Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-04-30
REPUBLICANS IN COUNCIL.
Great Meeting I'm New YOrk-speeches by Sen
ator Wilson and Mortoa and Gen. sickles
The Admi nistra Defended

1
"Wednesday night, April 18th, is no
ticed by the dispatches to be one of
the largest and most imposing ever
held in this country. Senators Will
son and Morton, and General Sckles
delivered able and eloquent speeches,
reviewing the past course of the adj
ministration and the great work of
the Republican party. The speech
| of Senator Wilson was an overwheIm-
ing reply to that of Senator Trum.
bull made at II any-thing-to-beat-
grant meeting On Friday evening
previous. We have space to copy on
ly Senator Wilson's spe ech, brief
report of which is as follows:
Senator Wilson, coming forward
was greeted with great applause, af-
ter which considerable confusion fol-
lowed Quiet being restored Senator
Wilson said 81 thank you, fellow
citizens Of New York, for this kind
greeting, and | have favor to ask
of you, aud L trust you will grant it.
| have few plain words to say to
you tonight; | have but little time
to utter them in, and ask you neith-
err to give me applause nor disappro-
baton, and listen to the few words |
have to say. / am a Republican
from conviction and by desire. /
care more for the Republican party
of the United States than do for the
interests, the aspirations, or ambi-
tions OF any thousand men in Ameri-
ca. Applause | labored twenty
years to bring into being the great,
patriotic, liberty-loving organization
that should make the Republic of the
United States free land. GApplause,
and voicves, "good."] Sixteen years
ago, the Republican party was
brought into being. Ireligiously be-
lieve that it came into being by the
progress, labor and noble aspirations
of the best portion of our country.
Applause.
| believe it was brought into being
to meet the needs of an endangered
country, and to carry out in America
the Providence of Almighty God
Applause and cries Of "good."] And
so believing from the time 1t was
created to this hour, | have mover
consciously uttered word or per-
formed an act to drive man out of
its ranks; aud [ say here tonight,
whoever may leave us he will
leave us against my wishes and
my protestations; and | would
on my knees, if | could do it,
ask him to pause, come back and
stand with us, fight the battle of this
year, aud 20 on with us in triumphs
of the future.
These men tell you they will 90 to
Cincinnati for civil.service reform. |
say to you tonight that all through
theee years past the departments at
Washington have been struggling
night and day to improve their con
dition, and they have succeeded in
| doing so and never had we as good
clerks-our offices 10 the city of
Washington have never been so we'll
filed as they are now. GApplsuse.1
But there is another matter about
which Trumbull told US. / want to
call your attention to that too. He
told you it was contrary TO law for
military men to discharge civil duties
l am sorry he told you that, for it is
not true. We did not pass any such
law. We have a law that will not
allow military men to be appointed
to civil offices, but we have no law to
prevent men in the army being de-
tailed TO civil duties. Trumbull COM
planned that we have an army officer
that brought us the Presidents mes
sage. Laughter If he looked in
to the history of the country. he
would find that it was done before.
The first message ever scot to the
Senate of the United States was on
the 9TH of august, 1889, and it was
borne by Mso General Henry Knox.
| GCt ners. That officer carried ono
more message from General Washing
ton to the Senate. He was the Pres
idents companion during the war,
and perhaps his most intimate per-
sonal friend aud when General Jack
son came in he appointed Major Don
aIdson secretary when Abraham
Lincoln came in be took John Hay,
an army officer. and detailed him for
duty in the White House but when
Andy Johnson came in laughter
he filed the White House with mill
tary men. Gentlemen, Trumbull
should know all this and when a
Senator of the United States leaves
his post at Washington and goes up
and down the country speaking To
the people, he ought TO unders tand
whereof be speaks aud be aequaint-
ed with the facts of history, and
, know what he is talking about
Laugter.
In short, gentlemen, l never read
, q speech so full of errors in the short
space ola couple of columns as Trum.
bulls speech. He says, or rather
, asks the question. ''if Andrew John.
: son filled the White House with of
| fice-holding military men, what would
} be said about it p He did. He APP
: pointed Col. Moore, Col. Morrow, Col
, Leer, Col. Reeves. Capt MeKeever
! aud Col. r. Johnson, his own rela
} tives, and they are officers of The
) army. They set about posting guards
!. in and around the White House
When President Grant came in they
), paid a salute, and he asked them
what they ment; and next day BIZ
sent the troops away, the four com
: panies of cavalry, and regiment Of
s infantry and for three years not {
soldier has. been nearer Washington
on duty than Fort Washinton. Zap
: plause.l
: Now, what is President Grants
/, great offence He had three men OF
/ his staff during the war, when he waI