The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-10-30
QUALIFICATION
A Big Time at COIumbus-SPeech of
Senator Thurman General Gary,
Hon. S. F. Hunt and Hon. George
L. Converse Shakes Hands all
Around.

racy OF Franklin county. and particularly
those of the city of Columbus, had 6
grand ~jollifcation tonight in Gapito
Square. The evenings entertainment was
ushered in with a fine display of fire,
works, and the booming of cannon, the
illumination of many buildings, and q
general ~outpouring of citizens. There wa:
no procession, the terrible condition of the
streets preeluding such a display. The
crowd IN Capitol Square numbered from
three TO five thousand, and was as enthu
siastic as could well be gotten together.
Among the speakers were Senator Thur
man, General S F. Cary, Hon. Samuel F
Hunt, Colonel R. E. Constable, and sever.
al other equally well known Democratic
orators,
The speaking took place at the west
front of the State House. At eight
o'clock Senator Thompson called The
meeting to order, saying that Hon. S. R
Rickly, the Chairman Of the Committee
Of Arrangements, would preside.
Hon. a. Z WailIng, Chairman OF the
State Central Committee, was present at
the meeting, and with John G. Thompson.
Chairman of the Executive Committee
occupied seats On the stand. On organI-
cation, Senator Thurman was the first
speaker introduced. He spoke as follows:
A THURMAE's PEE
My FRIENDS AND NEIeHBoRs. Demo
cratic victories have been so scarce of late
that 1t might be supposed that a Demo
cratic speaker, for Of practice. must
find it difficult 10 make q Notification
speech. But you do not seem to nave
lost the capacity to shout, and possibly
have not forgotten how to make a con-
gratulatory address But to tell the
truth, / do feel somewhat embarrassed
from quite another cause. II so happens
that have a written speech that L am to
deliver to morrow night at Cleveland
Now it would be very handy could l try
that speech on you Just to see how il
will work, and to save puZzling my brains
for other matter. But, alas, here are a set
OF reporters around me 10 take down
whatever | may say, ana were | TO delIv-
er my little written speech tonight they
would have IL in the papers before l open
my mouth IN Cleveland; and then l would
be IN a pretty fix, wouldn't l.? So in view
of this difficulty l must give you a brief
rambling address, and trust to your friend
ship, that has never deserted me, 10 over
look all shortcomings.
L fancy that you nave all been looking
INTO Democratic newspapers for the last
ten days, and seeing a multitude of roost-
ers, you have been led TO conclude thai a
Democratic victory has been achieved
somewhere, and you have met to Joility
over 1t, n the more heartily because you
have found that it was in our own State.
You are determined to crow, laughter
not ~insultingly, not maliciously, but loud
ly and clearly, and with infinite good ma
ture. You are in good humOr with man
kind in general, and the Democratic party
in particular. Even Nature herself seems
more lovely in your eyes than she did be-
fore the l4th of October. The sun is
more glorious, the stars more brilliant and
the varied hues of Autumn more Pictur-
esque than they were before your great
victory. For contentment and Joy lend
additional charms to everything that is
calculated to please, And here, let me
tell you in strict confidence a little thing
about myself. A Cincinnati artist has
drawn and sent to nae a picture in which
la staid, sober citizen-am represented
as a rooster growing with all his might as
the sun of Democracy rises above the
horizon. But the worst of it is that
am portrayed as a very old rooster with
more abdomen than 1 am willing to sc-
knowledge, and slenderer legs than l am
Wiling 10 admit. Laughter. But be
| gives ne a grand pair of spurs, and 1 will
not find fault with a Jeu 6espTu that is
exceedingly funny and clever. tGreat
laughterl.
And as to my years 1 am half disposed
TO confess them since old age is once more
respected and honered in the world, With
seyenty-three years upon his head Won
MoItkeis the first General in Europe; at
the age of seventy-six Theirs is the first
statesman Of France; at nearly slxty-fYe
Gladstone is Prime Minister of England.
at FIVE and seventy years Dix is Governor
of New York, and now at almost SIXTY
seven our own Allen IS Governor elect OF
Ohio. And this leads me TO observe how
much we owe to the old veterans, the Old
Guard in our late successful contest
What a grand sight 1t was to see them
coming forth as # new life had been
breathed into them, and battling for the
cause with the vigor and zeal of the days
of yoreI [ApplauseL And it requires
no great stretch of fancy to imagine one
of these patriarchs, with the sound Of
VICTORY ringing in his ears, saying: Nov,
Lord, let tAy servant depart IN peace"
| But we must not forget the mlddle-aged
and the young, for thoy too did their duty.
Indeed, 1 have not seen for years 80 large
l - pAOBO4bACA Vi lO0h6 MOA oS Jul AlCCb
ings as | saw this year; and when l saw that
felt that the rising generation, whatev-
er may have been thought to the contrary,
will not desert the faith OF their fathers.
But now let US turn for a moment tc
the future. In January next the Govern.
pept of this State will pass into ouI
hands. At It's bead viii be q man whose
integrity has never been questioned, snd
never will be with even a semblance Of
canse. A man Of the people, he has raised
himself by the capacity God gave him.
and q life of industry and virtue, from the
humble position of his boyhood to eompe-
teney, influence and honor. Of good ole
Revolutionary stock, he has done credit tc
his ancestors who bsttled and suffered fol
American independence. In every station
he has filled, he has proved himself an gn'
hinchIng foe of privilege and corruption
and a firm and unyleldlng friend OF the
people. With him in the Executive chain
You may rest assured that nothing that is
mean, nothing that is base, nothing that
is dishonest, will find liberation and mlch
less favor. In the late canvass never
once spoke Of his merits simply because
am his relative. But now that the people
have rendered their verdict, now that they
have placed upon him the seal of theil
appreciation, L feel at liberty to pay thii
tribute TO one whom l have known from
my infancy and who is far more endeareC
TO mo by bis character and friendship
than by the ties OF blood. [Applausel 8.
But The great power in the State is'thl
General Assembly, and to it the friends o
Reform will look with anxious eyes, /
believe that theyJWill not be disappointed
So far as l know them, or have heard
their regulations from others, the Democ
racy have elected good and trustworthy
men. There Will be muen ability andni
little experience in each of the branches
and, without pFespming to foretell wha
will be done, l think that may safell
say that taxations will be reduced, eGono
my be praeticed and fraud, ii 1t exist, b
brought to light and punished.
My friends, l shall not speak to-nigh
Of what our victory implies. 1 shall
briefly discuss that subject to-morroy
night, and any of you who feel an ipteres
in my opinion can see in the papers wha
/ think. That we have achieved a grea
victory, all must admit, To elect a Dem
o~cratio Governor in Ohio for the first tim
in twenty years is a most signiican
event. To elect a Democratic Legislature