Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-11-07
Address OF H. J. Macomber

Mr.. President and Chairman of the Central Com
mittee.
1t gives me pleasure, in behalf of the
Republicans of German township, 20 ac-
cept at your hands as representative of
the same party in Plymouth, our elder
sister, this memorial, which is not ban
ner representing simply the interests or
feeling OF district or section; but which
Is no less than a national ensign, as it is
an ensign OF great national party. And
will acceptit thus gladly. Itis with no air
OF triumph; but of concern rather. for
when | reflect what it implies, it is no
mean trust thus contided to our hands.
When the Spartan mother buckled the
shield to The strong arm of her son. it
was with the injunction come back acith
it or on it.. That saying was noble then.
and has stirred The hearts of all the
heroes. since; and yet what was hi,
charge compared with ours? That was
an age of violence and though much of
protection and honor are symbolzed by
the shield, how much more by this?
This banner represents The Progress
i've Natio naiity of the United States"
We see in the flag floating there the sa e
haes our fathers saw, the same lines and
square, the same stars, not one erased nor
dimmed; the ibre is the same. All
this We see as the fathers saw it; but is
il the same flag They bore? Not so! 1t
represents to US much that they hoped
for. When they talked of the brother
hood ot man and invited the oppressed Of
every land to an asylum under its folds,
ii was with evasions and mental reserva-
tons.
With factions and for short periods an
element ot falsehood may hold ascenden-
cy; but for long periods and with the uni
versal heart they cannot obtain. The
Sea is purified by agitation. Its tides and
currents and waves in wild commotion
tossed, preserve it from the pests of stag
nant pools. The air retains its life sup
porting properties from the same causes.
Wind, rain and storms, with the vivid
lightnings flash clear away the noxious
elements that find their way into it. Not
less is the infection which wastes our ma
tional life swept away by like agencies
We have been purified as by fire, and the
abuses whicn we were disposed to toler-
ate for time. have been swept away
No longer do we seek the ascendency of
class, or thrust before the worlds ad.
miring gaze the achievements of favored
~" uut hdNO DldCcu tiic lOuHlldtiOuS vi
our liberty deeper down under the ground
tier of humanity hid under the rubbish
of centuries of degradations, and hail all
who stand thereon AS men and equals
We accord to all the same rights and
privileges which we claim for ourselves,
and extend the right hand of fellowship to
all likewise disposed.
Behold this the foundation which the
Republican party has laid This is the
foundation on which we build. What
shall the superstructure be?
| will endeavor to answer; no., how
ever. by stating a rational principle and
deducing the nature Of Republicanisin as
consequence. Too many chances of er-
ror attend this course. Let US find the
fact rather as il exists in the great mind
or common sense of the Republican par
ty. | call it fact for, though not yet
realized fully, the response of the common
sense or common geni is of humanity is a
prophecy of its reality and evolution in
the fulness of time.
As means in this investigation, let me
state series of hypotheses. | will de-
scribe few of the conditions of society