The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-11-19


tracts, custom house frauds, the secret
service DIVISION cheers have made
corruption a synonym for government
in the United States No wonder there
is discomfort. But, says some one,
the great cause OF discomfort is that
we are in financial trouble many mills
and factories are stopped, or only run
ming sn hall tune, many laboring men
are OUT OF work, or working only oa
halt time. That 10 very true, and no
one sympath;zes with them more than
| do. But let me ask you if the gov
rnncn is responsible for that condi
ton Of things, IL any party in the
country is responsible for the want Of
employment, for the stoppage of mills,
for the laborer's cry for bread, for his
wife and little ones, what party is it?
Cries The Republican party.' 1t is
not the Democratic party, fer we have
had no power in the land for the last
twenty years. What could such a
man as | do for the laboripy men ?
When | entered the Senate there were
but ten Democrats in it, against sixty
Republicans. But, during all this
tjme,-durlng the four years OF war,
and the nine years Of peace that have
elapsed since the war closed-the Re
publican party has had a triumphat ma
joritv in both branches of the Govern
ment Of the United States. 1t has had
absolute control over the currency and
finances of the ceuntry. 1t has ex
ercised that control. 1t has legislateG
cut of existence all the old banks, and
set up its own institutions in their
pieces. The Republicans have claimed
to be the wisest and best financiers the
world ever saw, and therefore, | say
that if these evils aud sufierings of the
people are to be laid at the feet of any
political party, they must be laid at
the feet Of the Radical leaders Of the
nation. Cheers, But, my friends,
while it no doubt is true that this COZ
dition Of the country has influenced
the vote Of many men directly, yet l
believe its indirect effect has been
greater than its direct effect in this
way. While everything was going on
in apparent prosperity; when the
wheels Of industry were all in motion,
and every man was getting good wages
and everything looked bright and
cheerful, and, although there was a
volcano liable to eruption at any nc
ment, and although an earthquake was
liable to open under their feet, still the
people did not see it. They thought
all was going we'll, and they gave to
the Administration and to our Radical
rulers the credit Of the prosperity of
the country; and in doing that they
overlooked the violation of the
Constitution and Of liberty; the
violation of the habits and feelings
aud instincts Of the people, and the
assumptions Of power and the mis-,
conduct of the Radical party and
the Radical rulers. They shut their
eyes to them. They did not like to see
the Constitution violated. They did
not like to see the civil power over,
turned. They did not like to sec mar
tial law pracliced over eleven States Of
the Union. But they shut their eyes
and said, Time will redress this. The
country is prosperous. We will say
nothing about these things, and redress
them in the future But when the
country ceased to be prosperous I;
when the reality OF suffering and in
%debtedness was brought home to every
mans door, then these men who
closed their eyes to theyiolatien of the
Constitution. and of every right Of the
American people; then these men, who
had closed their eyes to the persecu-
ton Of one third Of the United States,
opened their eyes and gave vent to
their feelings, and the result has been,
my friends, what 1 SO often called a
tidal wave. Why is it a tidal wave?
Let no man think it is an ordinary
earthquake. Let no man think it's eff
tects will soon pass away. No, my
friends, the foundations ofthe splendid
victories achieved this year were laid
last year. The foundation of the vic
tory obtained this year in Ohic was
laid by the thorough victory obtained
in the hour of supreme need last year.
Three cheers for Ohie.'l And the
wave has only acquired strength in
1874. But, my friends, is it net high
tide cheers l--not by a good deal
it is only a rise of about six feet. That,
| think. is about spring tide. In
Washington, in 1876, it will be a Bay
of Fundy high tide of sixty feet
cheers my friends; and then will
this miserable administration. under
which these people have been perse.
euted SO long, l believe and | trust