Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1874-09-16

ITr PAST ACHIEVEMENTS, AND THE WORK BEFORE
IT SPEECH OF SECRETARY RoBEsoN AT NEW
BRUNSWICK, N. j.
Hon. George NJ. lsobeson, Secretary OF the
Navy, was one Of the speakers at a large Repub-
lican ratification meeting in New Brunswick, N.
j.. on Thursday evening last. After few. pre-
liminary remarks, he spoke as follows
The whole country and all Of You are in an
uncertain state. And why? Because there has
been, after the great victory Of our principles in
", an idea that we had established thcm-that
we had written them in clear light on the tablets
of eternal history. We relaxed our efforts.
Bnt we are now awakened. The country has be-
gun to criticise parties rather than discuss prin-
eipes. We feel it ill the air we read it i'll the
newspapers we see it in the lightning flashes
across the continent. But whatever we
may think Of our principles, our be-
lief that established freedom and poured
ont blood like water over a thousand battle
fields before it aecomplishes its end, whatever
may be our ideas, there are men-not only nd-
viduals but organized paIties-who don't think
30, and who don't mean that We shall reap the
fruits OF our great victory. If that be true it is
matter of the greatest Importance that we
should turn again to our old landmarks to look
the issues square in the face that we should
understand that we do not mean to lay down our
arms that we do not mean to cease from our
endeavors or rest from our labors, until the
great principles Of light and liberty are under
stood by all, and practiced by every man. lap.
plause.l We mean, if it cost u generation. to see
it, We owe it to our fathers memory and chill
drens heritage that we see to.t that the great
principles which underlie the Constitution OF
our country will be established forever, not only
for ourselves, but for those after ~ no, unly
for our cline, but for the world at large. If We
yield to the reaction we arc traitors to the lngl
aim which God has given to this country ant
nation.
Here we arc forty three millions of free ant
liFMpendent men, living upon the idea that ever,
man has the right to struggle, to accomplish, t,
enjoy for himself. That is the keynote Of al
progress in this country and in the world. Til
system of our Government is founded 1pun tin
rights of labor-the right of every man, no mat
ter what his condition or employment T.
have an interest in tho Government wIncl
he upholds. This is Government by tn
people for the people. We have Il continent
Our fathers courage gave lis freedom as Il herr
taBe. Here is the.cradle of mans development
Here man is not trammeled by the customs OF tn
old world here where no castle looks down III
on free village /; here were every man stand
on his own feet and works with lis own hand,
Here VIC are to work out the problem wlletht
popular government shall live or de III til
world. The hopes not only of our own peopl
Int the hopes of the oppressed of every lane
not only OF those who come to us, bat the hope
Of those they have left behind their friend
families, and $lildren-whateyer destiny is le
lof telr iuture is rapt Iii the destiny oil ouligre;
Republic Such duty, such DESTINY +,
'lulres all the manhood that is in free neop
The question Is whether or not we shall be tiu,
If there are underlying principles of our 90,
elnment if we are rightly to struggle and RICH
" TO assume our responsibilities it is nccessai
that we should understand them. It is alya,
happy omen when free people gets tosothi
quietly to consider the great principles in whit
EAre 80 deeply interested, and to bring the
own intelligence to bear to decide them and
mr. tt-lA unra fTtp Al
Now, then, the slowest intellect will pereoi,
That IN popular Government, great parties ~
necessary. They are great voluntary organic
Llons by means OF which the will of the peop
IL shaped into defined form and put into eiTe
ny men who represent them. If you have arl
trary Imperialism, there is no need of partie
for all that such parties can accomplish Is to o.
crate on the will of the Government or Empe
81. But in Government like ours, represen
alive of the principles of humanity, all antag
nistic parties are struggling for the dereat of !
tai HElpcpes. mere local organization If
thanmlxt and temporary interest. Such 4 par
will flourish for time, but will soon van
from the stage aud leave the contest to the o
parties.
There are only two issues. The one wheth
the people shall rule and the other, wheth
they shall be ruled-whetler the people sh
lAye the right to work out their own dsstif
Or be governed by privileged class larger
smaller.
When our fathers came together, after III
eessfua revolution to organize this Cover
ment-when they came together to declare d
principles of the Constitution of the Unit
states, in 1887, under the guidance of the il
mortal George Washington, they also proceed
this Constitution by concise declaration of tho
great principles Which it established and was
maintain. These great principles were rew