The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-27
Speech Of Mr.. Dunneil.

speech OF Mr.. Ounne1i.
Editor Grange Advance.
DEAR S1R:-You will perhaps par
don me for intruding brief report of
the political meeting Of the 18th inst.
As it had been announced that Hon. NJ.
II. Dunnell was to speak at Music
Hall, myself and few others, taking
an interest in the political welfare Of
our country, went there to learn some-
thing that would enlighten our inquisi-
tive brains.
Mr.. Dunnell is very able speaker,
but his remarks will bear great deal
Of criticism, In my humble opinion. In
the first place, the speaker set forth the
reasons why the voters should support
the republican party, claiming that its
past action and history ought TO be suf-
'ficient guarantee for the future. He
pointed out all the cleanest spots On its
whitest pages and compared them with
the blacklist spots on the darkest pages
Of the history of the opposition party,
covering up very carefully the pages Of
recent republican history, which give
an account of the Credit Mobilier, the
Pacific Mail Subsidies, the Back Pay,
etc., also the part relating to our
own State, in which Munich, Seeger,
Mc1lrath & Co. make prominent fea-
ture. I suppose that the speaker did
not have time to go through with this,
as the meeting, what there was Of it,
did not begin till very late. He also
gave the republican party credit for the
increase Of the wealth and population
Of this country since the origin Of the
party. Will any sane man believe that
the republican patty alone ought to
have the credit for this f.? Would it
not be as we'll to let other parties figure
for some of these .honors? Has it not
really been the over-production of other
countries that has brought human be-
ings here to find more space to live ?
And have not these helped to increase
the wealth Of the country? Yet MI.
Dunnell claims that the republican par
ty did it all, and ought to receive all the
credit.
In stating my opinion wish to say,
and will prove it by history, that all
parties and all nations have their bright
pages and their dark pages, to be COM
mended OF condemned, as the case may
be. We will, for. instance, refer to the
time of the Reformation, when the
armies of Northern Europe, under the
leadership Of Gustaf Adolph II, were
hailed with Joy by all the Proteatants
of Europe, not only because taey came
to iberate the people from Roman bon
dage, but, also, because they were SOL
diers whose deeds exhibited christian
IL, morality and discipline; and yet,
zbsfore that dreadful struggle terminated,
that same army, OR what was left Of it,
Aecame the most dreaded set of men
that ever trampled the soil of Germany,
on the account Of their shameful con-
duct and plundering habits.
And such, claim, has been the case
with the republican party. There was
a time when it went out under the lead
..ership Of Lincoln, Seward, Chase, Sum-
ner and others, when it had a noble
mission to fulfill, and during those days
I felt proud Of being Il republican. I
claim, also, the honor Of having fought,
bled, and almost died, side by side
with other republicans as we'll as
patriotic democrats, that the union of
our country might prevail; yet the re-
publican party of those days is not the
republican partv Of to-day. Its habits,
like those Of the soldiers of the Reform
alton, have changed, and under the
leadership of Bill King, Mr.. Dunnell,
and others, it is more to be dreaded
than to be hailei with joy. The demo-
cratic party, also, has seen its days of
usefulness, and it, too, has betrayed its
trust, and been set aside, undoubtedly
never to rise to power again, as the peo-
pie cannot have confidence in it on &C.
count of its past history.
Returning to my subject, allow me 20
refer to Mr.. Dunnelps comments upon
Mr.. Buell.. He stated that what Mr..
Buell. had s,sid in some Of his speeches
was i lie. Now | do not vouch for the