The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-04-20
R RICHMOND.


ust administration. The Republican party,
u compared With sny party preceding it,
las been one characterized by progressive
,ess and reformatory spirit. So it is yet TO
,e, and will, underthe administration Of Gen.
Grant, he the party Of progress. We have
put in Cur resolutions, and Listened to it
With peculiar pleasure, = challenge of scru-
tiny. We are not here for promiscuous praise
nor for partisanship-not to defend things
that are either weak, or imperfect, or wrong.
It is your interest and my interest-it is the
interest of every citizen. that whatever is
wrong shall be pointed out; by our enemies
# need be-. by our friends esrtainly. - We
mean that the Republican party shall be not
unworthy of The administration Of the i'm
mortal Lincoln. am not here then tonight
to cover up misdemeanors and to apologize
for nisrepressntations, i ssch thers~be.
Gentlemen, there is An Indispensable thing in
the conduct of great cause-political insti-
{ utions. You might a. veil attempt tus-
bandry without tools as to conduct public al
fairs without inetitutiops- The institntions
of lihsty areao s.nali legacy from, our fa-
Tiers. Probably there is more personal en-
thusiasm for liberty in France to-day than
there Il in America, but they don't know how
to administer sr liberty. They don't know what
are those public institutions BY which liberty
is fly administered. We have them. We
have the institutions by which the will Of the
people i asceftained; BY which it is enfprs.
ed by which the government is admi nistse.
ed with all due checks, and there 10 some
thing beside that. Outside Of every govern
ment there il An element which il just As re-
sponsible as the government itself, and that
is party. Men sometimes have said, 81 don't
behave in psrty." Well, there is much that
mingles in party spirit that all deplore, and
there is much that mingles in every act of
human life that is less than angelic. Yet |
aver that no free government can be carried
on without parties. There ought to be an ad-
ministration party. So that parties are in
dispensable methoas by which institutions
are administered. Now, no party is made mp
of other than men. I would be glad ifsvery
man that belongs to The Republiean party
cherish in his he art the fervor and patriotism
which Washington felt in his dying hour. II
is not 50, and know human nature too vel
not TO know that it will not be so. The men
that make up party are various. They are
| ignorant, half. bred men, they are learned men
men With violent prejudicices. men with pride
and men with selfshness. What will you do
viii you have no party because you can have
only saints2 [Laughte RI You could take
them in at night out of the rain if you had
only saints. Renewed laughter.] You have
| got to take the average Of humsnity-top
| bottom aud middle--and deal with them will
al their good and bad thi ngs, and thei
| strength and weakness. 1t is right to call
| for . higher and higher ideal Of party. 1t i
right for me Is public teacher. it is righ
for every man who seeks better future thar
past to insist upon it that par ties shall rise
| A party must bs made up Of men, and mel
have good deal of human nature yet i
them. do not undsrtake to say. therefore
that that the Republican party has been pure
in every respect. 1t has not. say this
that the Republican party has done better
than any other party that you could hav
framed in the same circumstances aud in th
same place. say that do not see an
prospect at present Of any other party tina
viii DO as well in the four years to come a
this party. I aver, in the language of tt
resolutions, and we don't commit ourselve
to this measure 70 to that delinquency.
the administration of the last four years.
judging parties by fair and impartial ru
that governs al large bodies Of men, ar
looking ~ legislation that has spread itse
} over this centinent-I cay that this party hs
done we'll. Laughter and cheers.] Yet the
has sprung up on it breeze. Laughter
, We have had renowned orators and renowne
orations.
l 4