Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-09-26
we would have waited for some signs of con-
version before giving them

conversion in the Democraticparty The last
opportunity that was offeredwas in Washing
ton, at the last session of Congress-. The Sup
Elementary Civil Rights bill was introduced,
and in the debate upon that subject, the
party spoke as one man. They took the same
old Democratic ground, the same old
spirit of hatred to the colored man.
All the same old slavery virus came
frothins out in the speeches of the
best men in that party. Seventeen times,
Monday after Monday, they STAYED off and
voted against the bill. which was simply the
completion of equal rights. They voted
against it two or three times after the Gin
clnnati Convention. and with their lips still
red with saying :" No." hurried off to B<l-
more and cried equal rights to all men,"
[Mr. Curtis here quoted from the speeches of
a number of Democrats and from several
Southern newspapers to show the spirit of the
Democratic party was the same that 1t ever
had been. He then continued:
L can conceive of no reason why man
having the true interests of his country at
heart should vote for that party except this
that, bad as the Democratic party may be, the
Republican party is worse. Is that true? Is
the Republican party, which has done more to
maintain free government than any other
party in the world so bad as that You will
agree with me that those who attack the
Administration have always the advau-
tage of position. 1t is easy to sketch
model Administration without blunder or a
weakness. Tried by such a standard, any
merely human Administration will fail. But
every honest man will try to be just. In the
details of our Government, administered by
$1,000 or so, 900 officers, scattered over a terri
tory from the Lakes to the Gulf, there will be
constantly facts occurring which are inter-
preted to the disadvantage of the Govern
ment; and not fault or error can be COM
mitted by a postmaster or collector, but we
shall instantly be told that the entire
Administration is huge fraud. On
the other hand they will tell us what
they will do. Had they,been in power, this or
that would not have taken place, and instead
we should have purity, honesty and reform.
They will be as lavish in their promises as the
maple is of red leaves in October, What are
the probabilities that they will be kept! They
wish to pass the sponge over what they have
done, and only wish us to listen to what they
say.
What is the record of this Administration
Taking the first great point which any gov
eminent is hound to observe, has the Repub-
lican party guarded the equal rights of the
citizens? 1t is the very glory of the Admins
tration that it has done so. 1t found 4,O00,-
900 slaves. 1t has made them men and
women it has united them in holy marriage
and they sit with us in our Legislative halls.
Dcolittle and Others talk of negro supremacy
upheld by the bayonet The negro has his
vote that is all his supremacy. How is it
there was an organized terrorism at the South
to trample the black man under foot, lhe
Government simply kept its word. Frederick
Douglass, who has known what slavery was
and what it has been to his race, heard those
words of Doolittle. and cried with trumpet
tongue to his fellows: $40 the negro he
Republican party is the deck; all else is the
sea. Stand loyal to Grant" Amen, amen
crled North Carolina, IN the first
FURIOUS ONSET OF THE CAMPAIGN,
standing steadfastly Republican.
After referring to the financial record MIR.
Curtis in reply to the remark often made tnat
Gen. Grant did not pay the debt. said that in
the same sense he did not put down the re-
bellion. 1t was the Union army that put down
the rebellion, but Gen. Grant was its head.
| The prosperity of the country is owing to the
confidence and trust of the people in the
sohdity of the Government. Mr.. Curtis
continued
| 1t is not great many years ago since a
Lieutenant in the United States army was sta
toned on the extreme frontier of Oregon. He
| had an observing mind; he had a thoughtful
mind, and this he observed Among " King
Georges men" the Indian WAS treated in 8
different way from the treatment he received
fren the 8 Boston men," If one of King
Georges men went away for day among the
| Indians, he went unarmed and safely returned
If one of the - Boston men" went among the
Indians, he never returned or if he did, it was
| with 'no hair on the place where the hail
ought to grow" The difference was. Kine
Georges man treated the Indian honestly tho
Boston man cheated him. The Lieutentan
is now the President of the United States, ant
his Indian policy is the result of his persona
observations upon the frontier. Treat the
Indian as a man, is the policy the United
States. Nearly 100000 Indians are cared fol
by the Government. The Indian expense
have increased to $4,000 00 Gen. Wake
tells why. Because the Indians have beef
driven more and more from their hunting
grounds. Therefore they raise their ham
against the white race. But steadily the polio
of the Government is having its effect.
Another cry is directed ct what they cal
, the abuses in the civil service of the country
But is it the Democratic party to which W
are to look for Improvement in this particu
, lar? / am free to confess, after great dea
of study and investigation, of all persons il
this country who are known as bitterly OPP
posec to reform in the civil service, none ar
more hopelessly so than the leading gentle
men who nominated Horace Greeley at Gin
Cinnati. The present system came in wit
, Gen. jackson, who regarded all the offices a
! the plumber of the dominant party. Whe
Gen. Grant was elected he desired to effect
reform in this service; but when you rehec
upon It's enormous extent and the number G
offices to be filed, you will see at once a pc,
sonal acquaintance amounts to nothing, an
the President must depend upon the repre-
sensations of Senators and Representatives
A great many Of the offices are of no impol
lance. Out of $4,000 Postofices, q, 900 pa
less than 800 year. But they have beeom
a sort of currency by which members of Cor
gress pay their political debts. In all thes
! appointments the Senate is responsible, as
, confirms them and it has also usurped th
: proper functions of the President by deter
! mining that no nomination shall be confirmed
! except it is favored by the Administratio
Senator from the State in which it is made.
have begged of q Senator to support certai
' nomination, and he has replied that he shoul
, like to crafty me, but it would depend @
: what the Senator from that State should sa
I The Office of Judge was vacant, and II
! Senator from that State wanted man al
: pointed whom the President knew and believe
to be unfit for the place. He nominated ma
after man, each being ejected-unquestiol
, | ably because they were not acceptable to til
! Senator from that State; and the Office r
L manned vacant for more than a year. ha'
come to the conclusion that no thorough +
Q form is possible without the cooperation
e Congress, or until public opinion asks of eve
It man nominated for Congress, "Are you
: favor of thorough reform ?" and gets fro
Q him categorical answer. The President
q guided strictly according to the rules he b
u adopted, but no man knows the difficulties
e the way. The principle ls however, adher
TO that all positions shall be filled by asce
!. tanned fitness and not merely in consequence
9 political influence; and it is to my knowled
l A. L n