The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-05-09


OF the past epoch
! Neither have alluded to tina
period when all principles havin,
been irrevocably determined tn
issues degenerate,l and becam
! petty, narrow and personal, Will
any intent or desire of RECALLING
f those melancholy contentious. o
of ineuipating or exculpating an,
: of the actors and participant,
in those struggles, when the ran
cor of partisanship, the passion
; for place, the greed for ofiicia
gain, vaulting ambition, the ven
geance of ingratitude, envy ant
! hatred, fostering throguh years o.
! real or fancied aggressions, stimu-
lated the combatants in the Arena
and intensified the horrors of thu
fray.
My allusion has far different
purpose, which l trust will justify
itself in the estimation of the
thoughtful, and commend itself 10
the consideration OF all those who
love the State and have faith in
| its destiny.
The great masses of the people
arc now tremendously and. active.
| ~ united upon all questions vital
to the prosperity of Kansas. From
the assurances l have personally
received, from the tone of the
press, from the votes of confidence
passed by the Legislature, l feel
that l am not mistaken in saying
that l represent the people of Kan
sas in their entirety; that Demo
Gratis and Republicans, men of all
shades of opinion upon previous
issues, are united in their efforts
and aspirations fer the regenera-
tion of the State. This crisis has
been fastened by growing con
viction among the people that
their honor has been stained, their
prosperity retarded, and their lib
critics endangered by the abuses
| which had grown too bold from
success to feel the need of con-
cealment. When political vices
sre arraigned for indecent expos
ure of the person, the verdict will
Danish the culprit from the socie-
ty of all decent men.
Those who would mould and di-
rect public opinion have now
golden opportunity to redeem the
errors of the past. The present is
free from all possible compiled
tions. Honesty is not hereafter to
be improbable. Merit is not to
be an incumbrance, nor supervi-
ency to empty braggarts and char
latans the only avenue to prefer
ment ana distinction.
l should be unfaithful to the sem
timents to which l believe l owe
my present position, were | TO fail
upon every proper occasion to rec
OgniZe the great principles which
lie at the foundation of all sure,
genuine success, either as indiEid-
uals or States.
My experience in Washington
has been brief, but it has been suf-
ficienlly protracted to convince me
that the Senator or Representative
is strong only when he has united,
resolute, and enthusiastic constitu-
ency behind him; upholding his
hands, and strengthening him with
the consciousness of their unwaver-
ing support.
And here lies the economical value
of the suggestions l have offered,
and of the illusions / have made to
the errors of the past. Great as has
been the material progress of Kan
sas, yet it has suffered incalcuble in
jury from the divisions. the dissen-
sions, the Irregularities to which ]
have referred; suffered in its indus
trial and CONNER cial interests; snf-
fered at home and abroad its cred
it has been affected; immigration
has sought other localities capital,
always sensitive, has been repealed;
rival communities have taken adj
vantage of the opportunities offered
to naligu and tarnish our good ;Iame
with injurious epithets; enterprises
of great pith and moment have been
turned away by the operations of
these moral causes which are gen.
orally supposed TO have but little
influence in the affairs of men and
nations.
l see before me, and around me,
the representa- tive men OF the me-
tropolis of Kansas. merchants,
bankers, members of the learned
professions, men whose great wealth
is the least of their many claims to
honor and distinction, men of many
nationalities, men who honestly diff
fer in political opinions, but who
are united upon the common plat
form of r sincere and enthusiastic
desire for the honor, the prosperity
and the moral elevation of the State
of Kansas.
Many of you believe that your
community has suffered in the agi-
tations of the past; that yonr inter-
ests have been sacrificed that while
political gladiators have fenced and
wrestled, they have neglected the
trusts imposed upon them by your
people, and allowed advantages TO
be lost which were justly your own.
Many of these are only ia allegiance,
and eau be rcgained, and the future
is so rich in possibilities that the
part of wisdom is TO press forward
with vigor III the race for pre-emi-
nence and success, and let the dead
bury its dead.
Fellow citizens of Leavenworth,
l avail myself of this opportunity of
repeating the assurance pablicly,
that l have SO often given privately
to those whom | have met, that
hereafter all your interests shall be
as fai hfully guarded as those of any
other community i'll the State. Il:
shall be my special care that you re-
ceive no detrimeut 50 far as my con-
duct is concerned. l shall insist
upon the strict and specific perform
ance of all obligations 10 which on
are entitled.
| shall favor all enterprises OF a
public and private nature in which
/ you are interested, as earnestly as
those of Fort Scott, Topeka. Law
renee, AtchisoD, or any other local
point, believing that whatever BEN
efits one locality benefits all, and
that we all are children of one COM
mon mother, the State. All this
you have a right TO except; more
| than this you would not ask; less
than this could not do. In your
local politics ] shall never interfere
| gratuitiousl", but when advised oil
the desires of your community OF
any individual! member within my
Jurisdiction. it will always give me
pleasure TO promote and forward
them 10 the extent of my powers.
! In return ] only wish your can.
did aud generous judgment upor
| my official acts; your friendly crit
icism frank aud manly expires
sion of your views of my ofiicia
conduct, upon all occasions, aud The
benefit of a doubt when an act maj
be open to more than one construc
lion.
Ny relations with yonr fellow
citizen, my former colleague, Mr.
Caldwell, were of the most friendl.
and agreeable description, and