The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1870-09-15
SPEECH oF.GEy GlRFlgLD'

the speccl, Of Gen. Garfield, delivered at
Mansfield, Ohio, August 9th 1870.
Democratic leaders will hardly dare to
appeal to the history of their party during
tie last cyentful decade as pledge Of
their fitness 70 be trusted with power. The
shameful story is painful one to.rehcarse.
The people know it by heart, and shall
not weary you with the recital. / will
only remind you of few significant facts
which no intelligent Democrat will deny,
] That after long period of Demo.
cratic subordination to the interest OF the
slave power, and the prostitution of every
department Of tho National Government 70
tho support aud extension Of slavery, the
Republican party, 10 1860, made success
full appeal to the people through the ballot
box to forbid tho further spread Of that
baneful institution; aud tbcreupon the
most formidable conspiracy known in his
tory was hatched in the bosom Of the
Democratic party for the destruction of the
nation aud the perpctuation of human
bondage. In this conspiracy not one Re-
publican took part; its leaders and support
crs were Democrats all.
2. That from the beginning to tho end
Of the great war for the preservation Of the
Union the Democratic party, through its
conventions and wherever it had control.
threw the whole weight of its political and
moral Influence against the Union aud in
favor Of the rebellion. Whether the
necessities Of the nation required men to
Fight or money to pay, or the destruction
Of slavery as a means Of weakening the
enemy, these and all similar measures met
the steady aud persistent opposition Of the
Democrats party. Of course | do not
speak of all Democrats as individuals, but
Of the party organization as such.
8 That since the war all tho lending
measures deemed necessary to secure the
fruits of tho contest and to prevent the re-
currencc of secession and rebellion have
met with almost unanimous opposition from
tho Democratic party. This statement
finds ample illustration in the fact that on
the passage Of every statute and consti.u-
tional amendment for the abolition ofsla-
very; for granting civil aud political
rights TO those made free by the war; for
making the payment of the rebel debt and
the reputation Of the national debt i'm
possible; for restoring the rebellious States
in the interest Of liberty and loyalty; for Sc.
curing equal and exact justice to all citi-
zens--I say on the passage Of all these
acts The vote of the Democratic party
through their approved representatives has
been tho party of obstruction and hind
rance, whose chief, if not sole, principle
ofaction has been to oppose whatever the
party in power was doing.
Over against this shameful history
stands the honorable record of the RePub-
lican party. Inspired with the love Of
liberty aud union; that party saved aud
preserved both. Its pathway across the
decade just closed is crowded with impcr-
ishab!e monuments of heroic sacrifice, of
courageous wisdom, ofdccp abiding faith
in the final triumph Of truth and Justice
monuments which grateful postcrity will
forever cherish; but in the glory Of which
the Democratic party has no share. Du-
ring these terrible years the Republican
party was again and again charged with
responsibilities immcasurably great, and
with trusts precious beyond price. The
very life of tho nation was committed to its
care. In more than one crisis the defeat
of the Republican party would have been
the Acknowledgement OF tho Union, the tri-
umph of the rebellion. In every such
crisis the defeat of tho Democratic party
was the salvation OF the Republic. 1t is
fearful thing fellow citizens, to be q
member of a political party whose success
is victory to armed enemies flour country.
Will any one who hears me deny that
such would have been the result of VAL
laudigham's election, as Governor of Ohio
in 1868? l challenge the leaders of tho
Democratic party to show any substantial
measures which they proposed during all
those years for the honor and safety of the
nation, or fer securing liberty and justice
to its citizens.
VOTE OF TIE DEMOCRACY on REDUCTION OF
TAKES.
On this great measure of relief the final
vote was taken in the House of Represent
atives on the. 18th of July. The ayes and
nays were called, and the vote stood 144
ayes and 40 nays Fify-fve Democrats
answered to their names. Eight Of them
voted for the bill; forty.scven against it.
Not one Ohio Democrat voted for it.
There may have been reasons of party
policy why these gentlemen refuse to
tighten the burdens of the public, l leave
them to explnin.
Whether the reduction was wisely dis.
tributed among the numerous subjects of
taxation, is a question on which the best