Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-09-20
MONTGOMERY BLA1R,s SPEECH.

like many others, were disappointed. Much
has been said and written of that gentle
mans ability, and of his tact to interest an
audience, and it may all be true, neverthe
less, but we failed to discover it. We think
the Republican party may well afford to
pay his expenses for the service he is un-
Willingly doing them. We happen to know
that the Democracy of this Borough thor
oughly regret his appearance among them,
as herald of their faith, although what
that faith is we believe they do moi know
themselves; at least we believe, it is raj &
to find two who agree about it. How can
they agree when new standards are sought
for as often as the moon changes when
to-day it is orthodox to praise the Emanci-
patton Act, and will be orthodox to con
demn it to morrow when to-day Mr.. LIN
COINS policy is regarded as patriotic, and
is sure to be vituperated tomorrow? Mr..
BLAIR took especial pains to impress his au-
dience with the fact, that he had been in the
Cabinet of the late President, and if we cor
rectly remember, that he claimed to have
been his best, his very best friend, and the
very man who originated the measure of
emancipating the slaves, and that he urged
it upon the Administration long before it
became the last, and only resort,to save the
country. Whether this unsolicited avowal
was polite, in the view that he had before
him many who had from the first official
act of NJ. LINCOLN, cast contempt upon him
as statesman, in general, and opposed
the Act of Emancipation, in particular, as
the certain ruin of the country, and a hagi-
tious and wicked violation Of the Constitu-
ton, we leave to be settled by the. wire
workers who imported the astute orator
from his sunny South, to warm the blood
in our frigid veins. Settle it as they may,
dispose of it as they will, it fell from his
lips like wet blanket, smothering all their
party enthusiasm, and henceforth, through
that long three hours defamation, gloom
was apparent upon the spirit of the gather
ing boding deeper gloom at another gath
ering in October. H.. .....
But why should Democrats complain at
this harmless egotism of Mr.. BLAIR? The
success of Mr. L1NcoLN's policy is known to
all the world, and they cannot render it un-
availing to those who are struggling for
the right neither can they prevent the
Of 4hCco ruhn ctill nJbnrn 70 ~
has cast in its wake a brilliancy which mis-
construction cannot gloom-it is a safe
conduct to all who love country, and free
dom, and why denounce Mr. BLAIR for the
part he bore in inaugurating it If he did
pioneer the work of emancipation, as he
says he did, his co-workers should be proud
ces. Is it possible that they fear his sta
bility that even now they suspect him of
disposition to change his politics from
what they seem, and return to his first
love? Is it not natural that they should
wonder little that one who gave the last
Administration such a Jealous support
should support the present one with the
same, or even more devotion And, indeed,
they have some reason to wonder. Not one
of his present associates give him the mer-
it of consistency. Not one but saw the
shallowness of his argument to prove he
had not changed. Well might they ex-
claim, What what! Mr. BLAIR, a radical
Republican i'll your support of Mr.. LINCOLN,
and radical Republican now in your sup
port of Mr. JOHNSON 1t can not be. Mr.
Blair has changed or else we are radical
Republicans, for we are acting together.
The Republican party is, to-day, pursu-
ing the same policy it has pursued ever
since its earliest organization 1t has al
ways made a determined opposition tc
class legislation, whether it be to favor the
rich at the expense of the poor, or to per
petuate power in the possession of one race
of men, at the expense of the freedom d
another race. Equality before the law, is
its motto, and it will take more than the
eloquence of Mr.. BLAIR to convict it, in q
single instance of departure from the let
ter and spirit of that sentiment 1t is Mr.
BLAIR who has changed. By what method
of reasoning can he show that Mr. LINCOLN
would have stumbled on "My Policy" wher
every act Of his life was kindness and mer
cy to the colored man, and "My Policy" il
but continuation of the old system of op
preston, even to blood and death.
Through the whole speech, the orator
was evidently laboring under a strong feel
ing of ill-will against Mr. L1NcoLN's Cabi
net We knew he resigned his place a,
one of its members, but we cared little fol
his private animosities Mr. STANTON is NJ
favorite Of his, but as Mr.. STANTON has en-
deared himself to the country by his servi
ces during the war, the people will be lott
to pronounce him unpatriotic, though ht
has incurred Mr.. BLAIR's displeasure Ever
the Democracy did not seem to care mucl
about the merits of a private quarrel be
tween these two men, and they listened
with the same Indifference to the "charac
ter" over the late Presidents hand anc
seal, they would have listened to Bridgets
1