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 OKMOCRATIC REPUBMCAN 
 
 THE delegates chosen by the citizens of the respective counties 
 yf this Commonwealth to put in iioniination a suitable person to be 
 supj)orted by tiie democratic republicans of this state for the office 
 of Governor at the next general election, met on Tuesday the 4tli 
 day of Marcl) 1817, at the court house in the borough of Harrisburg. 
 
 JACOB HOLG ATE was unajiimouslv chosen president, and 
 ANDREW STEWART & Major 1. D. BARNARD, were 
 appointed secretaries. 
 
 On motion, 
 
 Jiesolved, That the members of this convention shall produce 
 certilcates or other satisfactory evidence of their election as such. 
 
 Whereupon it appeared that delegates were duly chosen and at- 
 tended from all the counties in the state, except Allee-heny, Greene 
 
 Resriuipci, That this convention vote viva voce for the candidates 
 to be put in nomination for the office of Governor. 
 Oil motion, 
 Uesolved, Thai, the convention now proceed to the nomination 
 of candidates. 
 
 Whereupou the following persons were put in nomiQAtion.4 
 to wit: 
 
 ^VILLIAM FINDLAY, 
 ]S;.THANIEL B. BOILEAU, 
 ISAAC WEAVER. 
 
 The nomiDatioD being closed, on motion, 
 
 Resolved unammously, That the members of this cenvention 
 pledge themselves to support, and use their interest to secure, the 
 election of the candidate who shall be ajB'"'»ed upon by a majoritj 
 of the votes of all the delegates present. 
 
 The convention then proceeded to make choice of a candidate^ 
 and on counting the votes it appeared that 
 
 William Findlay had ninety-nine votes, 
 Nathaniel B. Boileau fourteen votes. 
 On motion, 
 Resolved unanimimsly, That having full and entire confidence 
 nx the integrity, talie^its, firmness and democratic principles of 
 wnJJAM FINDLAY, and persuaded that if aUcted he willj 
 
w 
 
 in admioisteriug Ihe government inflexibly and s(u(iiously main- 
 tain the rights of the people, and the present ascendancy of demo- 
 cratic republican principles and measures, this convention recom- 
 mend William Findlay as the democratic republican candidate 
 for the office of Governor in October next. 
 On motion, 
 
 Resolved^ That a committee be appointed to prepare and report 
 to this convention, an address to the democratic citizens of Pennsyl- 
 sylvania. 
 
 Whereupon, 
 
 Thomas Sergeant, Thomas J. Rogers, George Plumer, James S. 
 Mitchell and James Kerr, were appointed a committee for that 
 purpose. 
 
 Tiie committee withdrew, and after some time reported an ad- 
 •dress, which was read, and unanimously adopted. 
 On motion, 
 
 Resolved unanimously, That the proceedings of this convention, 
 together with the address and ^ e names of the delegates present 
 attaclied thereto, be published in the democratic papers throughout 
 the state. 
 
 On motion. 
 
 Resolved, That committees of correspondence for the city and 
 county of Philadelphia, and the different counties of tlie state, be 
 appointed, consisting of not less than three nor more than nine per- 
 sons, and that the first named of the committees be a resident in 
 the county town, and that they be authorised to suppl^iiany vacan- 
 cies that may occur. 
 
 JACOB HOLGATE, President, 
 
 fn.-'Br^Yr.risec.-eu.ri^. 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 To the Democratic Republicans of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Friends and fellow-citizens, 
 
 HAVING been specially delegated by you from the different 
 counties of the state, to meet in Convention at Harrisburg, and se- 
 lect a democratic republican candidate to be recommended to your 
 support for Governor of this commonwealth in October next, we 
 have engaged in the duty assigned us under the deepest sense of 
 its importance, and performed it to the best of our abilities. After 
 free consultation we have concurred in that candidate, with a de- 
 gree of unanimity hardly to be anticipated on auch an occasion, and 
 that cannot fail to be attended with an auspicious influence in secu- 
 ring harmony among yourselves and a happy result to our mutual 
 exertions. Anxiously and ardently however as we may recommend 
 that candidate, it will be necessary in order to ensure his election! 
 
that you slioulfl duly estimate its importance, and contribute to it 
 that zeal, activity and influence which its intimate connection with 
 your dearest rights and interests imperiously demands. 
 
