The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-07-05
Speech ofCOIonel Donn Piatf,
Delivered at Findlay.

Speech of Colonel DOnn Piatf,
Delivered at Findlay.
PRIVILEGES AND DUTIES.
Weare assembled once more, my
fellow citizens, to counsel with eacf
other upon the condition Of the coun'
try, and devise such measures as We
may deem necessary for our welfare
1t is our high privilege, as citizens
of the Republic, to shape her national
and domestic policy. This is nc
idle dream, no philosophical specu
lation. 1t is reality. These mass
meetings, hastily called together
and hurriedly addressed, are, in fact
the legislatures of the land, and wha'
lin these is public sentiment becomes
through the ballot box positive is~
and the veal or woe of our govern
ment hangs upon the breath of hei
children. 1t is then not only a high
privilege, but a duty as well, for oul
government reflects the virtue and
intelligence of her citizens, as they
are virtuous and intelligent, it is wise
and powerful; and if they are infiu-
enced ty prejudice and swayed by
passion it is arbitrary and unjust.
These are truths we should cher
Ish. know it is common for men
of cultivation to sneer at politics,
and make it boast that they have
no interest in the study, or care for
its results. Such men are recreant
to the high trust reposed in them
They are intelligent aw-givers who
neglect their vocation, and really
fail in the loftiest virtue known to
humanity-that we call patriotism.
They are to be pitied, as well as de-
spised, for the intelligent citizen who
ueglects the primary meeting suffers
from the legislation, and awakens to
the fact that his property, life and
liberty are imperilled by the thought
less few, instead of being protected
by the patriotic many.
Through this strange neglect, or,
rather, through the strange perversi.
ty that regards as a glittering gen
erality, that which is a simple, com.
mon-place fact, that our government
has, in great measure, changed its
character. Our Lawmakers in the
regularly constituted Legislatures
are no longer regarded as the agents
of the people, rejecting their will
and acting on their intelligence, but
have come to be poor imitators OF
an antsgonistic style Of government,
and constitute themselves our rulers.
We suffer in a double sense from
this. In the despotic governments
of Europe rare intelligence, if not
virtue, characterizes the governing
class, while, under our system, the
road to office is open to the Ignorant
and vicious, and, unless carefully
guarded, it is precisely this sort that
will hold the places. 1t is a melan-
choly fact, recognized by the world,
and acknowledged by ourselves, that
our better sort of citizens are net in
office, and the sneer to which 1 have
alluded originates in this. We hear
a man say, 81 am no politician
vote for the best man, regardless Of
party," and, to insure his own re-
speciality, he turns his back upon
his duty, and neglects the interests
of his country. He ends by voting
for the best man presented him by
ignorsnt caucuses, and leaves these
men to their own will, or worse yet
to the guidance of the vicious caucus,
that created them. Thus self gov
ernment, or rather free government,
has fallen into contempt and plati-
tudes and featherless owls on one
side, and vicious demagogues on the
other, sway in vexed uncertainty the
destines of great Republic.
1t is our grave duty to correct this.
Each citizen must feel that he is the
responsible law-maker of the land,
and so feeling give himself up to the
earnest study of her best interests,
and seek all occasions to meet with
his brother citizens, and discuss the
measures proposed for her interest.
We should have the tribunes OF the
people in every ward and township,
and give to them all of our thoughts,
and much of our time, and to these
tribunes should gather not one par
ty, but all parties to hear discussion,
and not shameless stump-speakers,
where error goes uncorrected, and
the passions, and not the judgment,
of the people, are appealed to with
out rebuke..r rrt- tlG .l~ss G
We are forced to acknowledge that
under this free government of ours
the sacred rights Of property are less
respected, and the holy rights oil
limb, life and liberty are less safe
than under the despotism we so
heartily despise. Through our neg
lect, our official agents are tainted
with corruption, and our great CON-
mercial centers have come TO be re-
gsrded as loathsome sinks of vice.
and are held up TO the merited scorn
of humanity, great scandal on free
government. This we must correct.
If we hope to be saved. Let US break
down King Caucus, the meanest and
most ignorant of all despots, whose
cunning tricks are processes by which
small men are elevated to high offices,
and corruption made possible. Let
us break him down by inaugurating
primary meetings Of the people,
where all sides shall be heard and all
men called upon to consider and de-
eide. r
ABOUT PARTIES
In all communities there is gov
erning element that sooner or later
comes to the surface and takes con.
troll. The aristocracy of England,
for example, famed for its courage,
wisdom and lack of humanity, has
for centuries welded the destinies OF
that mighty people; while in France,
o