Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-11-05
0Blo Statesman,
EL0Q UE Mt SPEECH
HON. S. S. COX.
Delivered AT the Great DemOcrat
ic Ratification Meeting in New
York City, Thursday Even
ing, Oct. 81, 1867.

4
ic Ratification Meeting I'm New
York City, Thursday Even
| ing, Oct. 81, 1867.
From the New York World. November II
The chairman then presented Hon. S. s
Cox, who was received, as the previous
speaker had been, with great applause
Mr.. Cox spoke as follows:
congratulate the people here assembled
ON the rising of the Democratic barometer
Although the stormful elements are still
about us-it indicates future calm political
weather! L congratulate the people OF
this 'fevered land that they are clearing
away the mire and rubbish-the debris OF
| war, and have struck the Democratic rock,
which begins to lift itself up, in oriental
metaphor" casting Its great shadow in a
weary land" Within this shadow, the
heats of hate and the trackless wastes of
war are veiled the palms whisper peace,
the we'll gushes with refreshment, and the
lsore-pressed find refuge and rest! In this
Icongratulation is included the Republican
party and the colored population. A large
portion OF the former have contributed to
these happy triumphs. All of them, black
and white, are embraced in its happy re-
suits. would especially congratulate you,
my unrepentant, truculent Radicals, that
you are marching on, with melancholy
music and furled flag, to take that place so
long and SO honorably occupied by the De-
mocracy-the position OF the respectable
nainorityl Do not undervalue the position
| In it you may earn the plaudit of Arte-
mus Ward to General Washington: HE
was useful" Mr.. Emerson, the transcen-
dentalist said at Cambridge, this summer,
that there was great utility and hope in a
minority. The right and exercise of criti-
fha x,sr :,<la.
power. to fatten on its rottenness, the in
dependent and aggressive dash are the at
tributes of an honorable and unterrified
minority. These may be yours. The hour
cometh when our majority will dictate po-
iiticat action !; be sure we will not lessen
your usefulness by following your exam
| pie. We will not ostracise where we can
not answer. We will not villipend where
we cannot praise. We will not imprison
where we cannot agree. We will not mob
| where we cannot argue. We will not
teach forbearance to the South, while for
| getting it to our erring neighbors. We
will try and be as Christian in the future
as in the past!
In one sense it is quite pleasant to be in
minority. You not only escape response
bilities and troubles, but you escape the
cry of the vultures and jackals who follow
the live lion till he drops. You will find
needed it more. hope you will prepare
for its duties better than you did for those
of the majority. Possibly, you think we
ourselves were astOniShed at these victo-
ries. Well, yes-and not yes. We did not
expect quite such result in Ohio. To
overcome 10000 of the Republican majori-
ties of last year; to gain in every county :;
to defeat the black suffrage by $4,000; and
to elect Democratic Legislature and un-
81 at the President of the Senate-Senator
Wade-was rather astonishing! 1t is said
that in New Zealand there is splendid
flower, white as a lily, which, when its
petals open to the sun, resounds
with the report of artillery in the
tropical forest. This was the way
Ohio efioresced! Is she not white and ra-
diant? The thunder thereof, is it not very
music OF the spheres? Yet it is sad to see
the fall come though it brings us the fruits.
The russell leaves, the gray morn, the IA
ding flowers, the voiceless birds, and the
wind moaning its requiem over the grave
cfSummer-are a part of that Providential
order which regards as well the fall of
little sparrow as of q great party. My
Radical friends, you have been used to
seeking the ways of Providence through
political events. Study them with this
election in view. and tell me if I am not
right when 1 say "God is holding you
over he'll for some wise purpose" He may
not drop you. Perhaps L might, in my
finite view of your deserts. Whether he
does or not, may depend upon the strength
of your repentance or the quality of your
pantaloons. If they are shoddy, farewell!
1t he suspends you tor time, to inhale the
incense and hear the applause of the pit, iJ
may be as warning not to draw your pol
itics from hate and malice, which do not
come from above; but follow us in the be-
nignant teachings of good will to all, which
are drawn from above. There are various
meanings assigned to the late elections
Their true solution is not to be found in To-
cal issues. These changes are common
to Connecticut, Maine, California,
Pennsylvania and Ohio. Local influences
may have operated. the Radical attempt to
make men moral by a constabulary, and to
regulate their appetites by statute, had its
effect in Maine, as it will in New York and
Massachusetts. So, too. the presence of
the shaven-headed, pig-tailed, ochre-col-
ored Chinese in California. are a standing
refutation of manhood suffrage and Radi-
cal abstraction. These have affected re-
suits there. In Ohio the discussions on
debt and taxes, and in Pennsylvania the
condemnation of Chase's irredeemable
paper money, in the election of Judge
Sharswood, who decided it an iIlegal tender
these had their peculiar influences. But
the main reason for this wonderful change
is to be found in the reconstruction and
negro policies. Wendell Phillips has
made post mortem examination. He re-
ports that the party in Ohio died there of
an "utter want of self-respect." Strangely
enough, in history of New England, one
of the early Puritans is recorded by an old
chrOnicler to have gone out looking for
clans, stuck in the mud and died of a want
of selt-respect. Mr.. Phillips says that his
party was not just. 1t forced the negro
ballot on South Carolina and refused it in.
Ohio. But ] imagine that this one in
stance of injustice is but an illustration of
general and tortuous system of tyranny,
perfidY and wrOng-which has coiled
around and throttled Radicalism. John
Sherman said in speech in Ohio that the
military governments were but the scof-
foldings for the civil governments and
their continuance should not be an hour
longer than to enforce that object. The re-
construction bill was not scaffolding-it
was scaffold 1t was not means. but it
was an end! 1t was built to behead the
States. The military Brigadiers were the
hangmen. Like another scaffOld, it has
gibbetted the builder. 1t is the scaffold of
Radicalism! The one great need of this
nation for nearly three years is, and has
been, tranquility. The people desired to
pursue the paths of peace, pleasantness
and prosperity. Instead. Congress has
given them quagmire. To 60 on is just
dS Ddu do W ~ LIZ Seb OuG Is tile
verdict of the elections. Three different
bills did Congress pass, with the ostensible
object of reconstruction. In neither of
them was there justice. freedom, sincerity
or Union. The reconstruction policy failed
with the people, as it fails to restore the
Union. sfEsf
1st. Because 1t is subversive of our policy.
1t has no place in our Constitution. That
instrument is written code. 1t is the su-
preme law s'outside'' of which, we have no
business. In its sphere it is supreme. Con-
gress, Presidents and Judges are but its crea-
lures, and must move within it. To each is
assigned department; and all move in
harmony under its written grants. These
departments haveonly the powers specially