The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-08-05
SENATOR THURMAN.
THE OHIO FINANCIAL PLANK.
Extract from His Speech at Mans
field, O., Yesterday Afternoon.

REPUBLICAN PAR~Y-THEIR FINANCIAL
REcoRD-PLAIFoRM MAKING-INcoNsIsT-
ENCY OF POLITICIANS
MANSFIELD, o., July Ex-senator Thur
man began his speech at ten minutes past
O'Clock. reading from the manuscript. he
was introduced by the president, Colonel b.
Burns, in a ten minute speech, the noticea
bic thing OF which was very fsttering al
Iusion TO ex Governor Hayes and very little
mention OF Governor Allen. The meeting
was small only about eight hundred finding
the stand in tie park. There were more
from a distance than from the surrounding
country. The weather was pleasant.
THE SPEECH.
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW cITizENs:-We
are at the commencement of political cam
paign of more than usual importance. Two
years ago the democracy carried Ohio by a small
majority. Thst victory preserved the orglniza-
ton OF the party and made other democratic
victories possible. 1t was the forerunner of the
more extended triumphs that have since been
achieved Last year tidal wave. as ithas been
called, passed over the republic. More than
twenty states, from the most powerful TO the
smallest OF our common WealthS, recorded their
condemnation of the party in power. New
York; whose wealth and population have con,
gave an opposition majority OF over fifty thou
sand. Georgia, called the Empire State
Of the south: did better yet, giving q
sylvania, for the first time in many
years, vindicated her ancient renown as the
ceased pe be Doubtful state. and rolled np
democratic majority OF 1900. And our own
Ohio spoke with no uncertain voice. our major
ity on the state ticket being IL, 90, and on the
congressional tickets nearly 1850. These may
serve as illustrations OF the emphasis with
which the people, nine months ago, set the seal
OF their condemn alton upon radical misrule.
But no illustration would be complete that
omitted the most significant and unlocked for
result of all. Massachusetts, old Massachusetts,
as firmly welded TO toe republican party, as
the esTtR in Which it isim bedded@cast OF for
time at least, her radical shackles, and placed
sterling, uniinching democrat at the
elections fiSd the radical leaders with dismay
but no party ever yet yo!unta lily surrendered
power, and 1t was therefore, In the natural order
or events that these leaders should earnestly
strive to recover the ground they had lost.
Hence, from the first day of the late session OF
congress to the last, they seemed TO have but one
object in view-to gather together thsir scattered
hosts and consolidate them, as in former years,
in a resistless phalanX. Upon almost every
question OF public Importance, party interest
was preferred to the interest of the people. The
most important measures were matured in the
OF members
sTIFLED BY PARTY DECREE.
When measure thus concocted by party, and
IN the interest of party, was brought from the
caucus into the Senate or the House, we more
than once saw it's supporters refrain from discus
sion lest their Earring views might disturb their
harmony, and vote down ell amendments, how
In a " nd, during that whole session the ques-
ton with the majority seemed to be, not What
is necessary to save the republi-
can party?T Was constitutional government
overthrow in Louisiana by federal bayoneis,
the radical leaders sought to avert attention
from the outrage by in1ammatory harangues
against the South. Did the advocates of a sound
currency petition CongrT IS to take some step
looking 10 restorat on of specie Payments, and,
on the other hand, did the inflationists cry
abound with stentorian voice for more paper
money, the radical leaders, hearing both and
fearing botn, avoided all public discussion, and
burying themselves in the secret precincts of the
caucus, there contIived party bed to hold Ia
its, ample embraces Sherman, MorI1Q and Conk-
ling, with their hard money platform, and Nor
ton, logan and Ferry with their imitation bel
loon. And when at length that piece of caucus
furniture was brought out into open day, we
behold the strange phenomenon OF Dill en-
Titled, "a bill to provide for the resumption of
specie payments" that contained not single
effective provision for that purpose Dill decar-
ing that resumption shall take place on the first
day ofJanuary, 1879, without providing, in any
Wise m "a, tcr one t So wonder
that the radical leaders declined to discuss that
bill. No wonder that the chairman OF the conf
No wonder that he left its am bguous PROVISIONS
without Interpretation, when to publicly in
terpret them one way would have driven on The
resump tionists from its support, and TO inter
Whole swarm of infiationists about his ears
measure, not as thing III which any one be-
evsd but simply as iaa or
TO hold the opposing wings OF the
radical party together, an adjournment OF the
currency question, far as the radicals are con-
cerned until after the next presidential election.
And now the very men who made that COM
promise, the very men who agreed to keep their
opinions in obeyance for two years to come, the
very authors and perpetrators OF that
SHAM In FINANCE
and trick in politics will, have no doubt be
heard saying to the hard money democrats of
Ohio, allow can you support the Democratic
| ticket nominated by convention that adopted
a soft money PLATFORM" allow can you prefer
party to principle, and desert one of the Oldest
and most time honored canons of your political
| greedy" "How can you abandon the faith OF
1 jefferson, Jackson and Benton. and become fol-
lowers 81 Wendell Philips %ee Po B %aS
| in times past TO speak of these men with uncom-
mon respect. If we remember correctly you
peoples spoons, and Kelley e maniac on the
subject OF pig-iron. Pray tell US u,
miracle has ,r,ni been performed formed
cism, spoons and pig-iron have become the
financial prophets and leaders OF the ohio de.
Richiand, that have no doubt that these ques,
lions will be put to Us, these sarcasms uttered
| winter enacted the financial sham of which
have spoken. And, therefore, and because such
questions have already been asked by Others
but, above all, from a sense of duty that owe
, to myself and to the democrats who think as
do on the currency issue, / propose TO Dotic'
these taunts OF our adversaries, and give reason
, that, in my judgment, are amply sufhcient for
our Justification, nay, that make It our impera
, tive duty 10 support our ticket, however mucl
) we dislike some pianks In the plat
81 form, and the omission OF other
! that we think should have been in II
You my fellow democrats of Rich and are wha
are called hard-money men, ana am hard
money man-that is to say, we do not believe IL
q an irredeemable paper currency we Delley
that such currency must necessarily nuctuat
? : In value lead to speculation and extravagsnce
and benefit no one but money snaVers ana spec
ulators. We believe that our currency shoul
consist of gold and silver, and, for convenience
paper convertible at par into gold and silver a
I ths will of the holder. In this we concur wit
j. the uniform
4 TEACHINGS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
. with the opinion of every really eminent polit
cal economist the world over, with the lesson
OF experience found in the history OF every CON
/ Ion, md xuff