Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-06-10


it is well known that at the last session of this
Democratic Legislature they attempted to de
prive one of the chief cities of your State the
right to control their local affairs, and that,
too, in the interest of ring of spectators.
lCheers.] And in the interest of Ohio and
her public servants and for the purpose of ell
evating the political morals of the State these
gentlemen went about trading votes for, be-
lieve, 800 head upon a local question.
Laughter and cheers. 1t is said, and, in
fact, believe it is well known, that the lead
ers OF the Democratic party were anxious that
this Legislature should adjourn early, and did
adjourn them early in March. They went
home with their work half done, bills in their
pockets, unfinished legislation, but not until
they had passed bill by which they provided
that when they were so unfortunate as to get
into the penitentiary they will have the right
to choose their own spiritual advisers. Laugh
ter and cheers, renewed several times.
This Democratic party in calling their State
Convention, assumed to be the advance guard
Of the Democratic party of the country. /
want to read just word or two. stNeyer in
the history of the Democracy has there been
an occasion of more importance than will be
the coming Convention. By fidelity to princi-
pie and unselfish devotion to our organization,
the Democracy of Ohio have earned for them
selves the honorable position of advance
guard. We are no longer engaged in an ordi-
nary State contest; the destinies of the people
have been confided to the Democratic party
of Ohio"
And, in view of the Democratic Legislature
of the State, believe it would be pious here
to say, and may the Lord have mercy upon
the people. Laughter We must accept,
gentlemen, in this issue, to great extent, the
fact that it is not mere State campaign. As
Ohio goes this fall she possibly may go next
year. We are organizing for 1875, and we
must beat that advance guard. Applause. ]
1t is a duty devolving upon the people of
Ohio to beat the advance guard of the lost cause.
l am not here to-day for the purpose of stir
ring up any bitterness toward the people of
the South. 1t was meet and proper that the
American people should stand with uncovered
heads at the grave of Breckenridge, that we
should forget, as far as possible, the animosi-
ties and the bitterness OF ten years ago; but to
delegate the power to a party that still clings
to the lost cause, is another and very differ
ent thing. They have elected between sixty
and seventy-five gentlemen who were con-
cerned in the rebellion, to the Forty fourth
Congress. In Missouri they have elected a
small Confederate General to take the place of
Carl Schurz, and when these gentlemen get
power in the government of the United States
they get power in the interests of that lost
cause. Depend upon it we can have peace in
this country by thirty days by repeating the
laws upon the statute books of the nation for
the enforcement of the principles of the 18th
and 18th amendments of the Constitution, but
we will realize ere long, l think, that they are
not only hostile to these principles, but that
thau ORC hostile fo the nradit Of tba nation
they are hostile to the honest payment of the
public debt. This Democratic party of Ohio
is the advance guard of the men who follow
ed, in 1868, the flag of Pendleton from Gin
cinnati to New York, with greenbacks pasted
all over the stars; the advance guard to-day of
that party who would initiate the Currency of
country for the purpose of destroying the ma
tional credit We must look to it in Ohio.
and defeat this advance guard. We should
have no division of sentiment, so far as the
of Ohio are concerned, on the
question of currency. believe the people of
this State are satisfied in the main with the
legislation of Congress last winter on this sub
iect. We should have no division of senti-
ment as to the condition of the South that
the government Of the United States with all
its great powers should stand by the humblest
citizen, no matter though he may live in a cab
in in the swamps of Louisiana. 1t is part of
the Republican creed for them to do it. ZAP
plause We should have no division of the
sentiment of the convention in standing by
The public school system of the State and of
.he country Ccheersl no matter who may come
N the way, whether Bishop McQuaid, the
Democratic party, or the devil. Applause I
We should have no division of sentiment in
Ohio in relation to third term. TApplause.
W. oOrnp,ap1 Gop Gropt f0r bio -
he laws of our country, for the firm mainten-
lnce of those laws especially that guarantee
,ivil and religious rights to the people of the
South, but he will honor alike himself and the
great party that has twice elected him to the
highest office in the gift of the people of the
country he has so ilustriously served by
the example of the father of his
country Applause, and we regard his late ex-
,ressions upon this subject as being in full ac-
ord with the sentiments of the people of
Ohio. [Applause.]
One word more, we must act with harmony
md. for the purpose of carrying the State this
all Not so much, possibly, depends upon
who shall be Governor of Ohio for the next
wo years, but much does depend upon the at
itude in which Ohio shall place herself this
all in the condition of the next two years.
remember an incident that occurred in the
Valley of the Virginia during the war that you
re all familiar with, when the army of Sheri-
Ian had lost their camps, and were driven
lown the valley. When Sheridan rode up
rom Winchester he brought the stragglers to
he 'front.' He faced them to the old en-
my, and he faced them to the flag toward the
Id campfire. As he rode along the line he
allied: ''Now, boys, forward, and we will go
o the old camp tonight" and they went. |
(L-,o af nd I
republicans of Ohio, let us form a line from
he lake down to the river; let every man come |
0 the front, face the old enemy; let us have |
be old aggressive spirit of the Republican par
Y when it does face that enemy in this con- |
est, and take my word for it. so sure as the |
econd Tuesday in October comes we will go |
ack to our old camp. GCheers.]
RECEPTION OF THE SPEECH.
The feelings that were strongest in
he soul OF the convention could be as
ertained by the reception of the differ
mt points of the speech. When he re-
erred, in order to denounce, to the ac-
ion of the late Democratic Legislature
n increasing the running expenses of
he State government; in pretending
o strike off $500, 900 of taxes, thereby
Inevitably creating a deficit OF that
mount for the coming year; in legis-
ating so as to disorganize our public
enal and benevolent institutions at the
emandof insolentbectarins; in striving
0 strike down, for the benefit of ring
speculators, the municipal rights OF
he third city in Ohio, while at the
anne time bowling loudly against CEN
ralizatiOn; and above all, when he
poke of the danger menacing our pub
C schools, and the determination Of
he Republican hosts to defend them
gainst all comers, the universal and
nergetic plaudits Of the great audi
nee showed clearly as any platform
an define them what will be the issues
f the coming campaign. Maintenance
OF equal rights, defense of
lunicipal freedom, resistance to inso
mt ~ectarianism, preservation of the
are as noble watchwords
s ever q political party inscribed upon