The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-12-14
GRAND MASS MEETING IN PITTSBURGH.
SPEECH OF HON. A. c. THURMAN.
DELIVERED OCTOBER 10, lse7.
>. President and feiio,e Democrat. .

Mr.. president and Feiio,e Democratic.
am reIoiced to hc n bearer of con-
gratuations ofthe Democracy of Ohio
to their brethren Of Pennsylvania, mp
on the glorious victory you have
achieved. Ever since | can recollcc,,
Pennsylvania has been called the Key
stone of the Democratic arrh--thc
Keystone Of the Union, for to lie the
one was to be the other. During the
terrible commissions of the last six
years it seemed to the anreflecting
mind that that arch was irrctrievahlv
broken, hut thanks to the Giver Of all
good, it is this day restored. and Penn
sylvania is once more its Keystone
Applause.
What, my friends, is the lesson that
our victories OF this year teach? What
is the meaning of that great reaction
airy current that, beginning in Connec.
ticut last spring, and sweeping through
Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky and
Illinois, reached the shores of the Pa
cific in tho summer. and came back TO
take up Ohio and Pennsylvania in the
fall, and that next month will bear on
its bosom New Jersey and New York?
| Applause. What is it that makes
the Yankee of Maine join hands with
the far-of conservative Republican of
California
At this point the stand gave way,
and all who were on it were precipita.
ted in confused heap 10 the ground.
Nobody was seriously hurt: few
were bruised. The meeting adjourned
to the Allegheny City Hall. in the
ncighhorhood. and from the steps of
this building Judge Thurman contin.
ued his speech. a. follows
On the second Tuesday Of this
month | got little hit Of fall, but
IT didn't hurt me- bit more than this
little fall tonight. and that i just
nothing at all laughter Now.
my friends. when the platform fell
down was asking the question. what
is the meaning of these Democratic
victories this wear? What is ii that
binds the great Mi1slic States of Ohio
and Pennsylvania in the hon'ls Of Il
political Union? What j. IL that
makes Dclawarc. aud MARYLAND. and
| Kentucky cling "a as as their GREAT
hone in the dark f'linrf will which
they ars. Threatened , Wbp' j. /. that
has gieeu ~ orr g4i in 'ul'ane nj.
noi<. Montana aa' o'nrrlp: - go
il seems that ibr 1a~gcr i~ u.a;n. 7"
ne il ,ecfls that br mrau;ny of al
this IS: first. that the : u I'ican pco
F. pie are not prepared tn s'trren Ter con
stitutiongl Government; secnn llv, That
that the white race il not prepared %
surrender It's manhood anil NIL lis gl0
rions traditions. and berom' scrf> oI
the black race; thirdly. that the mag.
nanimous an sensible people of the
Republic arc not willing to see the
South converted into Poland and
governed by a military despoti>m
fourthly, that they are not willing Ia
see the material prosperity of their
country destroyed in or,lcrto perpctu.
ate the power of party; filthy, that
they are not willing Ia see the land
groan for thousand years, perhaps
under burdca of debt and taxation,
such as this world never before saw,
when it may all bc honorably paid
within the lifetime of generation,
without repuliation aud without in
Justice; and finally, that they are not
willing longer TO commit our dcstinics
to rulers whose corruption has squan.
dercd our treasury, given away our
property, aud broaght 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 before it is too late
Parties have oftener fought for men
than for principles, and our opponents
are now seeking to inaugurate such a
contest once more. They overlook the
fact that our victories this year were
achieved by battling for honest prin-
ciples and honest measures, and not
for men. They overlook the fact that
the times are too serious for the peo.
pie to abate one jot Of their wisdom,
one spark of their patriotism, one par.
ticle of their common sense. No, my
friends, let us be governed next year
by the honesty, wisdom and patriotism
that have marked our course this year,
and 1868 will see the temple Of con-
stitutional liberty-a good govern
ment-stand erect in the land, with
all its glorious and beautiful propor
tions, and with light upon its altar
that will burn for evermore.
Now, my friends, let me address
you briefly upon some ofthe questions
that have been discussed this year, and
which will be equally pertinent, per-
haps, in the year to come. And first,
this question of reconstruction, so-call-
ed-the reconstruction ofthe Southern
States. Why, my friends, what do
these men mean by talking about the
reconstruction of States? Have we
not Constitution, and does not the
Constitution construct our Govern.
ment And what, in the name of Hea-
ven, have these Radical rulers to do
but to carry out this Constitution p
No reconstruction is necessary. They
call it a question of reconstruction
There never was such misnomer in
the world. They ought to call it a
question of destruction. Applause. !
Destruction of States-destruction Of
individual liberty-destruction of the
country's prosperity-destruction of
every principle that ever made Amer
lea glorious, or ever encouraged the
hope of the people for the future of
the country. Applause That is
the kind ola question it is-a question