The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-08-05
speech Of Vice President Colfa1 al
South Bend.

souTH BEND, IND., August 8-The Re
publican ratification meeting at SoutE
Bend was largely attended, several thous
and person being present, with delega
tions from MishAwakA Mills, Michigan
city and county. Amid great enthusiasm
Vice President Colfax was elected to pre-
side, and in few preliminary remarks
introduced Senator o. p. Morton, who
spoke on the national issues Of the day
about one and q halt hours, the main
points Of which will be telegraphed dur,
ing the campaign. A rain storm drove
the audience from the square into the
court room, which was densely crowded
The Senator's speech was received with
much applause, and at It's conclusion Mr.,
Colfax was loudly called for, who respond
ed substantially as follows:
HItop Republicans: accepted cheer.
fully the honor Of presiding over the thou.
sands assembled here, because my heart
throbs as warmly as ever in favor OF
the Republican principles l have SO
often defended before you, rejoicing with
you In their triumph, and 1 am devoted
as ever TO their maintenance, and march
only under the flag and keep step to the
music Of the old and great Re.
publican party Of liberty and loyalty.
Greet cheering.l With my convictions
and my ideas rs 10 principle and duty,
could 60 nowhere else. With all my
heart ! congratulate you and the country
on the magnificent endorsement we have
received from our political opponents.
once proposed to you In this very room,
that II you would be faithful to the end in
favor ol the great principles we inscribed
on our banners, the time would come
when the whole world would ratify them
when not only would posterity rise up
to call you blessed, but your enemies
would endorse your work. That hour
has come sooner than was expected; and
at last there exists no party, not even a
recognized political leader, that dares lift
his voice against what, amid so much
opposition and obloquy and misrep-
resentation, you enshrined In the Ma
tional Constitution. Striving to in.
duce the nation to forget the cpl.
thets they sought to fasten upon us, q
Democratic National Convention hastens
to ratify and declare their allegiance 10
these three great movements Of liberty
and justice, the 18th, 14th and 18th
amendments. Has not my prediction been
quietly and thoroughly lulflledi l regret
that Gov. Baker has been called away
from US to speak at Plymouth to-day, as
he would have followed Senator Morton
instead OF myself. He deserve the re-.
election he will receive at your hands,
and l need scarcely tell you support
him with the same cordiality and the
same political and personal friendship
with which | supported him in 1868 and
1870. You do not expect me to launch
into campaign speech. Two years ago,
when | made the laborlous canvass of
my old district, and which so nearly cost
me my LIE, told you here that I ex.
pected my political life would close with
the term. Knowing also thst the public
opinion of the nation in It's entire his.
tory had forbidden President or
a Vice President who had not
the excuse Of being a candidate en-.
tering into active stump speaking in
Ia Presidential canvass, with all its
strifes, antagonisms, aspersions, crimina.
tions and recriminatlons. told you and
all others that not expecting to be can.
didate this year, that canvass was the last
political campaign | should actively par.
ticipate in, and not being a candidate now
| can't revoke that declaration nor at.
tempt to violate rule that my predeces-
sOrs have felt 1t proper to break. But
while thus restrained, feel at liberty, of
course, as citizen to talk to my fellow
townsmen at home, privately or publicly,
tor is 1t any restraint upon me to scrupu-
lously avoid any personal denunciation of
candidates or citizens to whom am po.
litically opposed While cannot support
Mr.. Greeley, the friendship Of a lifetime
closes my lips to any attacks upon him,
though he Is opposed to the regular nom.
inees OF my political friends, and if
We lived in the same State the
tickets that each Of us voted would
be different from top to bottom.
For twenty years l have been an active
canvasser, without ever indulging in per-
sonal inyectives against, opponents, bear
ing all such things myself without retort
in kind, and never having lost friend or
a vote by 1t all, am satisfied it is not
the way to win political battles, and as l
never used the word "Copperhead" in the
hundreds oil speeches made during the
war, am sure shall say nothing ofen-
sive now, even to those who differ from
me. The number Of sympsthizing friends
l found here amongst political opponents
since my return from Washington was
gratityingly large; but told them all as
tell you to-day, il they sympathize with
me TO follow my example and vote the
ticket fort Grant, Brown and Saxton-the
whole Republican ticket.