The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-16
SIR. Erec,ey's speech at Portland,
NufnS

PORTLAND, August l5.--lhc following Is
the address of Mr.. Greeley in the City Hall
Yesterday:
"Mr. Chairman and Ladies md Gentlemen :
1t is certainly true that throughout the course
of NV life, 50 fur IL | have been connected
with public affairs, | have struggled with
such capacity as God has given me
for first, impartial and universal liberty
second for the union aud greatness
of our common country; and third aid ~
no means least. when the former end was at
tanned, tor carly and hearty reconciliation
and peace among our countrymen. For
these great ends have struggled. and hore
the issue of the third is not doubtful.
thoroughly comprehend that no PERSONA
consideration has drawn this vast assembly
together Other higher and grilndcr coli.
sitlclntions have collected you around me to-"
day. 1t is part of the uilwrittcii law ol our
.Uuutry that candidate ior the presldellcy
iiiay hot make speeches i'll yindicaiion ana
commendation OF the PRINCIPLES ~lifreuron
hc is supported or the measures which ills
election is intended TO promote, though Il
candidate for yice-prc5idCnt Is under 10 such
inhibition.
IL not merely acqllicsce in the restriction,
but | recognize and affirm its proprlety.
The temptation to miSinterpret aud rllsrc-
present Il candidate for the higher posts il ~
great, the means Of circulating such perr"r-
sie,,s AMONG The people, wlln never seea word
of their rctlltatiou, are so vast that caEuI'
date has no moral right to subject his friends
to the peris he must brave, il pot invite, by
taking part in the canvass. let tll5:c y e
truth to be uttered in behalf OF those who
have placed me before the American people IN
nv present attitude which does them such
honor that claim the privilege OF stating 1t
ere and now. This is that truth. No per-
son has ever yet made the tact known that
he proposed tu support or actively aiti sup
,,prt mt' nomination., whether ii C,nciiii;il!
or at Baltimore, or IN any action Whlch re-
suited in sending delegates to either convcn-
ton, as the basis Of il claim for Office NJ my
hands. No one who favored my nomination
before either convention or ut either conVen'
lion has sought office at my hands, either Tor
himself or for any else nor La: any one stl2'
yested TO NE that | might strengthen
myseif as "a candidate by promising TO
appoint any oiit tt al imtortant 'tf'cc
whatever. In very few lnStancts--ie7S
thun a dozen ! am ccrtaiD- some of
tbr sm1ljct frs Of POLITICIANS have. since
hiv double hoiniiilIiun hiiited to tie thai
mipbt increase nv chances of election by
promising Il post-otce or some such place 10
INV volunteer correspondents respectively. |
have not usually responded to these ovcI-
ttlrcS, hut | now give general noticc th-
should | be clec ed will consider the cllilils
OF these untin!ely aspirants after those OF tlic
more modest and rcticent shall have becil
fully satisfied. [Applause.]
In TWO or three instanprs | hare been
asked to say whether would or would not,
II elected contine my appointments to Re
pIblicanS. | answer these by pointing 10
tue plank in the Cincinnati platform where
iD all who concur in the principles therein
set forth are cordially invited to participate
in their establishment and vindication. !
never yet heard Of 4 man who invited his
neighbcrs to help him raise house, and
proceeded to kick them out OF it as soon as
the roof was fairly over his head. For my
own part, recognize every honest man who
approves and adhercs to the Cincinnati plat
folm as NY political brother, and is such
fully entitled to my confidence and friendly
regard.
"One other point demands word. Those
adverse TO me ask what pledges have given
to those lately hostile to the Union to secure
their favor and support. answer, No man
or woman in all the South ever asked OF me,
either directly Of through another, any other
pledge than Is given in ull my acts and words
from the hour of Lees surrender down 70
this moment. No southern man ever hinted
to me an expectation, hope, or wish That the
rebel debt, whether Confederate or State,
should be assumed or paid by the Union.
and no southern man who could be elected
to Legislature or made colonel OF militia
regiment even suggested the penaonlnS OF
all the rebel soldiers, or any OF them even, Us
a remote possibility.
"All who nominated me were perfectly
aware that upheld and justified Federal
legislation to npress kukluX conspiracies and
outrages, though / had long ago insisted as
strenuously as / now do that complete am.
nesty and general oblivion of the bloody,
hateful past would do mere for the suppress
sion and utter extinction of such outraSes
than all the force bills and suspension OF hG'
beas corpus ever devised by man. wrong
and crime must be suppressed and punished,
but Tar wiser and nobler is the legislation,
the policy, by which they are prevented.
From those who support me in the South
] have heard but one demand-Justice; but
one Observation-Disclosures. They wish 10 be
heartily reunited and at peace with Che
North on any terms which do moi involve
the surrender OF their manhood. They ask