The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-02-13
Hon. S. s. Cox Makes a Republican
Speech.


our readers. He is inller of fun and
philosophy than an egg is of meat. 1t is
impossible to put him in position, even
apparently the most incongruous and en-
barrassing, that he will not 60 out from,
under cover of his dazzling rhetoric and
sparkling wit, as the man imprisoned in
the moon slid back to the earth on a rain
bow.
The New York Republican Association,
located at Washington, recently gave
reception, which was largely attended by
the famous men and beautiful women of
the capital. 1t would be thought the last
occasion on which a pronounced and vet
eran Democrat like Cox would be made
conspicuous. But he accepted an invita-
ton, and being called to his feet, made
the speech of the occasion, He said
Gentlemen, was once introduced to an
audience as an eminent divine who bore
my name. | told the audience that | did
not know what had done to be taken for
so good person. 1t was accounted for
by a little mistake of the introducer. l
am still more at a loss to know why, for
two years in succession, your ''Repubi
can" association should have honored so
chronic and pronounced Democrat. If
| had not since youth been so consistent
in my politics. might fear some design
to capture and hold me in thrall to the
Administration. Laughter.
But on this occasion, at least, our poll
tics are forgotten. In fact, in the last
election, your friends at home elected an
old Democrat, General Dix; and my own
distinguished competitor, who halls from
the Catskills of Greene, was indebted for
his nomination to the fact that he was a
Democrat. So that, after all. when | come
to remember, we Democrats succeeded
better than we expected Laughter.
For this success, if it be not too late, | re-
turn you, on behalf of the old Democracy.
our thanks We feel it! Laughter
We are proud of it The party you con-
tributed by ranking documents andtravel-
ing home in November to vote deserves
our sincerest admiration. Cheers and
laughter. The risk you thus run in losing
your places was perilous and patriotic I!
Laughter. For this we thank you. In
the name OF civil service and its champion
the President feel almost as emotion
ally gushing as Twain at the "grave OF
Adam" | ara ready to lean against one
of the pillars of our Government and
burst INTO tears of gratitude Laughter |
! read in a newspaper Of this city that
there were two objects Of your associa-
tion-fiist, to cultivate friendly and festive
relations; and secondly. to assist the
4 I>1,4 +l1a
ranking privilege. | am only too ready
to believe the first. 1 am cheer
full recipient of the delights of your
society. And when I read in the Phla-
| delphia platform that the noble Republi-
can party were and are opposed to the
franking privilege, Laughter I knew
that you did not mean to use it during the
summer except to relieve and accommo-
date illiterate Congressman who were I'M
able to write their names, or, perhaps, to
| show by your excuses how the privilege
may be abused, and, therefore, why it
ought to be abolished! Laughter This
| is noble and patriotic. For this we thank
you!
Judging by the large vote which I re-
| ceived-in excess Of those who ran with
mel am not certain but SOME OF you
voted for me- You need not speak out
do not want you to lose you snug places
| Laughter. Mr.. Boutwell, might not like
| it, however mnch he might like to vote for
! me on account OF my love tor the svndi-
cate. Mr.. Cresswel might have voted
for me himself, but he would not like tc
| know that his clerks had done it, Gen.
Grant, had he been sutfragan in New
York, and if he could have reconciled his
custom-house and other friends to the
| idea, would doubtless have give me a
quiet and confidential, if not cordial, help
| [Cheers and laughter. | hope you will
not be disposed to blot the party on this
account I trust You will not read him
out of it,
| But, Republican gentlemen and ladies
| am most honored by you tor the second
time in being called into your social ring
1t is ring which has some political, but
no partisan or malignant significance.
am sure that the member from New York
whatever may be his political PROPOSES
sions-ought to feel happy in being thus
enriched. Cheers. 1t is the magic ring
on which the genius Of goodwill delight:
to wait
am especially happy because it in
cludes within its pleasant clasp those o
the other sex. am not prejudiced agains
them 1t might be remarked that no mar
who ever had a mother ever was, or should
be; but | go outside of these natural feel
ings. AS between boys and girls, ire
spcctive OF relations, | always preferred
girls Laughter. Boys are bad, mis-
chievous. | never liked boys; but thu
prejudice does not extend to girls Laugh
ter. Indeed. for several of nv frs
years, my mother dressed me in Ions
clothes. (Laughter.
BY your programme | see that I am set
down tor an address. Let our splendiC
State be the brief theme. | would like tt
disenchant you OF politics, but I fear il
will be vain. In your opinion the great
est thing to be remembered in New Yorl
from its earliest day IS not, perhaps, hel
physical grandeur, her Arcadian beauty
her milk and honeyed intervals, her mill
trains and Erie canal boats, laughter.
her sounding shores and her mountains o
Dutch myths and blue mists, not he
Rochester fall from which Patch leaped
not her greatest statesman. William l.
Marcy, about which another "patch'' i
yet rememered Claughter,] not her Nj
agara, but fall still greater; aye, great
er than the fall of Adam-her last fall, o.
rather the Democratic fall of last fall
| fCheers and laughter.
fear that you are too proud of th
achievement But remember that pride
has its fall, also, larger than Niagara
Laughter. Even over Niagara there
are rainbows of promise! You will moi
deny that you are proud of your part il
this political cataract. If am not mis-
taken in the phraseology, I have some
where read that the minions-minions, be
loved brothers-of the Administration
contributed to this more than Niagara's
fail Then. if you and and all of us die
not fall down, one of us did. Laughter
1t was for a small man-a fall sat large )
and the leap of Sam Spatch was not ;
patching to the leap of another man of E
similar Christian name, and of similar
vaulting ambition Laughter.
Gentlemen, | would like again to recall
your minds from politics. Consider other
more interesting subjects which honor oul
State-Hell Gate for example. Laugh
ter. ran from it, and perhaps through
it. From it to the lakes is large district
| 1t is an honor to be defeated at LARGE ir