 Your knowledge of your rights and a determination to maintain 
 them, placed a democratic administration in the government of this 
 state. The decided declaration of tlie sentiments of so powerful 
 and influencial a state as Pennsylvania, has contiibuted in a very 
 material degree to preserve in the government of the union men of 
 the same politics. Sixteen years have now passed since you aided. 
 in expelling from the latter men whose condiictinfringed the sacred 
 principles of the revolution and threatened the best interests of your 
 country. During that period tlie people have had an opportunity 
 of comparing two opposite administrations, and notwithstanding 
 the adverse events of unexampled commercial embarrassment, of 
 f®reign war, and of domestic faction, theix attachment to democratic 
 principles has continued to increase in strength and to spread to a 
 wider extent. 
 
 Here we proudly recollect and cannot refrain from adverting to 
 the last great contested elections in Pennsylvania. It was in 
 1808, during the embargo, when your produce was either perishing 
 or selling at a very low price, that you bore an honorable testimony 
 of your fidelity to princijile and to the best interests of the nation, 
 by the unanimity, firmness and devotion with which you went to ttie 
 polls and voted for the then democratic candidates, James Madison 
 and Simon Snyder. The glow of triumph that followed these pecu- 
 niary sacrifices to duty stUI warms your bosoms, and will stimulate 
 you to new exertions in the righteous cause of freedom and your 
 country. 
 
 How heart-clieering have been the results of your success! Under 
 the upright and able administration of James Madison, our beloved 
 institutions have preserved tlie spirit of liberty, our country has 
 been protected against tl)e aggressions of an ancient foe. the cha- 
 racter of the nation exalted by patriotic and gallant athievments, 
 our population and resources multiplied, and whilst other nations 
 after sanguinary wars and convulsive revolutions have sunk back 
 again into the gloom of slavery and superstition, America still ad- 
 vances in the career of freedom and still presents to an admiring 
 world the noble spectacle of a representative republic, v^ here all 
 men are free and independent, and all power is acknowledged to 
 be inherent in the people. 
 
 Whilst these rights and blessings have been preserved to the na- 
 tion at large under the guidance of democratic men and measures, 
 our own state under similar auspices aftbrds abundant reason for 
 congratulation. Its government has been administered with a mild 
 and paternal sway; and its present Nourishing condition bears the 
 best of testimonies to the wisdom and purity of its councils. Whilst 
 its older settlements have improved in all die comforts of life, its 
 rich but heretofore uncultivated vales and mountains have become 
 new seats of industry, of commerce and of civilization. Economy 
 m our finances has placed us tar beyond the necessity of state taxes^ 
 has furnished the means of valuable and extensive internal improvf^- 
 
4 
 
 ments and has even enabled us in times of warlike pressure, liberal- 
 ly to contribute to the wants of the union. Tranquillity and res- 
 pect for the laws have blessed us in an eminent degree. And if the 
 events of our domestic policy have not been marked M'ith those 
 stiiking features that attend monarchical governments, it would be 
 difficult to cite an instance in which greater political and civil bles- 
 sings have been enjoyed, than those possessed by the people of Penn- 
 sylvania under the administration of Governor Snyder. 
 
 If, fellow citizens, a just, upriglit and consciencious discharge of 
 public trust, a sincere love of country and its republican institutions, 
 a wish to enjoy your own rights and to suffer others to enjoy theirs, 
 and the repeated eAndence of your being a decided majority of the 
 people of this state, could disarm opposition, you would have just 
 i^ason to expect that none M-ould at this time engage in a contest 
 with you. Hut in a free government you must expect a constant 
 struggle on the part of the few who contend for privileges, against 
 the many who contend for rights. Hence there are those who, 
 excited by faction, animated by ambition and stimulated by avarice, 
 will not allow the general weal to tiiumph over their individual 
 hopes, nor submit to offer up the spirit of party a sacrifice to the 
 dictates of patriotism. It is apparent that they have detei-mined 
 to try all their arts, to exercise all their eloquence, and by all the 
 means in their power endeavor to divide and to annihilate the demo- 
 cracy of Pennsylvania and of the union. Fruitless and humiliating 
 will be their endeavors, fur they will assuredly end as heretofore 
 in disappointment and defeat. You will bear in mind for what 
 and with whom you contend, and you well knowfthat the rights and 
 happiness you have achieved can be secured only by union, vigi- 
 lance and perseverance. 
 
