The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-02
REUNION AND REFORM CONVENTION.

-a CINCINNATI, Ohio May ], 1872.
Mozart Hall, where the Reunion and Reform Con-
venon held it's session, did not Ill up rapidly, and
when the hour arrived for the opening OF the Con-
vention there comparatively few persona
present. At twenty minutes after ten O'Clock the
number had swollen to four or i've hundred. Judge,
William b. CALDWELL President Of the CINCINNATI
Reunion and Reform Association, called the Con-,
vention to order and nominated JudgeJ J. B. Stalo,
OF Cincinnati, for temporary President Judge
stalo, on appearing upon the stage, was received
with considerable applause He then delivered the
following address,
JUDGE sTALLo's SPEECH. Ea oVs
While am profoundly sensible of the honor yom
temporary Chairman of this Convention / approach
the attempt to discharge the duties thus devOlved
upon ine with great dIhldence. very much fear
that ~ reformers who propose to inaugurate the
trusts with single regard to their merits you have
made somewhat what, in nsasln, beginning.
qualifications, including great physical vigor and
thorough familiarity with parliamentary usage and
TO preside over your deliberations, even for brief
honr. But i bow to your decision, trusting thag
@ o @ o ne nsn MS
Convention has been , called and the cir
We yo ra all Mf nua nave m sre %
as independent citizens of the American
republic We have emerged from conflict %nl wnica
Is now ended; the nation lives; the old home Of our
fathers y stu the home OF the whole Americans
family Of all It's children native and adopted. That
home has been bcautifcd and enlarged, but it has
not been divided. The Union IL unbroken. Wher-
in all The land an American freeman turns his
eye heavenward he bchods Its sacred emblem the
old nag--and there are none but freemen to behold
it, Tie old aspiration which always rises rom
the heart to the lips whenever the Union Is Thoughts
Of este perpetual j. no longer trembling prayer
but the spirited utterance OF an mperishabe faith.
Aud now, you who have come here from all parts
no longer sect0ns-Of our common country, stand
here side by side, united in spirit you united
in interest. There liz but thrOD
all your hearts, and but one purpose to
all your enneavors, mla aa purpose Is TO
the freedom and happiness and equal rights Of all It's
| citizens; to reform the abuses which have sprung
| from the long prevalence OF mere party sway, and
! from the lawlcssness and turbulence involved
in the recent semi-revolutionary condition OF our
lions OF our constitutional liberty wherever
they have been impaired or destroyed.
recollection Of SO much only OF the past as Is neces
sary IN order to profit by its lessons and to consisn
est impulse--cnded in bitterness and anger. You
have been arrayed against each other on questions
been divided as by a cloud which has not only
ceased to be fiery, but which has been wholly dis
hcn have been esagea IN sne a ta o.
ever In the clear light Of dspassionate rejection
you see the issues left to be decided are
the problems that present themselves to the Amer,
lean people for present solution are problems Of
peace, anil that the questions Of the future find
expression not m the watchwords OF camps that
have long since been abandoned or In the slogans
OF parties that have degenerated into clans, bus
In the articuate demands resulting from the
practical necessities OF the hour. Having met
here IN 1his spirit and w1n these rSa
by any old party name. You longer repub-
leans or democrats. Great chseringl You are ma
longer divided by diversity Of interest Of feel
ing and you are no longer separated by mutual dis
trust. The vlsors are up, the old party masks are
faces exhibit tho common lIneaments Of patriotism
Tho old democrat, as he looks into the eye Of his
republican brother finds there an inextnguishald
love Of liberty and an impcrishabe affection for the
Union, and these lie recognizes AZ good old demo-
ins ~ hong e things may nsVe n Geen
the true loyer OF liberty and the Union reprobates-
The republican, az he feels the glance Of the demo-,
to uphold, not only the constitution.
publican virtues as wel though, like all virtues,
they may degenerate into Vices by excess. But We
TO guard against al excess By %i s
mier virtues Of the older republican ane ~ hs
ns much to and s inc on Of r. any who
has come to Cincinnati to attend TINS are thoS
6e distrgsea n YNu h ans this there is now
or soon viii bc gathering or other men, M n WI"
here u ~ G rooms ,ne u.s. they
are intent upon restoring the government. 70 i.s
I'M IKE 70 Tem oss e con
ditions rom which abuses have sprung nke
they about to pTesest a Sayats
re ma thew propose to search for the naturap
immutabe laws which govern me grown OF tndns.
80 he 10 eec to that our statutes shaH De
simple expression Of these Laws and IKE ~ snsy
The cnna rights OF all the citizens OF the republics
But, unlike us, while they concede that there u
hath community OF interest and identity OF purposd
hetween the liberal democrats and the liberal reS
pubicans and while they themselves harbor mo-
distrust against any one who chooses to call hlmS
self by another naue they fear lest ther0Y
might still be a lurking disquietude among
those whose sons and brothers lately
bore arms In defence OF the Unl0ns{
because OF the proposed open fraternity OF repubS
leans with those who do not choose to assume thd
republican fame. l believe that In this they are