with others to address
this convention, I felt that the best speech that could be made
was the convention itself. You are here to speak the voice of Ohio
in the choice of the chief officers of the state and to announce
the creed of a great party. Such bodies as this are the convenient
agencies of a free people to mark out the line of march and to
select their leaders.

"When I look upon this great body of representative Republicans,
animated by a common purpose and inspired by a common faith in the
party to which we belong, my mind instinctively reverts to the
first Republican convention of Ohio, held in this city thirty-six
years ago. Then, under the impulse of a great wrong--the repeal
of the restriction of slavery north and west of Missouri--that
convention, remarkable in numbers and ability, composed of
representatives of all parties then in existence, pledged themselves,
that come what may, they would resist the extension of slavery over
every foot of territory where it was not then established by law.
There was no doubt or hesitation or timidity in their resolution,
though they knew they were entering into a contest with an enemy
that had never been defeated, that had dominated all parties, and
would resist to the uttermost, even to war, any attempt to curb
the political power of the most infamous institution that ever
existed among men. This was the beginning of the Republican party.

"It was also the beginning of the most remarkable events of American
history. Since that day the Republican party has abolished slavery,
not only in the United States, but, by its reflected influence, in
nearly all the countries of the world. It has conducted a war of
gigantic proportions with marked success, demonstrating in the
strongest way the ability of a free people to maintain and preserve
its government against all enemies, at home and abroad. It has
established the true theory of national authority over every citizen
of the republic, without regard to state lines, and has forever
put at rest the pretense of the right of secession by a state or
any portion of our people. It has placed our country, in its
relations to foreign nations, in so commanding a position that none
will seek a controversy with us, while empires and kingdoms profit
by our example. It has, for the necessities of the time and the
warnings and follies of the past, marked out a financial system
which secures us a currency safe beyond all possib