worth more by far than all that can be seen from Charleston to the Potomac. In the South few attempts have been made to cultivate any lands other than those most favorably situated, and most rich. But in Pennsylvania, free labor has made not only the valleys bloom, but the hill-tops are radiant with clover and wheat. And there

are many other things that rush upon the sight in the North as contrasted with the South, that testify to the paramount glory of free labor.

And while pursuing the path of perfect candor in all these matters, it becomes necessary to say that the quantity of whiskey and other ardent beverages consumed on the train in which I reached this city, was much greater than on any train that within my knowledge entered Charleston during Convention times. The number of private bottles on our train last night was something surprising. A portion of the Republicans are distressed by what they see and hear of the disposition to use ardent spirits which appears in members of their supposed to be painfully virtuous party. And our Western Reserve was thrown into prayers and perspiration last night by some New Yorkers, who were singing songs not found in hymn-books. Others are glad to have the co-operation of Capt. Whiskey, and bail the fact of the enlistment of that distinguished partisan as an evidence that the Republicans are imbibing the spirit as well as the substance of the old Democratie party. I do not wish, however, to convey the impression that drunkenness prevails here to an extent very unusual in National Conventions, for that would be doing an injustice. I do not feel competent to state the precise proportions of those who are drunk, and those who are sober. There are a large number of both classes; and the drunken are of course the most demonstrative, and according to the principle of the numerical force of the black sheep in a flock, are most multitudinous.

The crowd is this evening becoming prodigious. The Tremont House is so crammed that it is with much difficulty people get about in it from one room to another. Near fifteen hundred people will sleep in it tonight. The principal lions in this house are Horace Greeley and Frank P. Blair, Sen. The way Greeley is stared at as he shuffles about, looking as innocent as ever, is itself a sight. Whenever he appears there is a crowd gaping at him, and if he stops to talk a minute with some one who wishes to consult him as the oracle, the crowd becomes dense as possible, and there is the most eager desire to hear the words of wisdom that are supposed to fall on such occasions.

The curiosity of the town-next to the “ wigwam "-is a bowie-knife seven feet long, weighing over forty pounds. It bears on one side the inscription, "Presented to John F. Potter by the Republicans of Missouri. On the other side is this motto, "Will always keep a 'Pryor engagement." This curiosity is gaped at almost as much as Greeley, and it is a strange and dreadful looking concern. It is to be formally presented to Potter at Washington, by a committee from Missouri.

The city of Chicago is attending to this Convention in magnificent style. It is a great place for large hotels, and all have their capacity for accommodation tested. The great feature is the Wigwam, erected within the past month, expressly for the use of the Convention, by the Republicans of Chicago, at a cost of seven thousand dollars. It is a small edition of the New York Crystal Palace, built of boards, and will hold ten thousand persons comfortably-and is admirable for its accoustic excellence. An ordinary voice can be heard through the whole structure with ease.