The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-05-11
SPEECH
SENATOR MORTON

AT - w XO&3A
Mr.. Svss;dexs asd Fs,1os0- -C;s;sms Of Nsw
Yoek !:
am here tonight BY invitation of the
COMMITTEES, for the purpose of addressing you
on the subject of the next Presidency, and
of tho Republican party At this
time In the United States. lam not invited
BY the committee Of ofics-holdsrs. I am ad.
issd th st the gentlemen who got up this
meeting are neither Office holders nor Office
seekers, ard that very few Of them are in
conditiou to take Office. or could aficid TO take
one. You have heard very much lately in
regard 70 the evil influence Of ofice-holders
that they are all governing the country !;
that they are generally dishonest and dsma-
gogicai, but the most Of the complaints that
I hare heard upon the subject came from .
man who has been in Office twenty years, and
is now fearful that he will not die in the har-
ness. The Convention TO be held in PhiIa-
delphia has hesn described ~ an ofice-holders
Convention but venture the assertion that
there will oe more Office seekers in the Con-
vention in Cincinnati than office-holdsrs in
ConSention at Philadslphis. There are some
men going to Cincinnati who are good mer,
and part With them with reluctance, end
would have been glad II il had been in my
power 70 reconcile to the party and to the Ad-
u.inistss&ion but take that Convention all 10
all and il will be . more curious collection
than Barnum ever had, and will include in
it his celebrated 'sWhat 10 it :" It will moi
be 90 much a convent on a. . conspiracy.
The mea who will compose that Convention
will differ almost entirely in regard to princi-
pies, and W i'll be unit only in their Iessat.
ments. In this attempted disruption there
is no principle involved. 1t proposes no new
policy financial, commercial, or otherwise,
II 10 entirely persona: in its character, and il
not founded upon any pretcnce that the Ad-
ministfation had come short in any material
thing. Now, if what the country wants il
good government. . good and faithful Ad
min:stration. the country has it. Applause
1t il IN old saying. '.Let we'll enough alons,'
and to "praiss . bridge that carries you safe
" over" and undertake to nay here 70 nigh
in the face Of the intelligence Of this assembly
and thu whols country, that take this Admin
istration there has not been . betts'
one in sfty years, [applause] in all ,nateria
respects. do not say it 10 free from criti-
cism. do not say that GsperAl Grant and
his Secretaries have not made some errors
To err b the lot Of all. Wc are all fallible
That man who claims that hs is psrfeet will
BY common consent, b set down % fool
but ! do mean TO say that in the great ma
terial respects Of the government Of thi
! country It is - wen administered 90 It ha.
been 10 century, or, perhaps, a. it ever was
What = Jour condition now. mechanics, mar
1 ehanis, baaksrs, manufacturers, business
| men Of New York This is the great com
uereial centre where money power controls
and sss pulsation that takes place here ID fol
! 70 the sxtremities Of the nation. call upo
Jon tonight a witnesses, without regard I
your past afiliasions, to stand up and bea
tsstiaooy that this Goyssnmsnt u - ws
administered, that your condition financial
\ was nsvsr betesr, that business never stoo
on bstter fousdation than IL does 10 day i
The city of Nsw York that there was new
time when there Was 50 much general cor