Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-08-07
REPUBLICAN COUNTY
CONVENTION.
FULL DELEGATIONS
PRESENT.
Speech of Hon. Lorenzo
DanfiOrd.

The Delegates to the Republican
County Convention, called for the pun
pose of nominating county officers, as
isemblcd at Wright's Hall, Belmont
on Tuesday, the 5th inst. Delegation
from all the townships of tho count,
were present, and in addition theret
many prominent citizens not delegates
representing in a large degree tn
wealth and intelligence of the Count,
ORGANIZATION,
At eleven o'clock, when Alexis Cope
Chairman of the Executive Committe
called the delegates to order, ther
were several hundred people in the hall
he named as the presiding officer of thu
Convention Hon. Lorenzo Danford,-
Mr.. Danford upon taking the chair ad
dressed the Convention as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Contention:
l thank you for the honor you have
conferred upon me in calling upon me
to preside over the deliberations of thi:
body.
When twelve months ago our ancient
opponent, the Democratic party ,surren'
dered its principles, and entered into q
scramble for power in the Government
upon a platform prepared for them by
the Liberal Republicans, and under
the leadership of men who were not OF
their political households; sagacious
men of both the Republican and Dem.
ocratic parties predicted that defeat in
the elections, would forever destroy
the power and prestige of that party
they were signally defeated in almost
every State of the Union, and now
comes from their leaders in Ohio the
candid confession that the result pre-
dicted has followed that defeat. The
Hon. VIM. S. Groesbeck, who has been
spoken of in times gone by as a prob
able candidate of that party for the
and more recently as their
for Governor of Ohio, in a
letter of the 5th May last, says:
81 believe the historical Democratic
is spoiled by laundering
within the last ten years,
and shattered by many defeats, it sur.
rendered finally at the last Presidential
/ cannot recall that surrender
or the confessions then made, and it
has no longer strength enough for
And the Hon. Thomas Ewing, also
spoken of as candidate for Governor
Of this State upon the Democratic tick
It, in a speech made last week before
he so-calIed "People's Convention" at
in speaking of the history
If this party in the past, said
"It seems to me proved by these
events that upon the larger theaters of
tctiOn the Democratic party is power
ess by itself, and ineffective as an ally,
inc is therefore no longer an instru-
nent of reform in American politics;
his fact is strongly illustrated by the
lefarious coalition of majority of the
Democratic Congressman with Grant
md Butler in the shameless salary
,rab."
These gentlemen, are the candid ex-
,ressions of the two leading Democrats
# Ohio as to the present condition of
heir party. On the other hand the
party is strong in its prin-
iples; and strong in its past glorious
history; there has been no surrender of
principles, there has been no blunder-
ngs in the past its; measures and policy |
riumphantly vindicated by the people
n the elections of last year, we stand
y our record as party. But gentle
aen, We are not to be met in the COM
ng canvass in this State by discussion
( principles, the changes are TO be
ung upon "Credit Mobilier" and
Salary Grab" and the people asked
o forget everything but the investiga-
ions and legislation of last winter up
n these subjects. If I should come to
ou and ask your support of the Re-
ublican party and be compelled to
Omit that we had been "blundering
onstantly" in the last ten years, that
nder republican management recon-
truction was failure, that our public
ebt was increasing instead of dimin-
;hing, that the tax gather was in every
Ouse in the land, that the grass was
rowing in the streets of our towns
nd cities, that our currency was a
ham and fraud, that mismanagementI,
larked every department of the Gov
but still insist upon your sup
ort of republican measures and can
idates because there was in the Con-
ress of the United States ten men ,
'ho had been elected to Office by Re-
ublican votes who were honest men,
be always trusted as honest men.-li
our answer would be, your policy is q
.ilure and your honest men have been
blundering in their meas
res, the country is going to the bad
nd we must have a change, your ten
onest men cannot save the party. And
hy sir, in all truth and honesty when 4
Du come complaining that few men
no have been elected to Office by Re-
lblicans, by the investigations Of last
inter are shown to have been con- {
ected with "Credit Mobilier;" can 9
e not answer, as the party could not !,
, saved in its blundering by ten honest
ZEN, we do not intend that it shall be
by twice ten dishonest men !
there be that number in the party. !.
Te answer, under Republican man.
yement reconstruction is success {
ou so admitted twelve months ago.
nder Republican management the
,bt is being reduced rapidly, and the Z
X gatherer is almost unknown in the
nd, our country is prosperous, and .
lr towns and cities filed with manu-
curing establishments and with in
lstrious men; our currency equal to
lr needs, the party has fully g
lualed the expectations of the people
its management of public affairs and
cannot be defeated because Credit
-obilier has soiled the hands of some
embers of the party. My word for
any man who may been guilty of j
,rrupt dealing in such stocks whilst /
ember of Congress will have a rough
me in Republican Conventions or be-
re Republican constituency You I
Ike care, of your side of the House in t
lis matter, my Democratic neighbors, /
nd we will look after our side. !.
And as to "salary grab" Mr.. Ewing ..
lndidly says a majority of Democratic
voted for the grab; the ll
corded votes show that a majority of ]
epublican Congressman voted against ,
le grab. Isuppose it is well under
God by this time that the ''salary
rab" as it is termed, is denounced by !