 You will therefore prepare, in an election so all-Important as 
 that of Goverrvor of this state, to contend with y(mr former political 
 opponents. A party which when in power sought to abridge the 
 rights of the people and to subject freemen to arbitrary controul; 
 whose leaders when out of power laboured to embarrass and divide 
 you. to frustrate your efforts against an armed foe that desolated 
 youi' country and threatened your independence: — who reared the 
 hydra of faction to overawe those to whom you intrusted your de- 
 fence, and to sever your country into hostile factions; who frowned, 
 on the exploits of your gallant countrymen and exulted at your dis- 
 asters and misfortunes. Such are the men that will again be on the 
 alert to overreach or vanquish you. Into their corrupt embrace 
 have fallen those in whom disappointment or the lust of power and 
 of office have proved too powerful for the restraints of principle, of 
 patriotism and of public opinion, and who seek to cover under new 
 appellations their dereliction of republican principles and their ef- 
 forts to form a third party, congenial to federalism. The contest 
 will be the same as heretofore, whatever colour the opposition may as- 
 sume, or whatever novel or deceitful denomination it may employ; 
 it must be a contest for principles; a contest between democracy on 
 the one hand, and federalism and apostacy on the other. 
 
d 
 
 The democratic candidate whom we recommend to you, has been 
 taken up by a fair and nearly full representation of the democratic re- 
 publicans of tlie state. Complete unanimity on any measure amonf^- 
 a' large body of people constituting one party, however desirable, 
 is not to be expected. The fundamental principle ofdemocracy and 
 one without which it could not exist, is that the. voice of a majority 
 shall govern; and when that has decided, dissent and opposition 
 should cease: nay more, the minority should cordially support the 
 candidate who is fairly and honorably the candidate of the party. 
 In this convention all who think alike on the great principles of pub- 
 lic policy, all who act with the republicans, have had a fair oppor- 
 tunity of being represented: and if any shall refuse to abide by its 
 choice, it can only be from a spirit of faction and intrigue, or from 
 hostility to the principles ofdemocracy. Th.ose who are not for us, 
 are against us. It is by actions Ave must judge of principles: and 
 he who professes democracy, yet opposes your candidate, however 
 he may deceive hiuiself, cannot deceive you. 
 
 What course your adversaries will pursue as the best adapted to 
 divide and prostrate you, and through you the democracy of the 
 union, must be left to time to disclose. Whether they will com- 
 bine in a candidate avowedly federal, or in one of equivocal princi- 
 ples, in whose breast ambition prevails over patriotism, and who is 
 willing to be the corrupt instrument of any party that can place him 
 in power and give him the distribution of office; or whether they 
 will resort to separate candidates with a view to divide you from 
 each other and deliver you up a prey to federal domination, w» 
 know not, nor is it material. To jo\x and to your political adver- 
 saries, the effect, could they possibly succeed, would in either case 
 be the same: the prostration of democratic principles and the as- 
 cendancy of federal men and of federal measures, here and in other 
 states. One thing, however, we may venture to prophecy, if we 
 may judge from what lias already occurred, that no calumny how 
 ever groundless, no falsehood however unblushing, no invention 
 however wicked, will be spared against you and your candidate: 
 nor will any thing be witiiheld that the ehvemoned maHce of the 
 rejected and the corrupt can contrive against the honest, the pa- 
 triotic and the good. 
 
