The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-26
y II a N II o N.
First Campaign Speech Of the
ex.Secretary of War at
Steubenville, Ohio.
He Arraigns Democracy as RespOn-
sible for the Late Civil War;
His Reasons Why Grant
Should be Elected.


voters of this section of country assembled at Sted
benvile to-day, from all points Of the compass to
listen to the first speech delivered during the present
campaign by that sterling patriot, the Hon. Edwin
NJ stanton.
The weather being very unpropitious the meeting
s was held in Kilgore Hail. Market street. The
spacious room crowded to and the most
intense enthusiasm prevailed. Flags were flying,
fine band OF music was in attendance, and number
oflades greeted the with their presence.
The meeting was called to order by Colonel Dunbar,
and the Hon. Robert Sherrard was selected as Chair
man, and large number Of Vice r. esdents were ap
pointed.
Mr. Stanton was introduced by The Chairman and
was received with the most enthusiastic cheers,
which were loud and long continued. 1t evident
from his manner Of speaking and also from his ap-
pearsnce, that he was aborlng under indsposton.
HE advent has caused q sort Of general holiday and
the anxiety to hear him on the par of bis thousands
of admirers in this vicinity was most intense.
Mfr. StnntOn's speech.
MIR. Stanton spoke as follows:-
Friends and Fellow Citizens:-The time is rapidly
approaching when you will be called upon to choose
whom you will trust with the chief executive power
Of this nation for the next four years. and who shall
exercise the law-maklng power rs your Representa-
tves in Congress during the next Congressional term
You never made q choice so important TO yourselves
to your country and to mankind upon you now
rest the issues OF peace war; Of domestic tram
guilty. civil discord Of freedom of slavery;
short, all the blessings that can follow good govern
ment, or every that bad government in1iet
upon the human race.
In the Last Presidential Election
The country in the midst Of a bloody war, and
had for three years been struggling for existence
against treason and rebellion. The fortunes of war
varied that patriots began to feel doubt
ful to the results; others hopeless. On the
other hand the Rebels strong in military power and
encouraged by the Northern and Western States were
bold defiant and boosted that needed only for their
final that their friends in the Northern States
should carry the Presidential election. Those friends
who had resisted the war at every stage and thrown
every obstacle in the way OF its progress equally
cold, and confident that their triumph was at hand
But these hopes and expectations were doomed to
an ignominous overthrow at the polls, by tho elec-
tion Of Abraham Lincoln, and on the battlefield by
our armies under command of General Grant. ZAP
pause). Overwhelmed by their disasters, political
and military, the Rebels gave up in despair and de-
clared their cause the Lost Cause, and humby sued
for life, liberty and property, protesting to be deeply
grateful for the geneous treatment they received On
the that led to the Rebellion, and the jnsfca-
tion of the nation in prosecuting the it is need
less here to dwell They still fresh in your reco
lection.
Tie Graves of Four Hundred Thousand Pa
triOts and Soldiers,
Slain in battle by tho Rebels still green. The
tears of orphans, widows, and bereayed parents fow
and the MANNED and wounded soldiers around us are
living memorials of the cruelty of the Rebels in their
reasonable war against the United States Govern
ment.
You will bear in mind, however, that the Rebellion
was occasoned by hirty-years' conspiracy of those
whom Mr.. johnson aptly termed the slaveholding
"Oligarchy" Of the Southern States, an "Olgarchy"
based upon land monopoly and slave labor. The slave
holding arstocras labored to enlarge their territorial
and political power and by extending their system
into the Territories, to acquire monopoly OF the
fertile lands and rich minerals OF the Western Terrific
ries and ultimately obtain control of the government.
Free and Slave Labor.
Experience has shown that the systems OF free labor
and slave labor hostile and cannot exist together,
80 that the foothold of slavery is an impossible bar
rier to free emigration, and gives to the Shareholders
not only the monopoly Of the products and minerals,
but the command of the channels of to the
Pacific and the nations OF the East and makes this
"Ogarchy" the richest and most owerful people on
the face of the globe. This ambitious aim strongly
arrested in the Northern States
Mindful Of the fortunes Of and fearful Of delay,
Mr.. Lincons first election seized by the slave
holders fitting occasion for the outbreak of their
Rebellion. On the day after the Presidential election
the flag Of the United States was hauled down and
the "Palmetto" flag run up in Charleston Conyen-
tions for Secession called in all the saveholdng
States and very soon ten States organized the so
called Confederate Goyernment-hostile to the Gov
eminent of the United States-at Montgomery, Ala
bama, and transported ts Capital to Richmond
Immediately afterwards, the forts arsenals, maya
zines, arms ammunition, ship-yards ships OF war,
and the public moneys were seized and converted to
the purposes Of the Rebellion the navigation OF the
Ohio river and OF the Potomac was closed; Northern
men and women were imprisoned or banished from
the slaVeholdng States; armies were raised and the
troops of the United States beseged. bombarded
and captured; the Capital OF the United States, at
Washington was threatened and beleaguered by hos
tile forces.
Who Were Responsible for the War.
In this condition of things the first troops were
called in defense OF tho nation, and the nrst war
loan negotiated and for every life lost, every drop
blood spilled, for every dollar 1pended every bond
issued and every cent OF collected the slavehod-
ing aristocracy is responsible, together with their
sympathizers in the Northern and Western States,
who urged them to hold ont and carry on the war
until they could obtain the control Of the government
at the next Presidential election. The measures of
Mr.. Lincoln to defend the government secured the
highest sanction OF the legislature, and the Govern
ors the loyal States We'd with each other in urging
enistments. Congress, at its frgt session. voted an
army Of five hundred thousand men and five hundred
millions OF dollars.
Rally of the People TO the Flag.
The people hocked from their homes by thousands
upon thousands 10 join the army. The soldiers in
every camp, from the Mississippi to the R4pdan
from every corps, brigade, regiment and company
showed 10 their brethren at home how to stand by
the government and rally round the flag. These mea
sures OF defense were not without opposition. About
the very time that Sherman and his army were forelng
their way over the fOrthcatons and intrenchmonte
at Atlanta, Convention at Chicago declared the
''war failure" and demanded cessation of hostiI
ties. This made plain and broad issue which very
soon became the great ssue of the Presidential can
vass. The result was decisive Two hundred and