The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-10-02

The Struggle In Pennsylvania-E1.
Governor Curtin at Beliefont-His
First Speech In h Campaign-Am-
nesiy and Reconciliation Against
Ringp and Corruption.
-S-RELLEFoST, Pa, September 20.
The reception Of Ex-Governor Curtin here
last evening was q brilliant affair. he was
introduced by Hon. L. A. Mackey, OF Lock
Haven, and spoke as follows:
Ny friends and neighbors, am glad to see
YOU. Residence In q distant and foreign coun-
try OF different associations and political or
ganigation, far from weakening my affection
Tor ms native country, and my admiration OF
its free and generous institutions, has
strengthened and confirmed them. / return
homeafter an absence Of three years and q
half separated from all political asperitles
which divide men and oountryinen 100 oiten
In this country, feeling none OF those violent
opinions which excite mel In political con-
tests such as I now hnd engaging the vast
people of my country. Away from newspa
paDers and party drill, I have not imblbed that
ierce political hatred, for 1t is only political
hatred, which seemed TO have inspired parties
strange to q man absent go long from his
Country to ind '.thief,' 'lisr," ''Lraitor,"
modest words in the political literature OF the
country. Traitor Isl common word, aud yet
o man whoindependently In this country at
tempts what he believes to be right must De
denounced.
party called "Republican." I received Its
honors. I discharged Its duties. | tried TO
discharge my duty. EApplause.] It was the
pleaSure Of the people OF this Stale to lnt me
TO the position OF the highest honor In years,
long years OF great suffering, when The ooun,
try was torn aud convHlsed by civil war.
that of-,,roln NTH ronrQt I did n0t
measure its magnitude, nor did I u understand
lis full consequences. ] was tor my govern
ment Intact, and did not believe that any State
or combination Of States had q right to secede
from the Union. Certainly that they had no
right to plunge this country Into q civil war.
When the war was OYER ! Deiongea 70 1 Una.
believed in general amnesty and the ballot.
what could We do? Could we kill all the men
I'm the rebellion, or could We take them back I
"a yoIce-Take them back The popular sent
iment Of the best statesmen IN tnls lana was
that we should take them back Into the Fellow
chill, Of the Onion Ind ! ,s and III II t eos2d fe eSmeel a fne%
to obey the laws. I believed at that time, and
believe now, that we could have had peace
%fhruuphout the land If q general amnesty
could have been proclaimed, and the ballot
with 1t. Applause My fellow.citlzens, the
war came on through the teachings OF certain
Southern politicians who supported q doctrine
commonly called State rights.
dulum has swung too far In the. other direc-
tIon. lApplause.l And while we had just
reason to complain OF the insldlons doctrine
of State rights, we have also q Just right TO
complain that there Is too much cenlraliza-
ton Of government just now, overlooking The
Of pennsylvania. Ny friends and neighbors.
all our rights Of property, all your rights of
personal liberty are found protected In the
government OF the State. You scarcely feel
the Impress of the national government. In
our courts In our State you ind your rights,
your interests protected In the government of
Now. I am told-nay, I was told in England
-ihst the great Slate Of Pennsylvania must
elect the ticket put into the field, because 1t
affected the election of q President. lnoid no
such doctrine. / could not humiliate my
State BY such doctrine. I would preserve to
The States all the rights guaranteed to them
by the constitution, and would aecoro 10 In ~
national government all the powers given IL
in that instrument. Protection OF the people
of Pennsylvania, and preservation OF the purl-
ty of their government, 10 q questlon ior
themselves, In which other States have COM
paratiVely little interest, and which has no
connection with national politics. -
Now, my felloW-citizens, ! have declared IN
q letter recently written, and which has given
offence to some OF my political friends, have
declared that ! would not support the ticket
mt in nomination last spring, and will sup
mort Governor Charles r. Buckalew. ZAP.
plsuse.l know him well; have known him
Tor twenty years. He has made his mark upon
the legislation and constitution OF the State. l
d1SayeS with him Ia political opinions and
have acted with The party in opposition to his
Sisws / have never received his support for
an ofice In my life. Iknow he Is q pure, hon.
have nothing to say against General Hart,
,ranit. he was q gallant soldier and served
his country faithfully, but IN an evil hour, IN
his ambition, he wished to sor
Of Pennsylvania. II he had been governor of