Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-06-29
SPEECH OF
HON. JOHN SHERMAN
Al the ratification Meeting, VEednes-
day Night, June FL, 1S71s

ne preliminary WOrk Is now COIN
plete. The Convention to-day has
been distinguished for its numbers,
ability and character. You have had
more than the usual diversity of opin-
ion as to candidates. Some feeling Of
| disappointment is inevitable, but on
the whole every delegate will feel that
he has been fairly treated, and
that he can now support the ticket, the
whole ticket, and nothing but the ticK-
ct; not that it is just as he wishes, but
that it has been fairly made by one of
the ablest Conventions that ever assem-
bled in Ohio. We all feel, too, that
organization is indispensable to sue
cess in every movement, great or
small.
The matters involved in this election
not only reach to every department of
our State Convention, but will affect
the apportionment of our State and
the revision of our Constitution. 1t
will affect you in the National Conn
ellis, and will be decisive sign to the
great Presidential contest of 1871. 1t
is therefore a matter of pride and sat
isfaction to see the Republican party
of Ohio, with its glorious history and
proud record, enter into this canvass
with ticket worthy its support, with
its principles sanctifed by greatness,
ready to enter upon new reforms, and
able to carry them out.
And we enter upon our canvass with
one satisfaction that does not often
fall to the fate of a party. We have
the Endorsement and approval of oul
political adVersaries. We have ad-
ministered the Government of the
United States and of this state, for ten
years. We have had many contests,
in war and in peace-contests involv-
ing great changes in our Government
contests political and administrative
We have realized the original idea o.
the founders of our government-a cen
tral government, supreme in it's limit
! ed powers, surrounded and supported
= by thirty seven local State Govern
ments-all now moving on in harmo
ny. We have emancipated four mil
lions of slaves. We have secured
= by the highest constitutional sane
tions, the liberty and equality of al
citizens before the law. We have ad
3 ministered our internal affairs so tina
our CESIAb Is uuGdInISAGOg OuE AuuuS
try is prosperous, our Territories ar
forming into States, new railroads ar
= building, old disputes are dying away
and nothing on the part of the Gov
ernment but on the fair enforcement o
the Constitution and laws for the pro
lection of persons and property. w
have so managed our internal affairs
, and have so borne ourselves with fol
eign nations, that we have now no dis
pHte or controversy with any nation {
the world, and our strength and pow
er have been 80 demonstrated that W
OF need not fear that any nation will d.
sire a contest with us. The theory an
principles of republican governmer
is so strengthened by our example 8
everywhere to enlarge the powers Ell
u trusted to the people. Even the poo
negro-emancipated by our laws, an
clothed with political power-is reco.
nized by our old Democratic advers
= ries as a man and brother.
I congratulate you, that we hay
now, in Ohio at least, the formal a.
proval of the great distinguishin
measures of Republican policy, by Il
i. recent convention of Democratic pol
ILCIdlS uSE0 III OOluuDuS.. L 4uSY Je
us that they recognize as accomplish
facts the three amendments to Il
Constitution, and they pledge ther
selves to the full and faithful enforc
ng ment of the Constitution as it now i
nd so as to secure equal rights to all pc
on on sons under it, without distinction
race, color, or condition. So far we
81. 1t is a great matter to secure even
formal acquiesence in Constitution
f changes, especially when they invol7
the rights of millions of people, al
when they have been so steadily oppos
in all stages by the Democratic part
North and South. They were the i
sues since the war. They were mai
ly the issues of the last President
, campaign. Opposition to them W
the starch-the uniting element of t
Democratic party. Where wou
they have been without the I
gro? What bond holds the mass
the people of the South to the Dem
cratic party but negrophobia. Whe
will Kentucky be without this tie
- Her old affinities were not with t
:, Democratic party. Where will be tt
great mass of honest but mistak
men, v no feared the effects upon 0
institutions of the citizenship of ems
cipated slaves ? Where will be tt