Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-08-29
HORACE GREELEY.
His Visit to Maine--- Enthusiastic
Reception.
The Full Text of His Speech at
Portland.

During his late visit to Portland, Me-, Mr..
Greeley was accorded an enthusiastic recep-
ton. He delivered from manuscript the fol-
lowing speech:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: 1t is certain that
throughout the course of my life, as far as
have been connected with public affairs, have
struggled, with such capacity as God has given
me, for, first, impartial and universal liberty;
| second, for the unity and greatness Of our
common country; third, and by no means
least. when the former end was attained, for
early and hearty reconciliation and peace
among our countrymen. For these great ends
| 1 have struggled, and hope the issue is not
doubtful. I thoroughly comprehend that no
personal consideration has drawn this vast
sembly. Other higher and grander considera-
tions have collected you around me together.
1t is part of the unWritten law of our coun-
| try that a candidate for the Presidency may
not make speeches in vindication and COM
mendaton of the principle whereupon he is
supported, or of the measures which his cleo
ton is intended TO promote; though a candi-
date for Vice President is under no such inhi-
bition. acqulesce in this restriction. I re-
cognize and affirm its propriety. The tempta-
ton to misreport and misrepresent a candidate
for the higher post Is so great, the means of
circulating such perversion3 among people
who will never see word of their refutation
are so vast, that candidate has no moral
righ! to subject his friends to the perils he
must brave, if not invite, by taking a part in
| the canvass. Yet there is truth to be uttered
IN tehalf of those who have placed me before
the American people in my present attitude,
which does them such honor that claim the
privilege of stating it here and now. This is
| that truth: No person has ever yet made the
| fact known that he proposed to support, or
tually did support, my nomination, whether at
Cincinnati, at Baltimore, or in the action which
| resulted in sending delegates to either con-
vention, on the basis of a claim to Office at my
hands. No one who favored my nomination
before either convention, or at either conven-
! ton, has sought Office at my hands, either for
himself or any one else, nor any one suggested
| to me that might strengthen myself as a can
didate by promising to appoint any one to any
| important Office whatever. In very few in
| stances, less than dozen, am sure, certain
of the small fry of politicians have, since my
| double nomination, limited to me by letter that
I might increase my chances of election by
promising a posteffice, some such place, to
my volunteer correspondents, respectively. I
have not usually answered these overtures, but
now give a general notice that, should be
| elected, will consider the claims of these un-
| timely aspirants after those of the more modest
and reticent have been fully satisfied. In one
| or two instances have been asked to say
whether would or would not, If elected, con-
| fine my appointments to Republicans. an
| swer those by pointing to that plank of the
| Cincinnati platform wherein all who concur in
| the principles therein set forth are cordially
invited to participate in their establishment
| and vindieation. never yet heard of man
| who invited his neighbors to raise house,
| and proceeded to kick them out of it as soon
|
part, recognize every honest man who ap-
| proves and adheres to the Cincinnati platform
| as my political brother, and as such fully en-
| titled to my confidence and friendly regard.
| One other point demands a word. Those
| adverse TO me ask what pledges have given
to those lately hostile to the Union to secure
| their favor and support. I answer, no man
or woman in all the South ever asked OF me
whether, directly or through another, any
other pledge than is given through all my
acts and words. From the hour of Lees sur
| render down to this moment, no Southern
man ever limited to me an expectation, hope,
| or wish that the rebel debt, whether Confed-
crate or State, should be assumed or paid by
| the Union, and no Southern man who could
| be elected to a Legislature or made Colonel
| of militia regiment, ever suggested the
pensioning of rebel soldiers, or any of them
| even a remote possibility. All who nomi-
mated me were perfectly aware that had up
held and justified Federal legislation to sup
press Ku-Klux conspiracy and outrage, though
had long ago insisted as strenuously as I
now do that complete amnesty and genuine
oblivion of the bloody, hateful past would do
| of such outrages than all the force bills and
suspensions of hdbeGs corpus ever devised by
| men, Wrong and crime must be suppressed
and punished, but far wiser and nobler is the
| legislation, the policy, by which they are pre-
vented From those who support me in the
South have heard but one demand, JUS
They wish to be heartily reunited, and at
| peace with the North on any terms which do
not involve the surrender of their manhood.
They ask that they should be treated and
regarded by the Federal authorities as cIti-
gems, not as culprits, SO long as they obey
| and uphold every law consistent with equality
and right. They desire rule which, alike for
white and black, should encourage industry
| and thrift, and discourage rapacity and VII
| lainy. They cherish loyal hope. in which
| fully concur. that between the 5th of Novem-
ber and the 4th of March next, quite number
| of Governors and other dignitaries who, in
| F1,a 1rd IF RannhIIaaOlam
| ty, having for years been piling debts and
| taxes upon their war-wasted States, will fol-
low the example of Bullock, of Georgia, and
seek the shades of private life. The darker
| and darker those shades the better for them
selves and for mankind, and the hope that my
election may hasten the much-desired heglra
the necessity to of supporting me many who
would otherwise have hesitated, and probably
refused.
Fellow citizens, the deposed and partially
exiled Tammany Ring has stolen about
$50, 900, 900 from the city of New York. That
was a most gigantic robbery, and hurled its
contrivers and abettors from power and
splendor to impotency and inlamy; but the
thieving carpet-baggers have stolen at least
three times that amount-stolen it from the
already impoverished and needy, and they
still faunt their prosperous yillainy IN the
highest places of the land, and are addressed
as Honorable and Excellency. [Applause. ]
| 1 think hear voice from the honest people
of all the States declaring that their iniquity
shall be gainful and lnsolent no longer, al
farthest till the 4th of March next. By that
time those criminals will have heard nation
al verdict pronounced that will cause them tc
fold their tents like the Arab, and as silently
steal away and that trust will be the end Of
their stealing at the cost of the good nam'
of our country and the well-being of hel
people.
At the conclusion Mr.. Greeley sat dow
amidst a storm of cheers, such as has neve
been heard before inside the walls of the Git
Hall of Portland He was warmly greeted b.
the citizens who sat behind him, and tn
audience in front at once scaled the plat
, form and put him through ordeal of hand
shaking.
"Now, JOHNNY" said a venerabl
lady to her six-year old nephew, VIII