The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-09-15
GEN. PIATT, OF OHIO.
His Abandonment OF the Radical
Party.
The Reasons for His Action.
Extract from speech delivered by Gen. A. s.
Piatt, at West Liberty, o., Aug. IL

Extract from speech delivered by Gen. A. 5.
Piatt, at West Liberty, o., Aug. H.
PARTY TIES AND RELATIONS.
Nh Fellow Democrat and Neighbors l
need not tell you how deeply | appre-
ciate this complimentary denonstra-
ton. feel it the more frcm the fact
that it gives me an opportunity to say a
few things l wish to say publicly. No
one knows better than the strength OF
party association. Next to patriotism
TO ones country comes loyalty TO ones
party, and the ties binding the last can
not be severed without attaching GER
tain amount of blame to the individual
who secedes. One is anxious, therefore,
to give his reasons for such severance,
and Justify himself, if possible, for the
course he takes.
In few words. then, let Inc say that
| am disloyal to the Republican organi-
zation because seek to be patriotic to
my Government. [Applauoe.] Under
stand me, | attach no blame whatever
to my late associates. believe the
great mass to be honest, earnest and pa
triotic, and that patriotism they have
asserted by their blood upon all the bat.
tie fields, and their lives in all the hos
ptals of the late war. But it does not
follow, on that account, that, as a party,
heated by partisan zeal, they are not as
dangerous to the republic as the men
themselves they went out to fight.
WHAT GEN. PIATT FOUGHT FOR.
/ left my motherless children and my
individual business, and went to the
field when South Carolina and her
erring sisters had thrown down the
glove and stood armed to the teeth to
battle for the wrong. Long and loud
applause. did then what | should do
again-and in my last hours, yea,
in my dying moments, believe,
| feel that l shall find consolation
in the remembrance that in the
deadly hour of my country's peril
| stood in the smoke of battle,
where deadly missiles carried desolation
to many households, and fought for our
flag and our Government. Renewed
and long continued applause.
We were victorious, and, flushed with
victory, We now swing over to the other
extreme. This is human nature, and
heated by partisan zeal and led by fac
ton, we hasten to do on the other ex-
treme as great an evil as that proposed
by the sscessionists. The Republican
party is wiping out State rights and
centralizing unconstitutionally all
power at Washington. This is as fatal
to the liberty of the citizens as was that
other fatal to our independence.
WHAT GEN. PIATT NOW BATTLES FOR.
/ left the Democratic party and took
ND arms against anarchy and disorder
now leave the Republican party and
take up arms against despotism. Zap.
plause.
return to you, my old Democratic
friends, to find still existing the old
Democratic principles that once made
US powerful, and the same clear line OF
demarkation that ran through the land,
dividing the two parties, yet exists.
find still recognized the old doctrine
that the only use of Government IS to
keep the peace, and the better sort is
that which leaves the largest freedom
of action. IL does not, therefore, seek
To interfere with the laws Of trade, the
religion of the church, or the customs ol
society. The Republican party, which
is the successor Of the old Wing organi
zation, tkat in turn came from the
Federal party of the Revolution, 70
CARDS the Government as the guardian,
or, rather, the parent of the people
Hence the class legislation that has SC
disturbed US during the last eight
years.
HOW THE PEOPLE ARE ROBBED FOR THF
RESEFTT OF NEW ENGLAND MANU-.
FAcTURERs.
We are not only made TO pay heavily
for the support OF an eItrayagant Gov
eminent, bat we are forced 10 sustain
claims of trade that il is asserted ar,
too feeble to stand alone. Let me give
you one example: (: When this war broke
out the Republican party, then left 10
power by the secession of Southern
members Of Congress, passed a tariff
law that amounted to prohibition. Thni
protected, the manufacturers Of New
England ran their mills at full time
and realized vast profits. Now, at
time Of all times when we need cheaI
articles, we are forced TO pay high
prices, and while sustaining huge ar'
mics in the field on one side, we are