 What unions have been witnessed, what coalitions have been 
 entered into, what conspiracies have been formed to deceive, to 
 cheat and to overreach the people ! Those who with acrimony have 
 assailed and with bitterness have reviled each other, are now in 
 difterent parts of Pennsylvania, seen to coalesce together for selfish 
 purposes, and to heal their private griefs, in order to gratify their 
 avarice and feed tlie uiiholy fire of ambition. Men whose senti- 
 ments were as opposite as light and darkness, are now bretliren of 
 the same principle. They associate together, they act together, 
 they vote together: and burying their mutual hatreds under a more 
 envenomed hatred of democracy, they purify each other by taking 
 new names, by making a common cause, and by opposing and de- 
 faming you and the government of the state and union. They 
 unfurl the banner of opposition, inscribe it "a union of all honesi 
 
men," and under it, like the autlior of the sentiment, they vould 
 rally all the " choice spirits" who are ready to trample on the rights 
 of their countrymen, and who rather than not govern would govern 
 by a Hartford convention, and proclaim "the Potomac the bounda- 
 ry, the negro states by themselves." To put down such an opposi- 
 tion, to keep such men out of authority, is a sacred duty we owe to 
 ourselves, to our posterity, to our principles, and .to our country. 
 
 We urge you, therefore, with the frankness of republicans, and 
 with the earnestness and sincerity of those who have a common 
 cause with yourselves, to be on your guard against the intrigues 
 and artifices that from various quarters and under various pretences 
 will be used to deceive and divide you. Esteem all as enemies to 
 the republican cause that favor opposition to the candidate regular- 
 ly agreed upon by the delegates of the great republican family. Let 
 your motto be, The democracy of Pennsylvania: your watchwords, 
 Union, Firmness, Vigilance: and you will, as in former times, pre- 
 sent an overwlielming majority against all your opponents. 
 
 Your fellow citizen William Findlay, whom we recommend, not 
 less in obedience to the general sentiment, than from our own de- 
 liberate choice, to your ardent and zealous support as the demo- 
 cratic republican candidate, is so well known to you, that a brief 
 account of him is all we deem it necessary to add. 
 
 William Findlay is a native of Franklin county in this state. He 
 was originally a farmer. He was elected to the legislature by the 
 democratic party of Franklin county in 1797, and again in 1803. 
 He continued to be re-elected from 1803 to 1806: and at all times 
 supported democratic principles and politics with great ability and 
 influence. In January, 1807, he was chosen treasurer of the state 
 by the democratic majority in the legislature, and resigned his seat 
 in the house of representatives. He has fdled the office of treasurer 
 by repeated annual elections up to the present time. 
 
 In public life he has displayed a vigorous understanding, a clear, 
 cool and sound judgment, a patient industry, a sedulous attention 
 to business, and a very intimate knowlege of the political affairs and 
 local concerns of Pennsylvania. As a representative of the people 
 he evinced these qualities in proposing and advocating the passage 
 of laws for the advancement of justice and the good of the people. 
 His legislative abilities, and an upright and intelligent administra- 
 tion of the fiscal concerns of the state, prove him to be qualified for 
 the highest office in the government. He is remaikably estimable 
 as a citizen, and republican in his sentiments, habits and manners. 
 His qualities, both of head and heart, inspire respect for his talents, 
 and esteem for his virtues. The large majority of voices in this 
 convention, acting for you, and as we believe you would act if you 
 were yourselves present, proves the general opini'tii entertained of 
 his talents, principles and public services, and is the surest evidence 
 that your votes will ratify our clioice, and elect the candidate whom 
 we recommend. 
 
 In so doing, we shall wc believe, under Providence, remain 
 tinited, prosperous and fvee: the principles of the revolution will be 
 sacredly maintained in our borders: the rights of the people faith- 
 
fully proteGtecl; the ascendancy of the democratic republican party 
 preserved througliout the union: and the public affairs of this great 
 state continue to be conducted with tranquillity, integrity, economy, 
 and an inflexible adherence to the democratic principles and spirit 
 of our institutions. 
 
