, 1872-11-04
speech Before the Liberal Out-Doer
Meeting Of Saturday
Evening.
Why He Signed the Temper
ance Law and "Par-
doned Walsh.
Dare Messrs. Ogiesby and Bever-
idge Answer as Frankly?
His Reasons for Desiring the EIec.
ton OF Horace Greeley.

Saturday evening Liberal mass meeting was
held on Market street. between Madison and
Washington, which was addressed by His Excel
1ency Governor Palmer, and the Hon. ". ".
OBrien, Of Peoria. The weather WAS fearfu1ly
unfayorable; it. WAS damp and chilly, and the
clouds threatened rain. The street Was muddy.
The horse cars had ceased running. Yet those
who did gather together, and their number grad
ual1y Increased the evening wore on, we're
firm in the faith, admirable Isterners and
hearty applauders.
REMARKS OF THE GOVERNOR.
The meeting was organized by the election OF
the Hon. J. c. Dore as Chairman, who introduced
Governor Palmer to the audience That gentle
man stated to the crowd, then rather small, that
it was asking too much of them to stand and
listen on such an evening to speech from any
man. He had desired during the campaign
to have an opportunity Of addressing the citi-
zens of1Chicago, and regretted that the present
one was not more favorable His hearers,
however, were not so easily satisfied, and in
sisted that he should proceed.
Some one in the crowd then wanted to know
hog it was about his signing
THE TEMPERANCE Law.
Tothat he replied that he WIS glad the question
had been asked. It was not Of so much impot-
tance what he had done, but there were two gen
tlemen in Chicago whose opinions it was impor-
tant to know. There was his friend Og1esby,
who wanted to be Governor. What did he mean
to do about the Temperance law? What did
General Boyeridge mean to do about it?
(Laughter,l Last winter, two-thirds Of both
branches Of the General Assembly passed the
Temperance law be had signed. Now, what we're
the people going to do about it j? Here were
two gentlemen, one OF whom expected to be
Governor and then Senator, and the other Lieu
tenant Governor and then Governor. Would it
not be better to follow them up and ascertain
their views? What he had done WAS known.
do? What he had done, WAS done, andif he were
70 cry his eyes out, he could not take it back.
oGIESBY 4,lD BETERIDGE-
had been canvassing the State for six months,
END he did not recollect that any one had asked
them what they meant to do on those points.
AS for himself, they must understand that he
took the responsibility Of what he did, and they
would not catch him dodging the responsibility.
He signed it because he approved Of it, and
knowing that it would not go into effect until
July /, and that at the following election, the
people could express themselves concerning it.
THE WALSH CASE.
Some one asked why he reprieved Walsh. The
Governor replied: Because wise Mayor Ma
Aldermen. asked him to do it. He thought that
when the Mayor Of such great city, and four
dfths Of the Aldermen, asked him. not to
pardon a. man, but to decide that
he could afford to do it. He thought the Mayor
and thirtv-two Aldermen amounted to some-
thing. He thought he could afford to take their
word If he was mistaken, it was their mis-
fortune in electing such Aldermen He sup
mistaken, it was their mistake, not his.
He had for some time been aware that IN a
large city like this, no Governor could so act as
to secure the approval Of all. During his term,
however, he had striven, go far as was consistent
with his duty to advance and foster the interests
Of Chicago.
The audience had by this time decidedly
Increased in numbers, and they insisted
urgently upon the Governors speaking, that he
addressed them briefly, substantially as follows:
m DESIRED THEM TO VOTE FOE MR. GREELEY,
not, however. because he had any personal dis
like to General Grant, who never did him per
sonal wrong, and always treated him, personally,
with propriety. The Chicago papers, always
truthfu1-hew was obliged to compliment Chicago.
or he should not have said it-said he had been
Influenced by personal dislike, but he declared
he thought great deal more of Grant, than Of
many Of the very email creatures who supported
him. But he wanted them to vote for Mr. Gree
ley, since he was representative Of things that
harmonized with their interests, and Grant was
not All admitted Mr. Greeley to be an honest
ena aanss Ra5' ey had that Of Tss ssourns 1ns @ 5st
they desired. He presumed they wanted .
President elected who would devote himself
personally to their interests. Mr. Greeley
would; General Grant would not. The latter
had spent 3 large part Of his time in the pur-
suit Of his pleasure. Again, they wanted pure
Administration. He did not believe General
Grant dishonest, but Of necessity, perhaps, he
had around him large class OF unreliable men.
The Republican party which had controlled tha
rff7 Of +ho n1tr fnr f1Va1ra had
was always the way in such cases. become cor
rupt. A change became necessary to remove
abuses, and the Government had to be reformed
by changing all the officers.
The Offices, too, had become the mere rewards
Of political SERVICE They we're held at the will
OF the Presidents their holders being obi Sed
to work for his reelection or that of the Con
gressman, with whom the President negotiated
for the fidelity Of his followers. Every Federal
ofice-holder here was obliged to support Grant,
Logan and Farwen. Was there one in the city
opposed to any OF those Individuals If there
was any Federal officer In this city who wanted
to commit suicide. and get rid of his Office just
let him come upon that platform and say ''Hur-
rah for Greeley" and twent; men in the crowd
would run to the telegraph Office and say that
.suick, and will take his place, too" lest there
should be q failure Of the Administration. The
service had thus degraded 60 that man who
took Federal Office, took it upon the condition
OF complete SUBMISSION 10 the WILL OF MS ppQt-
ical master. To help reform, they should have
st least the one term principle.
MORE THAN ALL ELSE
he wanted they should get to think what their
wants really were. Thay wanted to reduce taxa
ton and abolish needless Offices; they wanted a
more honest service. The people demanded re-
lief from organized political alliances which gov
erned the country. like the present Republican
leadership, by which he did not mean the Repub
lican party, but men like Grant, Logan and But
ler, who had not shared it's early struggles, but
came in to gather the fruits Of it's victories.
Butler had supported jeff Davis; Grant had
said be never was an anti-slavery man Logan
had put on our statute books g. most infamous
law on the subject Of black men; had attempted
to establish system Of slavery. in our State.
They, after slavery WAS abolished, and the col
ored man given full rights, came in as leaders OF
3 mere political organization, and commenced
forming alliances to maintain themselves in
power. Against them he was fighting. They
had organized ......-
An ALLIANCE WITH TIE MONEY INTEREST
Of the country. Henry Clewe. and other bank
ers and brokers, had issued circular undertake
ing to tell the people Grant should be elected.
It was something unexampled for the mere
money power, the organized wealth OF the coun-
try, to presume to come into our political con-
ArC1, tall ftnu