New-York tribune., 1874-10-22
REPUBLIcAN Mass MEETING ArPATERSON


A. Halsey, candidate for Governor. the Hon. william
Walter PHELPS Representative TO Congress and candidate
for reelection the Hon. Galusha A Grow, ex-SpeaAer
of the House OF Representatives,, the Hon s'e""''
L. Woodford d. b. ConOver OF NeT-fork ana o'ne'''
John W. Griggs elected Chairman and music "'o
furnished by local glee club At the very opehiNk Vi
the meeting it was apparent that the audience was
capable OF the highest enthusiasm. and that tner can
didates were greatly respected. There were ladies
present and unusual order prevailed throughout
The evening, while the closest a''eh'io
was paid and the remarks OF the seVeia'
speakers were frequently Interrupted by applause Inc
speakng for the most part far above the ordinary
utterances OF political mass meetings There was la
less of the abuse OF opponents, and much more I'D
erity of vie expressed than usual and an audiece
edoIn appreciated better the position o. their speAei
The Hon George A. Halsey first introduced anu
made a short address. ID. B. Coaover, acoIored man
from New-York. greeted heartily and made 'noi'
address. The Hon. william Walter Phelps was
then introduced and gave an eXtehued
account Of bis stewardship as Representative IN Oon
eress explaining his vote upon every important q"e'
non In which II had been cast against the mJotI" u
the House Of Representatives,. He spoke Win muo"
earnestness and acceptance for nearly an hour
SPEECH or WILLIAM WALTER PHELPS.
FELLOW CITIZENS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN 10 would
be idle in me deuy that ths reception Tonight from
this large audience of who have honored me Win
oreat trust has most deeply moved and as stand
here feeling these emotions thankiulness and graft
tude 10 you my friends OF Paterson, my thoughts un
ayodaby turn they have turned every time since ha'
I have stood upon this platform, TO the nrst occasion
two years ago on which | entered this building now
h.orc with the reeoections OF many years with tn
memories OF mauy statesmen who have accOmpis sntu
their task and up higher Tor thelr reWarn -
was on the night OF nv nomination, ana the nOnlDa.
tlou as the district knew the state knew, was hot
approved by Paterson. aud entered TINS hai Just az
crowded then It s tonight from roO 10 moor anu
ugH he 10
ana reluctance before this OF upturDed faces was
received IN silence. with frovns Of
or the sferpue-s of Indifference. When urged upon
you then TO give that justice which every Jefseyman
mas right 70 demand and when an Jefseyinen arS
ever ready TO give, almost refused me far play anu
fair hearing and hen pleading IN vain that rlglt OF
IustIce. said :"Fellow-cze ms, am here STRANGER
therefore stranger. give we welcome.
Tonight stand here among friends. and say ooil
these men who before me stand here as friend
Therefore friend give me welcome lreat applause
Feow-citizens, what nave done as your representa-
tive in Congress, how well carried out the trust
reposed on me- il is for ME 10 say. NV record Is
before YOU and | am here tonight not TO make any
defense OF my acts-I make no defense to any man.
acted as thought right, voted a. deemed Tor the
best interests OF every man, woman, and chld'
black or white. who lived IN this district ana want no
vindicates me IN my that here to defend
10 any man. lAppause am here, say, not 10 ex'
cuse or APOLOGIZE but because 1t Is my duty 10 tel you
who have sent me to be your representative what
have done and what have failed TO do -..,...
knowledge of those rules of procedure which wisely
made 10 govern the action OF the House wnch
stand. The first thing that would naturally
interest the new Consressnan was ms position
recognition. not OF my own merlts-Ier was a Inan
without history, aud therefore may speak
OF it-but thanks the dignity OF ths district Whcn
represent Speaker OF the house placed me uon te
Committee of Banking and currency, wHcn az az t M last
session ranked perhaps the most Important OF an
conceived that the first dnty oil your ~
that this dissracefnl schee oi inasdUn d d
not triumph and therefore ncessantly IN season anu
out Of season. labOred TO convince ny .us
there only one course that an american & n
/ \ q
promises OF the Government, OOtI ID me !nberesSs
OF rich and OF the poor claimed hnn ,n. -,c ,ne
and poor but that the greatest suneIins le upon @ '
poor man MY continual cry ~ Vac, Gich sbonId be the
/ currency OF the world. -, ID,
The ne IT thing 10 determine after the continuation OF
the comniitees TO who had Tie rlght 20 repre-
lent the constituents II happened that among 'De
cases excited the greatest attention there c!e w
cressmen the claimed 10 be Republican, the othef
/ Iemocrattc; one claimed 10 been elected
| upon the same ticket with the unfortunate
Kellogg other claimed 70 belong 10 the same iactOn
nforpnnate MeEpery Now the Republican party
examining the evidence. found, as they Thought tna
those Congressmen who bore the name OF Republican
| were legally elected. l looked into the evidence
and seemed 10 clear that those Congressneh wL9
have the name Of Democrat and VINO had sYmpdtniIeu
with McEuery had clearly received majority OF the
votes cast. Applause When the r9call went through
House thought that probably should stand aI9he
| among the members OF my party IN doing what
/ could to advocate that principle Which Is the the
foundation OF all berties-that the people OF these
United states shall send whatever they
|
Of ghters wish to Morrlsseys they have
| rgnt TO do It; but as long as stand there
bearing ny mind the recollection OF my oath 10 be
true Constitution party shall force me 20 vote
that who not elected because he happens to
found there we're other men there who believed as
did, and l thought fellow-citizens, that had voted
And have no reason 10 suppose that the events
lately happening in Louisiana indicate it otherwise
say that stand With my party and will stand with the
| dusf Wh9uM ed fO nig head n rpVO
AGAINST the de rIctO Government there help for
it that the whole Of the United States should
Tine next great measure which came before
ing, ing privilege had no hesitation IN COM COM
ing Ito tue conclusion that while IL might
be nice thing for to send three or four hun ired
volumes that number my constituents OF 5000
| voters, yet l had no night TO tax the whole
OF them for the benefit OF the few. and
the well knOwn-sentlments OF those constituents. He
then reviewed other grounds for tns vote and his
reasons for refusing give away sOOOoO for the Phil
CIy1l Rights bill voted SAID be- against TIE whole
natural Impulse OF my character My natural desire
was 10 vote for It, because had been trained as Re
years under an unjust bondage, aud there was
nothing IN my opinion that would be a
gwen submit that proved myself better friend 10
the eOored man by my adverse vote on the Civil Rights
pin Wnst reason had I not % do II unless 1 was
actnated by an honest princplei No would have
blamed and might easily have swung with the tide.
There was not the least doubt in my mind that
unconstitutional, and IN this Government the
only OF the minority the only place where
their reserved rights be kept from infringement
the hands of the majority. lie found in that instru
which the law OF the land. To pass this
bill would have destroyed the public school system Of
the South and DELAYED for many years the education
which the blacks need.
The Hon. Galusha A. Grow OF Texas, ex-speaker Of
the House OF Representatives, made stirring speech.
recalling OF the past only 10 declare them set
tied Although IL after 10 o'clock few OF the
large audience had left ana the Hon stewart
/. WOodford greeted with applause. MI WoodIord