The Van Buren press., 1872-03-12
SPEECH OF GOV. BROWN.
Rs,ponse to a Serenada-He Reviews
the Grant Convention.

The following is the Jefferson City
mo T,iJuae's revised report Of the
serenade speech of Gov. Blown.
Afer the adjournment OF the Radical
convention on Thursday, an offset to the
performances of that body OF the Grant
braves was gotten up in the shape oil Il.
sercnade To Gov. brown on the part or
the liberal members Of the general assem-
bly ana others who participated with him
in the canvass of 1870. The Governor
had Just risen from Il sick-bed, and was
somewhat indisposed to venture, but u
naly. alter repeated calls, responded
We give the substance of his remarks as
nearly as they could be caught in the
glare of torches and the throng around
The speaker.
Gov. Brown said that he felt very
mighty the compliment which was thus
rendered him by the general assembly,
who, in conjunction with the present
Stat, administration, had been so vigor
ousIy sustained at our last election Ho
felt that compliment was an assurance OF
continued confidence, and testimony to
the faithfulness with which he had adher-
ed to the positions tl.el canvassed before
the people.
He regretted very much, indeed, that
this great day which should be dedicated
to reflections concerning the services OF
the father Of his country, has become OF
late devoted almost exclusively to pollt-
ical assemblages. lie regretted still more
that this day, set apart to the memory OF
the great Washington, should have been
seized upon TO indorse an administration
only remarkable for the contempt it had
manifested for al the teachings Of the
father Of his country Cheers If he
remembered Alright the legacy most priz-
ed and left by Washington in his farewell
address, it was a warning to this nation
of the danger and decentralization to be
apprchended from the intolerance Of par
tisan spirit the abuse OF executive pow
er In appointments to Office; the at.
tempted control thereby OF popular elec
tions, and the system Of plundcr, favor
i,ism, corruption, that would sap the
foundations Of public virtue He sub
mitted, therefore, whether the exposures
of the last few months, the declarations
Of eminent men, the gcneral-order bust
ness, the Investigations Of Congress into
sales OF arms to France, and the array of
charges of criminal conversions Of pub
lie money by hosts of government en-
ployes, did not raise a doubt as to the
22d day Of February being exactly the
right time to give an enthusiastic APP
proval to such practices. Cheers IT
was like stripping the shroud from the
dead Washington to hide in its folds cx.
posed ulcers on the character Of the lat.
est Of his successors. He feared it would
tempt the people to exclaim, F" The Faith
er Of his country is dead--only the fath-
or ofthe Office. holders liveth. Cheer.
But he would turn to the demonstra.
ton which had been here to-day. lthad
been long announced that every effort
would be made to give an imposing char
actcr to this convention, and the whole
appliance OF party machinery had been
exerted to that end. He must confess
that in one sense it was n success. Five
hundred gentlemen from all parts of Mis-
souri, had been assembled here, in very
GOOD looking condition, well fed. well ap.
pointed, satisfied with themselves and
evidently trained to their work. All
went merry as a marriage bell. No yul-
gar dissent was manifest in their midst
No foolish discussion about principles
had marrsd the harmony of the occasion
They had framed some fine resolves
.,-1 .f,,p t,..
constitutional amendmcnts--ndorsed tnc
administration in all its ways and by
ways, aud fixed straight delegation
for Gen. Grant at Philadelphia This
was their appointed programme, and they
did it spir,tedly.
He would admit, too, that he saw n
number there OF literally inclined Re
publicans, who had come, clinginy to the
old organization, hoping against hope
that something would transpire to re
deem its past errors, and that delegates
would be chosen who wonld do some.
thing to rec,ify and honor Rcpub!icanism
by better choice at Philadelphia. lie
knew that there were such in attendance,
and what their hope had been, f)r he had
conferred freely with many Of them, nor
could he quarrel with them for having
come cinging to a delusion which he
could not share. They were honest men,
patriotic men, true Republicans even in
their faith and aspirations, and if they
had hoped their presence here day
to impress on the convention q new
phase and inspire the old party with a
new conduct. he could only honor and
respect the motives that prompted their
action But when they found, rs he
doubted not they would find. and as the
Of to-day only too clearly
told, that their hope was vain; he was
equally convinced they would be seen IN
November next battling for the same
broad principles Of trne Republican free
dom as against official dictation and gov
ernmental corruptions which they hrd so
upheld in 1870. OF three or
four hitherto Liberals Of some note, who
took occasion to air their recantatons
there, he, however, had no expectations.
They came to be rewarded and remount
ed And he had been twitted with the
remark: "Why, governor, We have
captured some Of your guns, and will
tnrn thuue ayain 4 vOu lhia year His I