, 1874-10-12
GEN. HURLDUT OPENS

! Mh. CuAInMAa AND FELLow-ClTIzESs or TIL
COUNTY or McHESnT: This discussion, as 70,
afe aware, is arranged IN ordor that you ma,
AaTo q fair opportunity OF listening to tho ron
rcsehtctlFos OF tho Respective rnrties now con,
testing th!o dlHsrlcs. 1appcar hero az tho non,
nee. III the regular and uauat form, Of tho Ro
publican rarty Of tlua {tho Foursh) Congressou.
81 district. Mr antagonist appears hero AZ the
nominee OF party calling itself tho party oi
Independent Reform. It is not necessary, oithe,
ior tho purposes Of this discussion q,
tor tho information Of anybody horc,
that I should more than glance. ye1y
briefly, at tho history Of tho Republican party,
OF Which am proil to ho the Representative
and fcebio champion on this occasion, 1t IL not
nccc1aary, because all thu public reputation, all
the public position, that my antagonist ever ac-
1'llrod or ever held has heen IN tho aoryico of
that same Republican rar!y, and to speak Of it
anu lts lstory is 10 speak in largo dcgroo Of him
md Lis history. And 1 riah it distinct!y un-
derbtood here. now. amongst tllis poopio, that I
am not horo 10 detract iu auY way from any
merits, civil or military. tint over may havo tocn
Justly acquired by my opponent. 1t would
90 nnmanly and ungentlomnnly. not cor
roeponding with tho spirit and tho
VIII OF sbe people whose representative mn. I
deal not mith tho private life or tho private
enaracsor of mon. deal wiih larger and
broader, and nobler. class Of questions. Tie pub-
NC hie, no public character, tho public actR, Vt
neh afo Puolio property. and aB 1 shall lave
occasion probably to comment upon tho publo
acts aud Tho public record OF the gentleman wl,o
nos peen my predecessor. ind rocks to be my
Huecossot, it will bo always Ia rofeIoncu to hla
public acEs. mud those alone.
THE uIaTonr OF THE REPUBLICAN, PARTY.
lilo hlstory Of tile Republican party III the hig-
tory Of tile country. Every good thing that has
ncon dono s!ncs The year 1861 hus boon tlono ,1n-
'!or lhe leadership, and under tllo responsibility
Of, that party,-not thnt it hns uoen alouo. not
that in cafryiug on the war; nos that, in IT.
tempting to pay the national debt; not that. in
uconrinR beyond MI Question the faith and credit
Of tho nalion, that there have not noen good
men men o1 other parties who have roried together
WIN II IN WI thoso natterg; but tle respoeibil-
ny and control OF tho Government l,avo boon
cast upon that party eyor snco it first broke lnto
successful power. III 1861. And for the goot, thoy
haTe Ia; e dono they should rccovo credit for tho
EVIL laey lave dono they should have b!Rpe
THE nEDELLIoN.
1ho southern States, not waiting for any lcgtt-
innate constitutional action, broke lopBo, not IN
anutnof Govornment, instituted war, r,-cou1-
iaoneca rebellion. Thou waa cant npon thu lle-
publican party, Anviug control q, tho doyorn.
1nens,, tho duty Of aupprassing Tint 1cs,ollion.-
ofmalutnlnlng thu national lifot-antl tho country
auawered to lts call aB uo country eyar anaworn1
o.'ore Men abandoned tho poacefn pllrkuita
OF lile and took up lhs unacotsutoucd p,irauit OF
nrma, Iho country poured out its blood and ilH
ttosf''lre,--1ts sacro1 lives, it's vast rosourcen
were all committed to tl,at ono greet nr;nnInIr
aud in tho eud was successful, s>'
RECONSTRUCTION.
No~. when the mar cloHctl soro wns another
dutF ceat upon the party In power, aud 1t was to
rcprgan|zo to restore, to ro.aRtablul, society and
tue forms Ut Eovoen1nclt in thcse reyoltin.
statoa, whose governments had i,aon shattered
to rtccoh BY foTpa Ut slmA. That luty has bncn
performed. ! think, and have always thought.
that Tho RECOMMENDATION waH lastoned too rupidlY'
did mt lotiore that thoIo pooplo lad r5ouod |
's9o condition of mind nl,c:. it ,ras uafe to |
trust 'hcm Mlt! polltseal power. hut utllor
nreyailod., and they woro r.
5'oi.di and think tia. tie cyonts wllip', |
snpaetaily in teaa l4t:r slays, have oonYiuced III
'hnnGhtfnl ms. that No did not give tins enough
Fox tbs forensas, and bittsynspq, 4ud ll.condIion