The Portland daily press., 1875-08-26
THE FIRST RALLY
City hall FuII!!!
A Large and Enthusiastic
Audience.
Speeches by Gen. Conner, Senator
Morton and Gen. WOOdfOrd.
MUSIC BY COLES BAND, ETC.
MUSIC BY COLES BAND, ETC.

was filled with one of the best audiences we
city, and gave an attention to the speakers that
We have seldom observed, indicating that
thinking people have not ceased to take deer
interest in political questions.
Our venerable and esteemed citizen, Hon
W. w. Thomas, presided and introduced the
speakers in a very felicitous manner GEN
SELDEN Common was first introduced He was
greeted with long and most hearty demodstra.
tons Of applause. Atleng:h when the applause
had ceased he spoke substantially as follows:
Gen. Connor's speech.
1 do not come before you as one qualified or
entitled to give instruction in Repuo lean prin-
crples. l am here in recognition of the justice
of the appeal TO the standard bearer of the
Republican party of Maine to declare his posi-
ton on the questions before the people The
Immediate issue before you is whether Repub-
lican or Democrat shall be chosen Co ernor
of Maine. That question is in view of the
approaching Presidential election, one of
national import ance It's decision will indicate
the views of the people upon state rights, cur
rency and Administrative reform, and will Snow
whether they inteld to entruSt the government
to TIE faithful Republican party, party of
settled policy which has every presumption in
its favor, or to the Democratic party, which has
40 presumption its favor, aud whose policy is
blind, vague and uniformed. On the one hand
there is a moral certainty of good government;
on the other hand an absolute uncertainty. The
decision of this question is of pre-eminent i'm
portance to the people of Maine
After endorsing the position of the RepuDli-
Can party on national topics, Gen Conner spoke
of the importance of our school system the
boast of New England, and of the necessity of
preserving from all peril that which gives US
In t,A 1oba and I'D. ~a.I
prohibition, he said that the people of Maize
had long been Determined to suppress the
liquor traffic, and to that determination they
still adhere. Prohibition is the only method
which is effieacious and consistent License as
protection to society and an ally to temper
ance, is a delusion and snare.
Gen. Conner concluded his address with the
following sentence
''When the hour of the dissolution of the
great party of the Union shall come, let it not
be succeeded by the party which was ndig.
nantly deposed by BETRAYED people and has
continued to maintain its organizations by a
captious opposition, but by some party bearing
the freshness and promise of youth, which
Iallying around principle, has grown great by
its attractive principles
Gen. Conner was somewhat embarrassed by
being compelled to condense his carefully pre-
pared speech intended for half an hour, to the
space of ten minutes.
Senator Morton's speech.
Senator Morton began his remarks in low
but clear voice, which gradually gained in vol
ume and soon became audible in the remoetst
parts of the hall. He said that coming to this
part of New England from Indiana, 1900 miles
away, he realized the great distance which
separated theltwo sections, but he realized too
that they are integral parts of a great nation
The northwest is largely indebted to New
England for her population, for her institutions
and above all for her system of free schools,
now for the first time in peril. He was glad to
meet the people of Maine and glad to meet
the distinguished standard bearer of the re-
publican party, man OF action if EOt of words
whose bodily condition attests chat he did not
resign his commission in the fear Of the enemy
and come home to strike hands with the foes
of his country. [Great laughter and applause
He came to Maine to speak of National pol
itics, to frankly speak the truth as he under
stood it, He should not deal IN personalities,
though he should be obliged to speak of the
Democrat; party as it deserved. Our govern
ment is a government of parties. 1t always
has been, it always will be. Two great parties
stand before the people to day, and between
them the choice must be made. Some of you
are compelled to make choice of evils, aud
you must acknowledge that the Republican
party is the lesser evil. There will be no third
party. Parties are not made to order nor
brought into being by conventions. Great nee
essitles and changes OF public opinion bring
them forth Parties have unwritten constita
lions by which they are bound. No man ever
yet got away from his history, his antecedents
his general character. They cling to and in
f1uence his whole life. So with political par
ties, they canuot escape their past. AS soon
as they do they of necessity die. for they drop
their principles So while the Democratic par
ty exists it must be the Democracy of the past.
THE TWO PARTIES AND THEIR HISTORY.
1t is necessary then to examine the history of
he two parties. We find that the Democratic
party is based upon the dogma OF state rights.
The Democrats have ever held that the Union
is in the nature of a treaty or convention be-
tween states as independent as France and
Spain. This is the direction Of its resolutions
of 1898. doctrine proclaimed in Democratic
conventions from the forma ion of he party
down to 1860, a doctrine held by the Democrats
of to-day a doctrine which made the rebellion
possible, and which makes other rebellions
possible The rebellion was the logical out
come of that doctrine Ind the doctrine as held
by be Democracy to-day is a prepared threat
against the life of the nation. There is no
Safety for US except in the ational idea, an
idea which the Democratic party vehemently
opposes. Another striking feature of the Dem.
ocratic policy was the protection, extension
and perpetuatiOn OF human slavery. For that
they declared, and worked, and fought, and
they can neveriescape the consequences. Upon
these two dogmas they fought their Campaigns
and the spirits of advocacy remains with them
to-day.
The Republican party was called into being
to oppose slavery, to defend the doctrine that
all men are created tree aud equal The equal
rights of men, the theory that our liberties are
not privileges granted by other men but the
gift of God, is the basis and central idea of the
party. Under the providence of God it was
enabled to destroy slavery, and to destroy it in
spite and against the efforts of the Democracy.
Thousands of Democrats fought bravely for
the U mon, it is true, but they fought against
the influence and power of their parry.
Between these two parties, the party which
saved the Union and the party which labored
to destroy it. the party which attacked slavery
and the party which upheld it, the party VIII CHI
holds to the national idea and the party which
holds to state rights, the voters of Maine are
is one Of national significance. A vote for
Conner is woe for the success of the Repub-
lican party in 1876. A vote for his opponent IS
a vote for the success of the Democracy in that
campaign.
THE ISSUES IN 1876.
1 wish to speak of the issues upon which the
national campaign of 1876 is to be fought. 1t
is SAID that the issues growing out of the war
are settled, and it is getting questionable in
certain quarters to speak of the rebellion. The
Democracy clamor for the obliteration of all
distractions Do you know what this oblitera-
tion means? Distinctions in law as well as 10
politics are to be done away with. We are to
make no invldious distinctions between the
Union soldier and the Confederate soldier. If
one is pensoned, the other must be- [ tell
you there is not living issue, except the cur
rtncy, which does not grow out OF the war.
The forgetting and forgiving is all on the side
of the North. The South has forgotten nothing
tUJup oil aial hns
recogn ton to the Sou bern Republican or the
scallawag, the other as carpet-bagger. A
Northern man may take to the South capital
and energy anG business enterprise but if he
is Republican, he is ostracised If he be
Democrat, he must be one of the most violent,
or be will be suspected. Service in the Con-
federate army is the test of merit. Seventy
four Confederate officers take their seats in the
next House, and but twenty two Union officers.
The Southern Democracy has settled upon a
line of policy The Northern Democrats have
none, except getting INTO office. In one state
they hold to hard money, in another to naa-
ton; in one state they are prote ctionists, in
another free tra1ers they hold no opinion in
common on banking and transportation, or
other questions of political economy and
national administration. The South has
policy, the Nvrh none, and the South will in
consequence rule the party The Confederate
soldiers win be pensioned. 1t is not in human
nature for Southern men to tax themselves for
the support OF Union soldiers while their own
cripples are starving. Claims will be advanced
for the paymept of Southern prop rty destroyed