 Berks Sf Schuylkill 
 •r Peter Frailey 
 •-Daniel Rhoads,jr. 
 — David Kirby 
 
 Frederick Smith 
 •*W^illiam Schcener 
 •*Godfried Roehrer 
 
 ^John Mullowny. 
 JXorthamptoii, Wayne^ Pike- 
 "^Henry Jar ret 
 «i*^Thomas J. Rogerg 
 r'David Roth 
 •^-Peter Ililliard 
 "•i^John Brodhead. 
 
 City Sf County of FJiilctdelpkia 
 Jeremiah Piersol 
 John Rink 
 Nathan Jones 
 Jos. B. Norbury 
 Mathew Carey 
 Thos. Sergeant 
 James Harper, jr. 
 Levi Garret 
 John Jennings 
 Jacob Holgate 
 Isaac Worrell 
 Daniel Groves 
 Charles Souder 
 George Morton 
 Joel B. Sutherland. 
 Bucks. 
 William H. Rowland 
 Harman Vansant 
 Eli Kitchen 
 William T^ong 
 William Purn}% 
 
 Chester, 
 I. D. Barnard 
 James Monaghan 
 Joseph Pierce 
 Jonathan Pierce 
 George Hartmkan 
 Jacob Neiler. 
 
 Lancaster. 
 George Thompson 
 Jacob Hibshman 
 John Mathiot 
 George B. Porter 
 Henry Hains 
 Hugh Maccullough 
 W^illiam W. Steele 
 Michael Gundaker. 
 Fork. 
 Adam King 
 James S. Mitchell 
 John Stroman. 
 
 Cumberland. 
 Jacob Alter 
 James Giffen 
 John Davis. 
 
 Lehigh . 
 «* Joseph Fry 
 '^ Henry Mertz, jr. 
 
 J\rorthumberlaji<;t, 
 V Thomas Murray 
 ^lenry Shaffer 
 Joseph Hutchison. 
 Union. 
 •piNer Middleswarth 
 James Dale. 
 
 Columbia, 
 James M'Clure. 
 
 Washington. 
 ^Abel M'Farland 
 •»" Jacob Weirich 
 •» James Kerr 
 ^ Joshua Dickerson 
 mm, Williani Vance, 
 
 Armstrong. ludiaiia ^* Jefferson. 
 John Taylor. 
 
 fFestmoreland, 
 George Plumer 
 Peter Wallace 
 David Marchand. 
 
 Fayette. 
 »^Andrew Stewart 
 --William Davidson 
 •-George Dearth. 
 
 Bedford- 
 <»»JohnTod 
 *^ Abraham Martin 
 •*• David Fore. 
 
Frankiin. 
 ' Javje:^ Poe 
 * Stephen Wilson 
 k Andrew Robeson 
 .Ludwick Heck. 
 
 Montgomerg. 
 Henry Sheetz 
 Samuel Gross 
 Christian Snyder 
 *«.William Powel 
 John M'Farland. 
 
 Dauphin. 
 David Ferguson 
 Isaac Smith 
 Christian Gleim. 
 
 Lebanon. 
 
 ■ Jacob Goodhart 
 John Sawyer. 
 
 Luzerne <§* Susquehanna. 
 John Bennett 
 Isaac Post. 
 
 Bradford <§* Tioga. 
 Edward Herrick. 
 
 Mlegheny <§* Butler. 
 , Andrew Christie. 
 
 Huntingdon. 
 •Alexander Dysart 
 Christian Garber 
 
 ■ r!onrad Bueher. 
 
 Beaver. 
 ^ Samuel Power 
 *'Jolm Clarke. 
 
 Mifflin. 
 Henry Burkholder 
 James Banks. 
 
 Delaware. 
 Luke Cassin 
 John L. Pearson 
 William Brooke. 
 
 Somerset Sf Cambria. 
 •►Henry Black 
 ^ James Hanna. 
 
 Lycoming, Potter Sf J^PKean. 
 ^ Henry Welles 
 *- Joceph J. Wallis. 
 Jldams. 
 Daniel Slieffer 
 Calvin Blythe 
 . James Wilson. 
 
 Centre ^ Clearfield. 
 - John Rankin. 
 
 Erie, Crawford, Warren, Mer- 
 cer ^ Venango. 
 ^ Henry Hurst 
 ^ Samuel Hays. 
 
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