The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-09-12
The Next Vice-PreSi-
dent.
SPLENDID SPEECH OF
HON. HENRY WILSON.
Delivered at Fl. Wayne.

Mr.. CHAIRMAIN, LADIES AND
| GENTLEMEN 1 come to you to-day
weary with journey of many many,
miles in your great State, which has
been a continued ovation. L come
/ to-day with a voice somewhat broken
I by the efforts I have made to address
I the mighty thrOngs that have gath
| cred to hear me. L am, therefore,
constrained throw myself on your
kind indulgence.
1 propose to-day to address you in
vindicatiOn of the present admins
tration. What / have to say will
touch the leading measures of that
administration. do not come here
to spend my own time or spend yours
in petty criticism that men of inge-
nuity or sharp critics can make
against an administration. pro-
pose to consider the question that af-
feet the rights, the interests, and
the honor of the republic.
You remember the condition of the
country four years ago, when the ban
ners of Grant and CNlfax were flung
10 the Western breezes. You remem-
ber-for am sure you can not have
forgotten 1.-THE career of Andrew
Johnson after he came into the con-
troll of the government. You remem-
how he talked about rebels taking
back seats, and how he spent most of
the time of his administration in the
effort to put rebels on the front seats.
You will remember how men of tai
ent and character, who had been ap-
pointed by Abraham Lincoln, were
fOced by self-respect to retire from Of
flee or were, as was the case with
thousands, driven from office. You
remember, that a class of public men
came to the front and into the adj
ministration of the government, many
of them unworthy OF the confidence
Ofany party, or OF any portion of the
of the American people. You re-
member, that in spite of the vigilance
of Congress, and of the fidelity of the
great men of the Republican party,
that the condition of the country
was tending downward and down.
ward during the whole administration
of that man. We had honOred and
trusted him when we shOnid not have
honored and trusted him. Four years
ago the Republican party of the Uni
ted States, then more than three mill
lions strong, assembled in convention
at Chicago and announced its purpose
to rescue the government, to correct
abuses, to reform affairs, and If pOssi-
bic, establish an administration wOr-
thy the confidence and support of the
American people. That convention,
in obedience to the instincts of this
Republican Union, selected as their
standard bearer the General that led
our armies in the war of the country.
The platform of principles enuneiated
at Chicago was sanctioned by the
public voice and the candidate nOmi-
mated was triumphantly elected. Now,
gentlemen, am here to say that IN
the endeayOr to secure the paramount
interests of the hatiOn, the admins
tration has in all respects been emil
nently successful.
GRANT TTHETRUEFRIENDO OF LIBERTY.
There are spots on the sun that
bathes tue world in light and beauty,
but he is not a wise man who spends
his time in criticising those spots
when he should be impressed and sub
dued by the contemplation of the
beauty that pours its glorious beams
upon the world. Gen. Grant, sus-
tanned by the triumphant voice of the
American people, stood on the east
ern portico of the Capitol on the 4th
of March, 1868, md in his inaugural
address indicated the leading ideas
that would govern his administration.
He went further than most Presidents
had done, for he went so far as to in
dicate ideas he hoped to see realized ;
but he specially called the nations
attention to the great, grand, and
crOWning work of making the 10Th
amendment part of the Constitution
of the 4JHited States. After his cleo
in 1865, he said to our friends in ear
nest, sincere. and emphatic tones, the
constitutional amendment securing
to all citizens ofthe United States the
right of suffrage was the true way to
settle thai great and disturbing ques-
ton. In accordance with his advice
and support, Congress submitted to
the people the 18th amendment, one
of the grandest provisions ever lncor=
porated into the Constitution Of a
Christian and free commonwealth.
When it was pending in Congress,
| Gen. Grant was earnest and persist
ent in his efforts to impress its necess-
| ity and importance on the national
! Legislature, and when Congress rose
up to the height of the occasion and
came to comprehend the providence
! of God and the needs of the country
imposed upon it to submit that ques-
! ton to the American people, Gen.
/ Grant, at the very time he took the
oath of Office called upon the people
/ to sanction that great measure. And
/ here, to-day, owe it to truth and JUS
I tice to say that the cOlOred race of the
/ United States owes more to Gen.
/ Grant for the incorporation of that
provision into the Constitution that
secures to them forever and ever the
right of suffrage in America, than TO
any man on the North American con-
tinent Loud cheers. Gen. Grant not
only asked the American people TO
i sanction that great and crOwning
measure, but he used all the legiti-
mate and proper influences of his ad-
ministration to carry it through
4 the State Legislatures of the Union
I behind that measure stood Gen,
/ Grants administration, giving all Its
moral power to the cOnsummation Oi
that work. There are, L know, some
among US who think Gen. Grants ad'
ministration has wavered and faltered
in support of the right of the cOlOrec
race. I stand. here to-day and say that
know there is no man in Congress Ol
out of Congress, no man that tread:
the soil Of the republic to-day thai
has, since the 4th Of March, 1859, beer
truer to the right, interests, and the
protection of the cOlOred race than the
President Of the United States. Loud