The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-12-12

in committee of the whole listened to an able
and carefully prepared speech by Hon. James
@. Blaine of this State on the issues settled by
the late Presidential election. After brief
and eloquent exordium, Mr.. Blaine stated that
the first point settled by the Republican tri-
ump hs is the union of the States, closing this
part of his speech with the words; There are
few voters now living in this country who ever
participated in Presidential campaign in
which the fate of the Union was not involved,
either in the angry threats OF malcontents, or
in the timid apprehensions of well meaning
citizens That day has now passed. We have
hard the last of that alarm in 1863 The Union
was actually saved by General Grants victories
in the field. The menace of its destruction
ceases with his victory at the polls"
The second point settled is the validity of
the reconstruction acts, the guarantee of snf
frage to the freedmen and consequent peace
and industrial prosperity to all the people of
the South. Here Mr.. Blaine said:
NEGRO suffrage being then of necessity cor-
coded as one OF the essentials of reconstruc.
ton, the ohiy remaining source of discontent
Is the exclusion OF small minority of white
men from the polls by reason OF disIovaitv
Anu mere the EVIL lies 10 the disloyalty, and not
IN tne exclusion; and know am safe in sov
lug tnat the exclusion will be removed quite a.
rapidly as the disloyalty disappears. And the
contented if they acquire suffrage as ranid,u
the loyal colored men OF the whole conntrv
May we not hope that the patriotic conduct of
the one class, and the softening of unreasonable
prel1dlce toward the other, will enable the
American people to hold the centennial cele-
brat'on of their independence with not a @ tizen
of the republic disfranch ed, and with fine
sublime dec aration that all men are created
equal accepted and realized on the hsrutlredth
anniversary of its majestic utterance:s
The remainder of Mr. Blaine's speech is as
follows:
"Ihird-The election of General Grant has
settled the financial question do not mean
That 1t has adjusted the details, or even fore.
shadoWed the particular measur; by which the
puoic dept is 10 be provided for, and its prom pt
payment assured. Fonly mean that the Anne.
ricau people have deliberately, solempiy. and
emphatically recorded their decision 10 favor of
an honest discharge of the public obligations.
aud against all the forms of eyasi and delu-
sion so tempt'ngly set forth in Democratic plat
forms. They have declared against the policy
OF wildly initiating, depreciating and running
their currency, in order TO prematurely pa, off
any portion OF The government bonds, aud they
nave declared WIN equal emphasis in favor of
lighting the public burdens by reducing the
interest on the national debt as promptly and
as rapidly as it may be done with honor, They
have decided against all forms of reputation,
open or covert, threatened or suspected, and in
favor OF unfolding the public faith and MAIN
tanning the public honor spotless and stainless
Nay. they have gone one step further: the aues-
ton of paying the public debt in the Utmost
cool faith according to the letter and the spirit
OF the contract, is no longer to he made the
subject of controversy or of doubt to the Amerl-
can Congress.
Fourth With the election Of General Grant
comes higher standard of American citizen-
ship, with more dignity and character to the
name abroad, and more assured liberty and Sc
curity attaching to it at home Our Diplomacy
VIII be rescued from the subservient tone BY
which we have been so often Inundated in our
own eyes, and ia the eyes al Europe and the
true position of the first nation of the earth in
rank and prestige will be a serted, not in the
spirit Of bravado, or with the arrogance of
strength, but with t. at conscious dignity which
belongs TO power, and with the moderation
Whlch is the true ornament OF Justice And
vito tins yindication of the rights of the ranI.
OF cur citizenship abroad, will come also its
protection and its panoply at home. That nro-
vision OF the Federal Constitution winch sol.
EMMY guarantees that the citizens of each
State shall be entitled to all the privileges and
lmmunitles of citizens in the several States
will not be dead letter under the administra-
tnon ~ General Grant as it in fact has been
from the foundation of the federal government
down to this hour. Henceiorward it is to be
practically enforced throughout all our borders
and every citizen of the republic, himself Oh
servant Of the law and of the rights of Others.
shall go where it may please him and speak as
he may see tit unawed by mobs, unframed by
murders, unmenaced in life, limb or estate
with these four cardinal points settled by
the people, the administration will have high
vantage ground from the day of its inaugura-
ZION. Its responsibilities will, indeed. be great.
It's power will be large, its opportunities will be
splendid, and to meet them all we have true
aud tried man who adds to his other great ele-
ments of strength, that of perfect trust and
confidence on the part of the people. And TO
re assure ourselves of his executive character,
II reinsurance were necessary, let us remem-
Der that great military leaders have uniformly
proved the wisest, firmest and best of civil
rulers. Cromwell, William III Charles XII,
Frederick OF Prussia, are not more co ,spcuous
instances in mOnarchIcal governments than
Washington, jackson and Taylor have proved
in our own.
Whatever, therefore, may lie before us in
the untrodden and often becloudei path of the
future, whether it be financial embarrassment
or domestic trouble of another and more serious
type, or misunderstanding with foreign ma
tions or the extension of our flag and our SOW
erelgnty over insular or continental POSSESSIONS
north or south, that fate or fortune NAV peace
July Offer to our ambition, let us believe with
all confidence that General Grants admins
tration Will meet every exgency with the cour-
age, ability and conscience which American
nationality and Christian civilization demand"