Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-03-20

covered from the effects OF great ihse, Aa
~evoln,ien. and three OF the foi mer otatoo -
tne Union had not been restofeo w
federal relations. 1t seemed 10 i a.
tnat no new question should DC ralsou ~
that condition OF affairs exisled ,onId control
he past four years, so far as couiu GILL; w..
events. | have endeavored 10 restore naa
mnnv and advance public credit, colhmoise
and all the arts of peace ana proeress ,,;,...d
1t is my firm conviction that the ciVai'>e ~
uor,d i, tending toward kepublicanlsm, or
tn. government by the people through tneil
chosen REL reeeI tatives, and our own sie"D
R.mnlic ia destined to be the guiding star
To all Others. Under our Republic we sup
port an army less than tnat VI s"y
European power OF any e'a ,aas, tiua If
navy less than that at o. leaet I'VE VI
them. There could be no extension OF ie[Ii
tory on this continents which woaid can Ioi
| an increase of this force, but ra.he! Misu'
such an extension enable US TO dinilhien ~
| The theory of government changes WIN
| ganeral urOgress. Now that the telegraph
p made available for COMMUNICATIVE
| Thought. together with rapid transit oy
| steam all parts Of the continent are hhaue
contiguous Tor al purposes OF the uoseln'
| ment, ard communication peI"een NY
| IRENE limits Of the country made easier IMAM
| il was throughout the OLD thirteen STATES NJ
| the beginning of our national existence.
| The effects OF the late civil strife have been
| to free the slave and make him cltlzeh, yeI
| h. is not possessed OF the civil rights when
| citizenship should carry with IL. ms Is
wrong. and should be corrected. 10 this
| correcI ion stand committed, so tar as Tx
| ecutiye influence can avail. Social equality
| is rot a subject to be legislated upon, nor
| shall ask That anything DC done 10 advance
| the social status OF the colored man, except
| to give him a fair chance to develop what
there is good in him. Give him access TO
| schools and when he travels let him feel
assured that his conduct Will regalate Inc
| treatment and fare that he will receive.
| The States lately at war with the General
| Government are now happily rehabilitated,
| and no Executive control Is exercised In any
| one of them that would not be exercised III
any other State under the circumstances.
| In the first year of the past Admlnistra-
| ton, the proposition came up for the ad
mission Of Santo Domingo as a territory OF
| the Union. 1t was not d question OF my
| seeking, but was a proposition rom tne
people of Sdnto Domingo, and one Wnlch
| entertained. / believe now, as L dlo theH,
that it was tor the best interests OF TINS coun-
| try, for the people of SantO Domingo ana all
concerned, that the proposition should De
received favorably. 1t was, however, re-
| garded as unconstitutional, and, therefore,
the subject was never brought up again py
me. Iu future, while 1 hold my present
office, the subject OF the acquisition Oh teIli-
cory must have the support OF the people
before | will recommend any proposition
looking to such AGO uisition. / say here now,
however, that / do not share n the appre-
hension held by many as to the danger or a
| government becoming weakened ana de-
| stroyed by reason of their extension of ter
| ritory Commerce, education and the rapid
| transit Of thought and matter by telegraph
| and steam have changed this belief, or,
rather, this disbelief thai our Great Maker is
| preparing the world in his own good time TO
become one nation, speaking one language,
| RI urho es ne
required.
NV efforts in the future will be directed to
the restoration of good feeling between the
| different sections OF our common country,
| to the restoration Of our currency TO liked
| value as compared with the worlds standard
| of values, gold, and, if possible, to a par
| with it; to the construction Of cheap routes
of transit throughout the land, to the end
that the products Of all sections may lind
market and leave a living remuneration to
| the producer; to the maintenance Of friend
~ relations with all our neighbors and with
| distant nations; to the establishment of our
commerce and share in the carrying trade
| upon the ocean; to the encouragement OF
| such manufacturing industries as can be
economically pursued in this country, to the
end that the exports of home products and
industries may pay for our imports, the only
sure method of returning to and permanent
| ly maintaining specie basis; to the eleva-
| ton of labor, and by humane course to
UTlnS Inc aDOIlBIuSS Va INC county uhuCi
the benign influences of education
and civilization. 1t is either this or war OF
extermination Wars of determination, en-
gagged in by people pursuing commerce and
all industrial pursuits, are expensive even
against the weakest people, and are democrat
izing and wicked. Our superiority of strength
and the advantages Of civilization should
make US lenient toward the Indian. The
| wrongs already inflicted upon him should
be taken into account and the balance placed
| tn The rip nf ia
ton should be considered, and the question
asked, Cannot the Indian be made useful
and productive member of society by proper
teaching and treatment? When the effort is
made in good faith we will stand approved
before the civilized nations of the earth aud
| in our own cor seriousness, for having made
it. All these things are not to be accom-
plished by one individual, but they will re-
ceive my support and such recommendation
to Congress as will in my Judgment best
| serve to carry them into effect. | beg your
support and encouragement.
| 1t has been and is my earnest desire to
| correct abuses that have grown up ia the
| civil service OF the country. To secure this
reformation, rules, regulations, methods of
appointment and promotion were establish
ed and have been traced. My efforts for
such reformation shall be continued, to the
best of my Judgment, and the spirit of the
rules adopted will be maintained.
l acknowledge before this assemblage,
representing as 1t does every section OF
our country, the obligations l am under to
my countrymen for the great honor they
| have conferred on me by returning me to the
| highest office within their land, and the
further obligation resting on me to render
them the best services within my power
This l promise, looking forward with the
greatest anxiety to the day when / shall be
| released from responsibilities that at times
are almost verWhelming, and from which
have scarcely had respite since the eventful
| firing upon Fort Sumter in April, 1861 to the
present day. My services were then ten
| dered and accepted under the first call COR
| troops growing out of that event. l did
not ask place Or position, and was entirely
without influence or the acquaintance of
persons of influence, but was resolved to
perform my part in a struggle threatening
the very existence of the nation. l per-
formed a conscious duty without asking
promotion Or command, and without re-
vengeful feeling toward any section or any
individual. Notwithstanding this, through
out the war and from my candidacy for my
present Office in 1868 to the close of the last
! Presidential campaign, l have been the OBJ
Ject of abuse and SANDER scarcely ever
equaled in political history, which to day l
feel that can afford to disregard, in view of
| your verdict which / gratefully accept as
my vindicaton.
Speeches Of Messrs. Colfax, Wilson
and Blaine.
The following are the valedictory re.