Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-08-26

not claim an interest in Plymouth
Rock? Where is the man who doe:
not look back to the old May Flower
on that bleak December day? Where
: is the man who has forgotten the
struggles of those old fathers who
founded this great Empire? Where il
the man who has no interest in the 4tt
of July of I776f We all have an inter
est in it. We thank God, to night. thai
those fathers of '76 sent out into the
world this grand political eyaneel.
E"Oh every one that thirsteth, draw
nigh and drink of the waters of politi-
cal life" Why then should we not
reason together? IN what spirit should
we come? We ought to reason topeth
er like men. Men are created but Int.
tie lower than the angels, and are,
thank God, endowed with the right TO
govern themselves. We plust talk 10
each other as people responsible for the
destiny of this country. In all coun-
tries, under every form of government,
there is an absolute power somewhere.
In one it may be with the monarch
the king or the aristocracy. But here
that absolute sovereignty, regulated by
constitutions and laws, was vested with
the people. Yes. our fathers who
struggled on Bunker Hill, made YOU
and and each of us kings, priests and
monsrchs in this great goYernment.-
No man is my inferior; no man Is my
superior. We are all equal. We may
go in different roads, but on the Octo.
Der election day we win all turn up at
the ballot box; and that little white
ballot is just as potent when deposited
by man who breaks stones upon the
streets, as by the man who rides to the
polls in his chariot from his palace.
This, then, is government of the
people. by the people, and it must be
administered for the people. Now,
then, this being the case, it is proper,
and our national history warrants US in
the discussion of all vital questions con-
cerning the nation.
This practice of discussing these
great questions has gone back to the
old world, and in England, from whom
we have derived our own institu tious
and laws, the popular systems of to-day
are governing the realm, 1t is no
longer kings and queens and lords who
govern there; but it is the people.
Queen Victoria may issue her procIa-
nations, and they create no ripple of |
excitement, but let it be posted in the |
streets that democratic John Bright, ofl
Gladstone, is TO speak, and the people
are eager to hear. And year after year
the miserable inconsistencies of the |
British Constitution are being worn
out by the popular Judgment of the
people of England.
You, this fall, are to give character
and shape to this Government for the
coming two and four years. What is
presented to the country at this time?
The two great parties are in the field
with their candidates for President and
Vice President. / shall not discuss at
this time, of course, the various politi-
cal issues, but will call your attention
Tor a few moments to a few passing
LhoughtI. We have our candidates;
they have been nominated in the same
Hay at Chicago and New York. Now,
hen, in order 10 ascertain what is to
De settled this fall, we must see what
.hese parties have done, and in deter
mining that, We have a right to ask
Who are the men whom they have pre-
ented as their leaders, and what are
he issues with which they propose to
% before the people. Il
Now let US see who these candidates K
re. The democrats have nominated
1oratio Seymour for President. He is G
man, without doubt, of superior '
biiity, and there is no question but
hat he is a statesman and an accom-
'lished gentleman nor is there any a
Ioubt of his loyalty to the principles of I
he party whose candidate he has be- :
ONE He has been Governor of the
tate of New York, and has held other 4
ublic positions. l have nothing to I
ay against him as Horatio Seymour, u
ut l ask you 10 night, fellow citizens, {
hat is there in the whole life of that Y
ian, or what can his friends claim for v
i'm, that entities him to the suffrage II
the American people. Now ! do not !
iy that Gov. Seymour was a rebel e
uring the war, because il would he |
DING him an injustice and a wrong, b
'r, as Governor of New York, he ad o
that office to the acceptance n
his own friends, have no question; s.
ut what did he do during that war s
II his country? Did he do all that h
ian could have done2 At the time b.
lat that war was forced upon the et
ountry, no matter by whom-at that p
me there was in the State of New re
ork three prominent Democrats, Dix, al
eymour and Daniel S. Dickinson. W
hen the rebel guns pointed upon gr
lmter, Dix said to an officer, "If any st
an hauls down the American flag OF
loot him on the spot )" and Daniel S. n
ickinson said, "l am for my country, /.
Id ! will support the administration "
all its efforts to crush treason and N
reserve the national unity :" and he OF
uck by that pledge until he went os
'wn to an honored grave. And Dix TX
lsheathe6 his sword and marshsled ga
mics to fight under our flag. While of
* and Dickinson were thus employ wi
!, where was Horatio Seymour? He Co
ft his State and spent the summer of CO
| in Wisconsin aud Minnesota. In w
at hour, when the guns of Sumter it
re reYerberating IN the valleys, when al
to the National Capital in!
IS cut off and the loyal North were Gu
ringing to arms. what did Horatio itt
7 or do to encourage his country, and or
rye her sons for her defense? l do m'
t say that in all this time Horatio feI
ymour said anything against his Gov ST.
INT. However, passing by all that, an
ere he stands a candidate, and l am or
t here to discuss in detail these mat an
s. Francis P: Blair is the candidate toe
Vice President. Now Mr. Blair ne
tinguished himself as an officer of Be
: army, but can not say Of him that VT
is distinguished for his loyalty to to
mocratic principles. affirm that the
Is not. At very early period be- pre-
e the organization of the Republican sin
-ty, he was fighting the Democratic mi
'ty of Missouri on the anti-slavery no
tform. aud carried his Congressional un
trict in Sc. Louis against Democratic Coz
anized opposition. In 1856 he was nal
champion of and oanvsssed the hk'
lntry for Abraham Lincoln. He cru
cd by that party from 1854 to 1865. ciVi
re than eleven years, participating of I
h it long before the Wing party was ths
Ia. s.s.- a oug
iut he was nominated for Vice in
sident. Now why was he nomina- GOV
p? Because he was 8 soldier in the izeu
leral army. If you wanted a soldier, Pot
? did you not take Hancock ?-the wan
me cock of the army" as the boys Brit
he Potomac used to call him. The nav
,er to whom Grant said, Push on dipa
daylight" and who assaulted the Am
Il triangle at daylight, and carried the