Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-05-03
Mr.. schurz advanced, the band playing

Mr.. schurz advanced, the band playing
''Hail to the Chief"
r MIR. Schurz said: Nobody can survey this
vast and enthusiastic assembly gathered from
all parts of the republic without emotion,
hope and astonishment. Astonishing con-
sidering the spontaneity Of impulse which
has brought it together, aud hope considering
the great purpose for which it has met. The
republic may well congratulate itself well
upon the fact that such meeting was posi-
BILE. Look at the circumstances from which
1t has sprung. We saw the American people
just issued, from great and successful
struggle and in full pride of their National
strength, threatened with new evils and dam
gers OF an insiduous nature, and the masses
OF the people apparently not aware of them.
We saw robbery and corruption stimulated to
an unusual audacity by opportunities Of pro-
tracted civil war, invading the public service
OF the government, as almost all movements
OF social body, and we saw public opinion
most deporably lenient in its judgment of
public and private dishonesty. We saw the
government indulging in wanton disregard of
the laws of the land and resorting TO daring
assumptions of unconstitutional power, and
we saw the people apparently acquescing
| with reckless levity in the transgressions
threatening tho very life of our free institu-
I lions. We saw these in authority with tyr
anlcal lnsolence thrust the hand of power
through the vast machinery of public service
into local and private affairs and we saw the
innumerable mass of their adherents accept
these encroachments upon their independence
without protest or resentment. We saw men
in the highest places OF the republic employ
their power and opportunity for selfish ad-
vantages. Thus stimulating the demoraliza-
ton of our political life by their conspicuous
example and the loud chorus of partizan
drown the voices of honest criticism. We
saw part of our common country which has
been convulsed by a disastrous rebellion
most grievously suffering from the conse-
quences of a civil war, and we saw the
naughty spirit Of power refusing to lift up
these who have gone astray and were now
suffering by the policy of generous concilia-
ton and the craftsmanship of common sense
We observe this and at the same time a
reckless and greedy party spirit is the name
Of great organization crowned with the lau-
rels of glorious achievements striving to pal
itate or justify these wrongs and abuses TO
st1e the moral sense of the people and to
drive them to submit to this for the present.
but to perpetuate it, that the political power
OF the country be preserved in the hands of
those who possess it. He who calmly and
impartially surveyed this spectacle could not
fan to be deeply alarmed, not only at the
wrongs that have been and were presented,
but at the subjugation of the popular spirit
which did not rise up against them. The
question might we'll have been asked have
the American people become utterly indffer-
ent to their true interests, to their national
harmony, TO purity of their political life, to
the integrity ots their free institutions, to the
very honor of the American name, that they
should permit themselves to be bribed like
flock OF sheep by those who assume to lord it
over them. That question has now found an
answer. No. The virtue, the spirit of in le-
pendence, the love of liberty, the republican
pride of the American people are not dead
yet, and don't mean to die, and that answer is |
given in thunder tones by the convention of
American citizens here assembled. Indeed
these who three months ago first raised their
voices, did so with an abiding faith that
their appeals could not remain without re-
Spouse, but the volume of that response has
now far exceeded their antcipations. The
crust OF their narrow prejudices of selfish
partisanship which but yesterday seemed to
stop every free pulsation of the popular
heart is suddenly burst assunder. The patri-
otto citizens rise above the partizans We
begin to breathe again as freemen. We dare
again to call things by their right names. We
have once more courage to break through the
deception with which the popular mind has
been logged. We feel once more that our
convictions of right and wrong are our own,
and that our votes belong to the country, and
thus we defiantly set our sense of dnty against
the arrogance of power. Like the bugle
blast of doomsday the summons is resounding
north and south, and east and west. The
conscience of the people which seemed dead
has arisen from every point of the compass.
Mr.. Szhurz continued in the same defiant
strain for nearly two hours, but owing to the
late arrival of the despatch we are obliged to
so to press without the remainder of his
speech.
motion to adjourn till tomorrow was
moved and carried