Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-08-29
HORACE GREELEYIN PORTLAND.
An Important and Carefully Prepn-
red Spcech-An Exposition OF His
Public Policy.

PORTLAND, August l4.-Ihc recep-
ton extended to Mr.. Greeley to-day
was one of the most earnest and enthu-
siastic ever accorded by the people of
this town. At the City Hal an immense
crowd gathered. After an address of
welcome, Mr.. Greeley said:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN 1t is Ger
tainly true that throughout the course
of my life, as far as | have been con
nected with public affairs, have strug-
glcd with such capacity as God has
given me for, first, impartial and uni
versal liberty; second, for the unity
and greatness Of our common country /;
third, aud by no means least, when the
former end was attained, for early and
hearty reconciliation aud peace among
our countrymeu. For these great ends
| have struggled, and | hope the issue
OF the third is not doubtful. thorough
ly comprehend that no personal CON
sideratron has drawn together this vast
assembly. Other, higher, aad grander
consideration, have collected you a.
round me to-day. (Checrs.) Mr.. Chair
man: 1t is a part of the unwrttcn law
Of our country that candidate for
President may not make speeches in
vindicatiOn aud commentator of the
principles whereupon he is supported,
nor the measures which his election is
intended TO promote, though candi-
date for Vice-PresdeNt is under no
such Inhibition, not merely acqnieSce
in the restriction, | recognize aud al.
firm its propriety. The temptation to
misreport and misrepresent a candidate
for the higher post is so grea', the
means of circulating such pcrversions
among people who will never see a
word Of their refutation are so vast,
that IA candidate has no moral right to
subj his friends to the periIs he must
brave, if not invite, by taking part in
the canvass. (Checrs.) Yet there is a
truth to be uttered in behalf of those
who have / | ced me lefo", the Ameri-
can pcop'e in my present attitude,
which does them such honor that |
claim the privilege of stating it here,
aud now. This il that trut'. No per-
son has ever yet made the fact that he
purpOScd to support, or actually did
support my nomination, whether at
Cincinnati, 70 Baltimore, or in the
action which resulted in sending dele
gates to either convention, the basis OF
a claim to Office at my hand No one
who favored my nomination before eli
Their convention. or at either convention.
has sought office at my hauds either for
himself or any one else nor has any
one suggested to me that might srrcng
then myself as candidate by promi|,
jug TO appoint any one to any import
aur office whatever. Cloud Chcers.) in
very few instanc"s-Icss than doz II,
| am surc-certain of the smaller fry of
politicians have, since my duhl' nomi-
nalion, limited to me by letter that |
nigh, increase my chance OF election
by promising a post-otlicc or some
other place to my volunteer CORES.
pondens respectively. | have not usu
ally responded to these over,ures, bnt
| now give general notice that, should
| be elected, will consider the claims
Of these nntimeIy aspirants after thoes
OF the more modest aud retticent shall
have been fully satisfied. (Loun
Cheers.) In two or three snstanceS |
have been asked to say whether | would
not, if elected, contiue my appointments
to Republicans. | answer these by
polo,Iug to that plank of the Cinciuna
ii platform wherein all who concur in
the principles therein set forth are cord
tally invited to participate in their
establishment and vindication | never
yet heard of a man who invited his
ucighoors to help him raise house
aud proceeded to kick them ont OF it 50
soon as the root was fairly over his
head. For my own part | recognize
every honest man who approves and
adhercs to the Cincinnati platform a.
my political brother, aud as such fully
eutited to my confidence and friendly
regard. (Cheers.) One other point de-
mands q word. Those adverse to me
ask what pledges | have given to those
lately hostile to the Union tosecure
their favor and sport. | answer: No
man or woman in all the South ever
asked Of me, whether directly or through
another, any other pledge than is given
in all my acts aud words from the hour
of Lees surrender down TO this moment.
No Southern man has ever hiuted TO
the an expectation, hope, or wish that
the rebel debt, whether COnfederat or
State, should be assumed or paid hy
the Union, and no Southern man who
could be elected to Legislature or
llld'lC NOiouCl VI II llllllllU ICHIlllcul cNCl
nggested the pensionlng ofreble soldiers
or any of then, even as remote posi-
bility. All who nominated me are per-
fectly aware that J had upheld and
justified Federal legislation to sup
press the Ku-Klux conspiracy and out,
RACES, though | had log ago insisted as
strenuously as | now do that complete
amnesty and genuine oblivion of the
bloody, hateful past would do more for
the SUPPRESSION and utter extinction Of
such outrages than all the force bills
and suspension oil habeas corpus ever
devised by man. Wrong and crime
must be suppressed and punished, but
far wisre and nobler 10 the legislation,
the policy, by which they are prevented.
cloud chccre,) From those who supuort