The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-10-04
FIR. Groesbeck's Speech.

Some OF the newspapers, both North
and South, are parading what they are
pleased to call a "great speech" de-
livered by the Hon. w. S. Groesbeck,
of Ohio, at different places during the
political campaign in that State. We
read the speech carefully through and
were much disappointed at its sub
stance.
Mr.. Groesbeck does not make any
pretensions to greatness. There are
dozen men in Ohio, of either political
party, who are ahead of him in every
clement of greatness. He is gentle
man of wealth. and made a very fair
representative in Congress when he
was Pendleton's colleague from the
city of Cincinnati. He is banker, and
his speech in the Andy johnson i'm
parchment case revealed the fact, of
which most of us were before ignorant,
that he is also a lawyer of no mean
capacity. But his speech in that case
was vastly inferior to that of Tom
Nelson whom nobody ever dreamed of
calling great lawyer.
Mr.. Groesbac1 is not capable of
making great speech and his effort
in the present instance has fallen very
far short of anything like greatness.
There is not striking thought or
brilliant expression from the beginning
of the first to the end of the ten COL
umns of which it is composed. There
is not sentence in it which can be
called eloquent, while there are good
many which fail even to. reach ordina-
ry grammatical correctness. 1t is a
plain speech, in plain language, and
is just such speech as any ordinary
country politician, who thinks with
Mr.. Groesbeck, would deliver on any
ordinary occasion. Under ordinary
circumstances it would not have at
tracted the slightest. attention.
The fact that it has attracted atten-
ton is due entirely to causes which
have no connection with its literary
merits. Mr.. Groesbecf has ever been
u Democrat, but he is one who twists
his Democracy to suit existing circum-
stances. No Radical equalled him in
his advocacy of prosecuting the late
war to the bitter end, even to the an
Inhalation of the South. And now,
when the Democracy of Ohio has taken
the lead in modifying the Democratic
platform to win success next year, Mr..
Groesback has "departed'' a long shot
beyond the most enthusiastic advocate
of the ''new departure" He thinks
that the Constitutional amendments
not only ought not to be disturbed but
that they cfnnot; and as if to clinch
the matter; he goes good deal farther
and says that they are very good
amendments after all. This is certain
ly a new departure" in Democracy
and beats anything in that line we had
expected even from the State of Ohio
itself. 1t is for this reason that the
speech has attracted attention. If
Wendell Phillips should make pro-
slavery speech, Or JEFF Davis speech
in-fnunn- of Yanknn -U.,, ,pal i1lnas ~
each of'thcm would doubtless create a
sensation.
Mr.. Groesbeck is hailed as Presi-
Dental candidate by certain ones of
those who believe in availability more
than in any other qualification. They
assume that he will catch votes which
no other candidate can poll. The will
of these few votes must, of course, out
weigh that of the rank and file of the
Democratic party who cling to the
true Democratic faith.
The election in Ohio next Monday
will settle the. question whether she
will be permitted to have either the
first or second place on the Democratic
ticket. II the Democrats are victori-
Gus, OF nearly so, perhaps she can sue
cessfully claim one of the candidates.
If, however, the Democrats are hope
lessly beaten, they will probably ex-
ert their efforts to conciliate some other
doubtful State. But even when you
decide to give Ohio a place she has so
many great men, who aie so greedy
for Office. aud so inharmonious among
themselves that it never could be
settled who the lucky individual
should be. From present appearances
Ohio is likely to depart out of tie ring
when Democratic Presidential can
didate comes to he chosen. Mr.. Groes-
beck with his Dutch name and his
great speeches will hardly be in the
race.
BLACKwoOD's MAGAzINE.-We owe
our thanks to the Leonard Scott Pub
fishing Company, New York, for the
September number of Blackwood's
r.,