Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-10-12
GENERAL HARRISONS SPEECH,

AT THE DAYTON CONVENTION, 10TH SEPT. 1910.
| rise, fellow citizens, (the multitude was here
agitated as the sea, when the wild wind blows up
OH it, ard it was full five minutes before the tli-
mutt of Joy, at hearing and seeing the next Pr, 81
dent of the United States, could be calmed)-I RISE
fellow citizens to express to you from the bottom
of grateful heart my warmest thanks for the
kind and fiattering manner in which hive been
received by the representatives OF the valley ofthe
Miami. rise TO say to you, that however magni-
ficent nv reception has been on this occasion,
am not SO vain as TO presume that it was intended
for me that this glorious triuinphal entry was
designed for one Individual No. / know too
we'll that PERSONS imperfectlons to believe that
this vast assemblage has come up here TO do him
honor. 1t is the glorious cause Of democratic
rights that brought Them here Immense cheer
ing0 1t is the proud anniversary of one of the
brightest victories that CLOVIS on the pages of our
country's history, which hath summoned this null
ttude together. Tremendous cheering.)
Fellow citizens il was about this time OF the
day 81 years ago, this very minute that your speak
err, as commander in chief of the Northwestern ar.
my, was plunged into an agony Of feeling when
the cannonading from our fleet announced an &C.
ton with the enemy. His hopes, his fears, were
destined 10 be soon quoted, Tor the tdngs of VIC
tory were brought to him on the wings ofthe wind
With the eagle of triumph perching upon our
banners on the lake, moved on 10 complete the
overthrow of the foreign foe. The anniversary of
that day can never be forgotten, for every Ameri-
can has cause to rejoice at the triumph of our
arms on that momentous occasion; but the brave
and gallant hero of that victory is gone, gone to
that home whittier we are all hurrying, and to his
memory let us do that reverence due to the deeds
oil SO ustrious patriot. From Heaven does his
soul look down upon us, and gladden. at the vir.
tues which still animate his generous countrymen
in recurring to his noble and glorious career while
on earth. (Great sensation for several seconds.)
am Glllv aware. m feIIov ciiivens thai VIM
expect from me some opinion upon the various
questions which now agitate our country, from
centre to circumference, with such fierce conten-
ton. Caumny, ever seeking to destroy all that
is good in this world, hath proclaimed that am
averse from declaring my opinions on matters so
interesting to you but nothing can he more false.
. (Cheers.)
Have not, time out OF mind, proclaimed my
opposition to a cizen's going forward among the
people and soliciting votes for the Presidency P
Have not, many time aud Often sad that in
my opinion, no man ought to aspire TO the Presi-
dency of these United States unless hc is dcsigna.
ted as a candidate for that high Office by the I'M
bought wishes oflhe people? (Cbeering.) 1.-THE
candidate for so high an office be designated by
portion or majority OF the people, they will have
come to a discrimination OF sustaining such man
from review OF his past actions and life and they
will not exact pledges from him of what he will
do for their selection OF him is proof enough that
he will carry out the doctrines of his party. This
plan ofchoosng candidate for the Presidency is
a much surer bar against corruption than the sys-
TEN of requiring promises. If the pledging plan
is purstied the effect will he, TO offer The Presider
tal chair to the man who will make the mos,
promises. (Laughter) lie who would pledge
most, he who would promise most, would be the
man to be voted for, and have no hesitation in
declaring my belief, that he who would subject
his course TO be thus tied up by promises and pedg-
es would not stop to break Them when once in
office. (Cheering) Are my views upon this
topic correct, or are they not? with one voice
the multitude indicated they were.
If fellow citizens, we examine the history OF all
republics, we shall find as they receded from the
purity of Representative Government, the cond-
lion Of obtaining office was the making Of proms-
CO. He who bid The highest in promises was the
favored candidate and the higher the bids, the
more marked and certain the corruption. Look
at the progress of this Thing in our own republic
Were any pledges required Of your Washington or
your Adainsf Adams was the candidate OF the
federal party, and as statesman was bound TO
carry out the principles of his party. Was his
successor Thomas Jefferson, the high priest OF con
sttutional democracy, called on for pledges? No.
His whole life was pledge of what he would do.
And il we go back to this old system of selecting
men for the Presidency, whose past career shall
be a guarantee of their conduct when elected TO
the Chief Magistracy Of the republic, the nation