Middletown transcript., 1875-10-16
SPEECH OF SENATOR BAYARD
In BaltimOre.

The President, in introducing Sena-
tor Bayard, of Delaware, made few
remarks, speaking Of the honesty Of
the men of Delaware, and the honor
and integrity of purpose which charac-
terized the forefathers of the gentleman
whom he was about to introduce. Mr..
Bayard, after silently regarding the
upturned sea of faces before him until
complete hush had fallen upon the
vast crowd, spoke as follows:
N.Y. Fslow- C0untrymen, Citizens Of Maryland: !:
When the gentleman who has just
preceded me said that the broad issue
was the question of the existence Of
States, and their power to maintain
themselves against the aggressions and
unlawful invasions of the Federal
Executive. this was my full justification
for my coming here tonight. in re-
sponse to the invitation Of your COM
mittee, to mingle my voice in your
State canvass The fate Of each State
may be the fate of all. and when last
winter l saw the State of Louisiana
trampled under foot and the right Of
self government utterly overthrown,
and the State bound and helpless at the
feet of an insolent soldiery-and even
worse than that I saw such action ap-
proved deliberately by the almost unan-
imous vote of the dominant majority in
the United States Senate, after deliber.
ate debate and full knowledge Of the
facts-I felt then there was no issue
comparable in Importance before the
American people, so necessary to be
decided and settled in accordance with
the form and genius of the institutions
under which we desire to continue to
be free people. / say this as wit
ness of facts all of which I saw and
part of which I was.
tell you that the fate and very form
of the Government we love trembled in
the balance for the last few weeks Of
the. last session of Congress. If this
Government be dear to the people of
the country. and if they propose to
make the Centennial celebration an
occasion Of earnest congratulation, and
not mere mockery, the issue raised
by the Federal Administration in the
case of Louisiana must be accepted and
decided in favor of constitutional liberty
by the people Of every other State. He
must be rebuked or our Federal form
of government must 60 down. Ap-
plause. Now, if the facts / have
stated and the issue raised does not
bring into the ranks of the party who
oppose the President in bis lawless
course, patriotic and lawabiding men,
it will be because they do not chose to
recognize the truth as it exists. or,will-
fully blind. they prefer love of party to
love of country. came tonight
merely to congratulate you upon the
action of your State Convention. Not
that there were not other and most
worthy candidates before that body who
failed to secure the nomination, but
it seems to me to have been particular
ly appropriate that at the approaching
hundredth anniversary of the independ-
ence of Maryland from the dominion Of
British King. the great-grandson of
of one of those patriots who pledged
"theirselves, their fortunes and their
sacred honor" to secure that independ-
ence, should be presented for the suf-
frage of the people of Maryland and be-
come their Chief Magistrate on so in
teresting and important an occasion.
If had not known that John Lee Car
roll was well worthy of your choice and
of the high honors you propose for him,
I should not have been here to pay this
tribute of respect to you and him.
[Applause. 1t seems to me this meet
ing alone in its vastness and enthusiasm
would be sufficient response of the
popular heart to the action of the Con-
vention. / feel sure as 1 gaze upon
this vast assemblage that bis nomina-
tion is the sure precursor of his trium-
phant election to the Gubernatorial
chair Of his native State I will ask
you now to join with me for moment
in considering the condition to which our
country has been brought under the rule
Of those who have had unchecked power
in every branch for the past ten years.
I say ten years, for although their
power extended through the four sad
years of fratricidal strife, yet l regard
that period as exceptional, and wishing
only to forget and forgive all errors and
mistakes which were perhaps insepara-
BILE from period of such dreadful ex-
citement only hope that such strug-
gle or the acts or feelings which led to
it may be banished forever from the
hearts of my fellow-countrymen, and
buried in oblivion For ten long years
of profound peace. this party now in
power have had uncontrolled sway of
almost every State Government, and all
the branches of the Federal Govern
ment. Purse and sword, and power to
use both, have been theirs, and un-
sparingly have all been used. What is
the result? Do we not witness wide
spread financial depression, stagnation
of almost every branch of industry, and
the prevalence of vague yet strong ap-
prehensions which paralyze all active
enterprise, and before which capital
with characteristic timidity flies trem-
bling into its secret places? There is
a marked want of confidence in the
present and gloomy distrust of tho
future The fictitious prosperity so
loudly vaunted year or two ago by
Radical orators and presses has sudden
ly vanished, and walls of despair come
up from their foolish believers on every
side. The great fortunes gathered in
the heat and from the spoils of war. or