The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1868-10-14
GENGAL biz IR'S ,SpEECH

immense Democratic meeting was held
in front OF the st. Charles Hotel, Pitts.
burg. Not less than twenty thousand
persons were present. General Frank
p. Blair Jr., addressed the audience at
considerable leuth, and was frequently
interrupted with shouts Of approbatioD
lie said
FELLOW CITIZENS 1T is impossi-
BILE to exaggerate the importance of the
issues pending this contest. The mul>
titudes that assemble 20 listen to public
speeches attest the thorough apprecia-
ton which the people have Of the i'm
portancc aud vital consequences of this
election. | shall not therefore, feel
myself at liberty to make any preliln-
nary remarks before coming to the dis~
cussion of those questions on which the
interest is centred. ] am sure no per-
sonal considerations with regard to the
merits of any of the candidates can
have any influence with the people in
making up their decision, as compared
with toe principles that are involved.
The real question is, how shall we best
restore peace, confidence, and prosperity
to the country after this long and ex-
haustive struggle, and which policy is
est calculated to promote this end :?
The people will decide with their uner-
ring judgment in favor of the policy
which cOmmebds itself to their good and
discriminating senses, without regard to
the popularity of the candidates put
forward to represent the different poll.
cies proposed. l believe that proscrip-
ton, persecution, disfrapchiscment, or
arbitrary despotism has never, in the
history of the world, produced peace.
1t has been tried in the countries of the
old world, it has been tried since the
dawn of history, and if it has produced
peace, it neves produces prosperity.
After alludipg to the grievances of Ire.
land, the speaker proceeded in forcible
language to depict the condition of the
Southern people coutending that new
Ireland was being made in this country
by the tyranical oppression of the Radi
cal party. He characterized the meas
: ures Of Congress as extravagaut at the
expense of the toiling millions of the
country. He drew heightened com
parison between the policy of the Re-
publican and Democratic parties, de-
nouncing the former as hostile to the
interests Of the country, and advocating
tho latter as entirely beneficial. HI
asked, was the wanton extrayagance OIL
the part of the Government calculated
to restore the prosperity of the nation
already burdened with au enormous
public debt, the interest of which
u amounted to infinitely more than wa
. necessary to maintain the Governmen
anterior to the war? The debt con
: tracted for the maintenance of the Uniol
should be paid to the last dollar bu
in the manner of its payment there wa
8 a wide difference in the sentimen: be
+ tween the two great parties of the coun
try. The policy advocated by the Dem
ocratic party in this respect was tn
payment of the debt according to tn
o agreement made at the time the deb
was contracted-payment of the debt i
the same kind of money which was ad
vanced to the Government, the paymen
II of the debt in the same kind of none
!. in which the soldiers was p1id pay
ment of the debt in which we pay a
our other debts ; payment of the DEB
in the same currency which the pen
sions we've paid to the disabled soldier.
= the widows and the orphans of thos
II who gave their lives for this country
The bondholder had no higher clail
upon teis Government than those me
- who saved the country. He had q
d more sacred demaed than the widow
and orphans os the fallen soldiers. Th
IN bondholder loaned to the Goverumer
Ereenbacks not worth at the time. on
half OF their value now, and the col
tract was to pay him in the same none,
ID the lawful money of the Government
1t the Radical pulley was TO maintain
- this country its standing armies, i
Frcedman's Bureau, and other wastef
p" extravagances, together with the su
necessary to pay the interest upon Il
9 debt, the result would be exactly VIII
the result has been since the close of Il
.. war. Instead Of a dimunition, eac
% year will add to it. Such policy,
oi continued, would eventuate in the ban
'y ruptcy of the country and entire rep
he diation of the debt. Now, on the 9th
hand, the Democratic policy propos,
to reduce the national debt, to dispen
u with all unnecessary institutions, al
OF cnnable the country to pay off porti
of its debt each year BY tho savi
~ thus made, credit aud confidence "
be restored, the lawful currency to t
'eS equilibrium of gold established, a
,u> thus saved, the honor of the count
rty protected, enable the nation to pay
IN debt, relieve the people of taxation, a
90, restore the country to prosperity, brir
O0' ing with it the blessings of peace a
I'VE fraternal feeling, (Cheers,) Gene
'ns Blair said he had been denounced
The his onnOnants a. n man Willinu to rem