Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-07-29
SPEECH OF
JOHN II. THOMAS, Esq,
Accepting the Democratic NOmin-
alton for, Congress of the 9th
District, at London, July
"a, lS6S.

iOs AOEN OOnEFcss OB AMo Jun
District, ar London, July
"a, ls6S.
Mr.. THOMAS, in accepting the Democrat
ic nomination to Congress in this, the 9TH
District, made the following very able
speech : ------....
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the Conven-
tion: -...-- ...---...--...,,
| 1 am distrustful of my ability to meet
your expectations, yet relying upon the
strength which deep convictions give to
| the feeblest instrumentality, accept with
many thanks, the distinguished honor to
which your partiality has assigned me-
have never aspired to that dignity and
grandeur which enables the orator to ex-
press in words OF beauty, and with gor-
geous imagery the gratitude which obli-
cations conferred, bestirs within him, and
can not, therefore, on this occasion, thrill
your bosoms with delight, whilst return
ing thanks for the honor you have done me.
And II l thought eloquence was an es-
sential element to craftsmanship; or if i
thought the people OF this district prefer
red an eloquent man, to faithful and Ia
borious representative, in either case
should feel authorized to decline your NOM
ination, for the reason that am not formed
of those rare and charming gifts which
consecrate the orator to public favor, But
l do not recognize oratory as prerequisite
of craftsmanship. 1t is not the brilliant
sparklings emitted from the heated metal,
but the patient blows of the artisan which
shape the rough mass into symmetry and
forms of beauty. So it is with the merely
eloquent man. He may arouse the atten-
ton of people slumbering with indiffer-
ence over q, volcano of ruin he may ar
rest the wild and reckless progress of an
unthinking people before they plunge
headlong over their precipice of foily he
/ may hold up to the gaze of the people a
future so gilded all over with beauty, as to
inspire every bosom with the virtue and
courage to enjoy it; he may do all this, and
much more, to harmonize the national pull
satlons with the national good ; and yet he
may be too ethereal to gather up, by the
tedious process of reality, the shattered
and scattered rights of wronged and OPP
pressed people, and restore each to its
| proper place. He may be too impatient of
the drudgery necessary to resurrect and
! restore principles buried beneath the rub
bish of ruin, or to overcome the difficult
| ties of restoring to people their lost priv
ileges.
1t is one thing to delight people, but
quite another thing to benefit them. 1t re-
quires more than an appreciative or happy
expression of ones words to relieve them
.
therefore, be able to accomplish as much
for the good of those he serves as that man
whose tongue is clothed with the fire of ell
oquence; for it is. after all, the determination,
and not the promise merely, from which ad-
vantage is to flow. If the people elect me,
therefore, l not only promise them la
borious devotion to their interests; but l
also assure them can and will accomplish
more for them in this way than 1 could
hope to do in any other way.
Whilst accept as true and endorse the
doctrines OF the Democratic party, as laid
down in its National and State platforms,
believing they assert all that is needed to
restore the country to its old glory, and
feeling assured they will carry with their
triumph, salvation from the dangers which
threaten US. yet must say to you l am not
bound to any mere partisan schemes, and
in accepting your nomination do so solely
and entirely with view of being able to
achieve something for the good of our COM
mon country which will reflect honor back
on the party.
am no politician by profession-am not
skilled in the politicians phraseology,
which enables him to deceive and betray
the people whilst protesting entire devotion
to their welfare nor am 1 versed In that
history and strategy with which one party
assails and eliminates the other; and you
must not expect me in this campaign to
champion any such interest. '
l look upon the issues as invested with
too much vital significance to fritter away
time upon mere politics. This great coun-
try, having within itself every element of
happiness and prosperity, is notwithstand-
ing, neither happy, prosperous nor con-
tented. Somebody is responsible for this
state of things; and somebody must rescue
it from this sad condition, or soon, from
one end of the land to the other, there will
be an endless procession of wailing men,
stung to madness under the taxation which
robs them of their living.
The Republican party has been in abso-.
lutte power fUr-eigi1t yeaIs; and whatever
country, they have done. They cannot di-
vide responsibility with any one else-be-
cause they have not even advised with any
body else. They cannot plead want of
power; nor charge any one eIss with de-
feating any of their wishes; for If the Presi-
dent stood in their way, they stripped him
of all power to hinder. If the courts in
terposed upon either pleas of mercy or
vengeance, they either stifled their utter
ances by malignant legislation or by mill
tary force. If State Legislatures, or State
Conventions attempted to obstruct the
pathway they were opening to their
elyseum, they were either prevented from
assembling or. were dispersed with the
bayonet. Ii the people of State declined
er, declared them ratified Notwithstanding.
In short, whatever this Republican party
have thought it desirable to do they have
done in defiance of all opposition; and it
therefore follows, as an inevitable conclu-
sion, that if this country is not to-day as
happy, prosperous and harmonious as it
ought to be, it is the fault of the Republic
can party, and of the Republican party
alone.
Pot fI,a ~ ~ snht Of,
absolute rule, the country is worse off than
when they entered into power, what hope
of relief or of better times can the people
have from continuing them longer in pow.
er2 Their only promises for tine future are
based upon their conduct in the past and
as their past and present measures have not
been such as to improve our condition, but
have loaded US with burdens unnecessary
and ruinous, it seems to me, that nothing
but blind, unreasonable, utterly reckless
and slavish adhesion to prejudice or party
can induce the people any longer to entrust
that party with the government of the
country. And L have so much faith in the
patriotism and virtue OF the great mass of
the people, who, like myself, have no inter-
est in parties further than they can be made
instruments of good, to believe they will
this fall refuse to vote back this party into |
power. No party can claim ownership of
the farmers, mechanics, laborers and busi-
ness men OF THIS country, anu no party dis |
cipline or deception can longer force them
to adhere to and support party when they
can see all around them, everywhere, evi-
dences of the injury that party is doing
them and their country.
These evidences OF injury are presented
on all sides as results OF Republican rule,
and all over this district, to-day, you will
find men who are sundering their connec--
ton with the Republican party and who
hereafter will stand with the Democratic
party as the only party able and willing to
rescue the country from its sad condition.
To perform this rescue is at present the
mission and destiny of this grand old party,
which has always been the party of the
people, and which has always carried en-
its hannars hostility tn the