Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-10-10
SPEECH OF HENRY WARD
BEECHER.


JoHS P. HALE and others spoke. Inc
following are the remarks of Mr.. BEEoH-
rR as we find them reported in the New
York papers: -
FEIIow-c1rIzENs: | congratulate
myself on being present tonight on such
a meeting. in such place, for such pur-
pose. and with such goodly attendance;
for l have always felt that until we could
bring in some sense that which makes the
family what it is, into our political en-
cIes and considerations, we should be lett
almost certainly and hopelessly to the
conscious meanness and ignobleness Of
male politics. daughter and applause
l am, therefore, almost happy to see SO
many ladies here tonight, because they
have a right to take an interest IN that
which lies at the foundation, | may say,
of the very country itself, and the cause
of liberty in this country. None more
than they, need to be well informed, and
so far as right instincts are the best
teachers, none are better informed as to
what is generous, pure, true and good
than The sisters, wives and mothers of
our coantrymen. (Applause.) We are
assembled, fellow citizens, upon no ordl-
nary occasion of excitement. This meet
ing has its parallel in almost every con-
siderable town in the United States north
of Mason's and Dixon's line. Gap
plause) In all all our rural districts
where they have no such buildings as
this they are obliged to enter that "teInple
not made with hands" which God built.
We have passed through a great many
election scenes in our lifetime, but never,
since cur fathers trod these western
shores, has there been parallel to the
canvass which is now going on Throughout
the United States. 1t is not merely a
question between the ms and outs which
recur once in four years. 1t is not merely
a question between an Administration
that has forfeited It's promises, as if that
were anything strange, and the people
calling upon them to render an account
It is not simply such question as agi
tated this country in 1910; for, although
there was then an excitement which
made that year memorable one in the
political calendar of this country, ye
1910 will never be mentioned after 1856
(Great applause.) If you will recollect
from 1885 or 80 a series of commercial
embarrassments agitated the whole coun
try. There was destruction of credit
a destruction Of property accumulated
and there was crash of interests al
over the land, east and west. In 1874
the people were irritated, and were ful
of evil auguries for the future the
were uneasy, dissatisfied and suffering
It's never hard to make great campaig
when the people are suffering in thei
pockets and their interests, and it is n
wonder, then, when they had such a
Administration as was that presided owe
by Martin Van Duran, that there wa
such whirlwind and revolution. b.
now we are not suffering. In our store
shops and harvests, never have we bee
more prosperous. The earth has smilec
the heavens have smiled, and God hat
: blessed US in all material respects. Ma
nufactures, commerce, and agricultur
all have thriyen. Never in any perio
Of our history have there been so man
conspiring causes of prosperity as in til
year; and yet, untroUbled, with am
thing that usually draws men together
> excitement, they have risen up with a
unanimity and with an intensity of fee
ing and a determination such as VIZ
2 neverknown before. And why all this
| think the reason is very obvious. 1t
suspected by the people that the Const
tuition which was ordained for Libert,
4 has been perverted and wrested from Ii
purposes and objects intended by i
trainers. The consequence is that I'll
people are determined to recur again
their old history, to look at the wordin
OF old documents, and to reason agai
from first principles. l pass now to COZ
S slider the particular cause which Shs
n aroused the people to that state of excit,
ment now prevailing in regard to ii
g strange developments which have bee
made in Kansas. / think that Calhou
g was the father Of Kansas. think tn;
s if he were alive he would be obliee
: to father these difficulties, as coming MOI
:, legimately from the theories of govern
ment advocated by him than from an
q other man in the whole South, under ii
influence Of this man, the feelings of I'll
II South have been revolutionized +; 70
q whereas Slavery was once thing to
aPologized for, now they adopt Calhoun
\ doctrine that Slavery is a good thinn-