Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-10-22
Statesman.

,iss 81 Reaction"
The Financial Question Discussed.
tTelegraphic Correspondence Gin. Commercial
PITTSBURGH, October 20.
Judge Thurman addressed Democratic
iollification meeting in Allegheny City last
night. He spoke rs follows:
"MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW DEMO-
CRATS-I am rtjoiced to be bearer of the
congratulations of the Democracy of Ohio
to their brethren of fPennsylvania, upon the
glorious victory you have achieved Ever
since can recOllect Pennsylvania has been
calle the Keystone of the Democratic arch
the Keystone OF the Union. for to be one
was to be the other. Applause.] During
the terrible convulsions of the last six
years, it seemed to the Hunreflecting that
that arch was irretrieyably broken, but
thanks be to, the Giyer of all good; it is this
day restored, and Pennsylvania is once
more its Keystone: Applause. u
"Wbat, my friends, is the lesson that our
victories of this year teach What is the
meaning of that great reactionary current
that, beginning in Connecticut last spring,
and sweeping through Delaware. Mary
shores Of the Pacific in the summer, and
came back to take up Ohio and Pennsyl-
vania in the fall, and that next month will
| bear on its bosom New Jersey and New
York? (Applause.i What is it that makes
the Yankee of Main join hands with the far
off Conservative Republican of Californian
TAT this point the stand gave way, and
ali who were on it were precipitated in
confused heap to the ground. Nobody was
seriously hurt. A few were bruised. The
meeting adjourned to the Allegheny City
Hall, in the neighborhood, and from the
steps of this building Judge Thurman con-
tinued his speech, as follows l--I-t
ION the second Tuesday of this month 1
got little bit of a fall. but it didn't hurt
me bit more than this little fall to- night.
and that is jus- nothing at all. Laughter.l
Now, my friends, when the platform fell
down | was asking the question, what is
the meaning of these Democratic victories
this year? What is it that binds the great
Middle States of Ohio and Pennsylvania in
| the bonds ofa political Union? What is it
that makes Delaware, and Maryland, and
Kentucky cling to us as their great hope in
the dark future with which they are threat
ened? What is it that has given us our
gains in Indiana, Illinois, Montana and
Colorado? To me it seems that the answer
is plain. To me it seems that the meaning
Of all this is: first, that the American peo-
tuttonal government; secondly, that the
white race is not prepared to surrender its
manhood and all its glorious traditions,
8 I'd become serfs of the black race; third
ly, that the magnanimous and sensible
people of the Republic are not willing to
see the South converted into Poland and
governed by military despotism; fourth
y, that they are not willing to see the
material prosperity of their country de-
stroyed in order to perpetuate the power
of party; filthy, that they are not
willing to see the land groan for
thousand years, perhaps, under a
burden of debt and taxation, such
as this world never before saw, when it
may all be honorably paid within the
lifetime of generation, without repudi-
alton and without injustice; and finally.
that they are not willing longer to commit
our destinies to rulers whose corruption
has squandered our treasury, given away
our property, and brought US to the very
verge of national bankruptcy. This, it
seems to me, is the lesson of the hour, and /
thank my Maker that we have learned it be-
fore tits too late. Parties have often fought
for men more than for principles, and our
opponents are now seeking to inaugurate
such contest once more. They overlook
the fact that our victories this year were
achieved by battling for honest principles
and honest measures, and not for men.
Aucy OfcIiooh Glc ldCb Giidb Tile GlineS are
too serious for the people to abate one jot
of their wisdom. one spark of their patri-
otism, one particle of their common sense.
No, my friends, let us be governed next
year by the honesty, wisdom, and patriot
ism that have marked our course this year,
and 1868 will see the temple of constitu-
tional liberty, and good government, stand
erect in the land, with all its glorious and
beautiful proportions, and with light on
itS altar that VI ill hurn f0ravprmora
Now, my friends, let me address you
briefly upon some of the questions that
have been discussed this year, and which
will be equally pertinent, perhaps, in the
year to come. And, first, this question of
reconstruction, so-called-the reconstruc-
ton OF the Southern States. Why, my
friends, what do these men mean by talk
irg about the reconstruction OF States?-
Have we not Constitution, and does not
the Constitution construct our Govern
ment? And what. in the name OF heaven,
have these Radical rulers to do but to obey
that Constitution and no reconstruction is
necessary. They call it a question of re-
construction. There never was such mis-
homer in the world. They ought to call it
a question of destruction. Applause
Destruction of States, destruction of indi-
vidual liberty, destruction of the country's
prosperity, destruction of every principle
that ever made America glorious. or ever
encouraged sthe hope of the peo-
pie for the future of the country.
[Applause.] That is the kind of a question
1t is; a question OF the destruction of civil
liberty, and not question of the recon-
struction of the States. But there is one
thing more of this sO-called reconstruction.
II is a question whether one-third OF this
Republic shall be placed under the con-
troll OF the negro race. 1t is question
whether ten States of this Union shall be
surrendered to the negro. 1t is question
whether by DISTINGUISHING white men and
enfranchising negroes, one-third of this
Republic shall be placed under the control
of the black race, and not one-third alone;
because put that third of the Republic un-
der the control of the black race and it be-
comes q balance of power in the country.
| and will govern the whole Republic, from
Canada to the Gulf, until the people, be-
coming disguised with this degrading joke
shall bring about that terrible conflict, to-
ward which the Radicals are precipitating
their sO-called negro friends. [Applause.
Now, my friends, one thing that ought
to be known in this city of Allegheny, and
in the city of Pittsburgh; one thing that
ought to be known in every Northern
home; to every man, woman and child in the
North, is the effect which this Radical pol
icy has upon your pockets. Why, what is
it which keeps the States Of the South al
most in condition of starvation 1t is
not year since you were sending them
provisions to keep life in their bodies, and
the reason of it is that people are kept
down by this Radical despotism so that
they have no heart and no hope to work
and improve their country. Why my
friends, what heart has any man there to
improve his land or to increase the wealth
of the country, when he does not know but
at the very next session of Congress, Thad
deus Stevens will drive through a confisca-
n f0 10 l. A,.I .
to the Niger? What heart would any of
you have to labor and improve your lands,
houses or farms if you were not sure you
would be allowed to own them six months?