Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-10-07
Gen. Fremont on the Issue.

Ne lss lutsudl NtpAfhlbtE
/ LADIES AND GENTLEMEN / haC
not expected the pleasure of meeting
you here tonight. The public is gen
orally so well informed in regard tC
the subjects on which they are about
| to act, that arguments are hardly
needed. Our meetings now are held
! less for the discussion of these sub
! jects than for the exercise of person
I al influence on each other, to strength
en- convictions already formed, and tO
stimulate us for greater effort in OuI
work. Ny personal relations for ma
ny years back, both before and during
the war, were formed chiefly in con-
nection with Western interests, that
led me westward. Accordingly it had
been arranged that such services and
time as | had to give should be given
in the West. Heretofore the cam
paign has been conducted with a sort
of silent energy which seemed to have
been borrowed from the character of
our great leader. 1t has shown itself
only in its successes, Applause.
But l understand that the meeting to-
night was to be a representative one (;
that it was called TO draw together
and give new expression to the Re
publican feeling and influence of the
State, and especially reiterate to the
country that we rely with unbOunded
confidence on our cause and on our
leaders, Grant and ColfaX. [ Applause.
Sympathizing with all this came to
join YOU here tonight though more as
a listener than as a speaker, and in
the little that have to say l refer on
L. -. 60 s,fT 20 that 1
pose are uppermOst in your minds to-
night. The points are few and very
clear. In fact, it is singular that there
are any grave issues TO divide the
North to-day. There is nothing un-
foreseen in the situation. Carrying
our minds back a few years it is
matter OF continued surprise that
party has arisen here among us to de-
mand that the North shall deliberate
ly undo all their work; and not only
that they shall undo it, but that they
shall repudiate it, and do other things
which would affiX a stigma to all con-
cerned. But the situation of to-day is
the direct result of the war, and the
fixed purpose with which the people
entered into it. We do not undertake
to say that all that was done is right
but we do say that, as a whole, it is so,
and being the act and will of the peO-
pie, that it must stand. APPLAUSE !
TO reverse it means revolution. This
work from the beginning was the
work of the people. The lead
ing ideas of the war We're theirs,
and they were always ahead of the
Renewed applause. !
They grew up with the ideas of the
war, and they were thoroughly in
formed on all the questions which
were involved, and all which grew
out of them. The newspapers were
falling thickly as snow
pie ever enjoyed the benefits of such a
press. And during the war it met
most faithfully their intense anxiety
for the information which they need !
ed to act upon. Its reporters were ey-
erywhere. No council of war, no
Cabinet council, barred them. Wher-
ever the storm of battle broke, there |
hey were on the very crest and foam |
If the wave. So the people were al |
ways guided by the clearest knOwl- |
.dge, How is it possible then that
hey can go back upon what they |
nave done and undertake to screen |
themselves by disavOwing the acts of
heir faithful Representatives? But
he people were right and they know
t. [Applause. The responsibility
vas theirs and they intend to meet it.
When hostilities ceased, the older ma
ions were amazed at the clemency
which the people showed to the South.
They found it difficult to realize that
uch a war should be closed without
he usual penalties, and without the
of the usual revenges.
But the North always remembered
hat We are one people, and they kept
.lways in view the harmonious and
peaceful nation which they had re-
olved to re-establish. The opponents
IT the North chose to misrepresent
his feeling, and to accept it as an ad-
mission on the part of the North that
had always been in the wrong, and
o argue that they could be brought to
epudiate both their acts and their OBJ
igations-their acts growing out of
he war, and their obligations incur
ed in il. What the people really ,
hink about it Vermont [cheersl and
1aine lcheers have Just told us with /
NASllllClliCoSs EADlllduSG. |
rs to the debt, its payment is not a 1
uestiOn of to-day, but the good faith
n which we incurredit is. Applause. !
Seyond the simple declaration that !
re intend hOnorably TO meet our en-
both in the spirit and let ,
er of our contracts [applause1 it has I
70 place in the questions of the day. ]
f it be touched at all, party politics ,
7ill seize upon it, and discussion only [
ends to diminish our securities and {
ljure their value in the hands of the I
eOple. [Applause.l We have lately
cen that the doubt thrown around its {
ayment has advanced gold % per i
ent, and taken away one-quaTter {
'om the value of the currency of the i
ountry. If it can be let alone, and {
n administration placed in power
lodged to meet our engagements hon {
rably, gold in year or two will be at {
ar, and al our Sc, .urities everywhere {
ill have their full value, [Applause. I
Sut the debt is not our immediate
Oncern: 1t is not this country which 7
ill have to pay. 1t is not the cOun- {
" of to-day with its disorganized and I
irbulent States, with its brokeu COM I
lerce and its great waste of unoccu- t