Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-09-11
AN IMMENSE GATHERING :
Speaker Blaine Addresses the
Meeting.
His Views Upon State and Ma.
tiOnal Topics.
Maine Compared with Democratic State.
"A Striking Picture.

Portland, September 10. Speaker Blaine ad-
dressed an immense audience of republicans at
City Hall. this evening. General Chas. P. Mat
tocks presided and introduced the speaker in
telling speech
Mr.. Blaine CONNIE need by saying that during
20 years past political battles in this State have
been on National issues, and the want of local is
sues he ascrbed to the purity of the State govern
ment under republican rule. Still he thought
retrospect of the 20 years history would be not
altogether useless. In England the Railroad indi-
Gates the growth Of the country. When the re-
publican party won its first victory there no,
. mile of Railroad in most of the counties of
Maine. Now every county is penetrated. The
banking capital, including the Savings Banks,
showed forty-two millions now against seven
then. At that time Portland was valued at only
seven millions-now over twenty mine millions
The State valuation has also more than doubled.
There are valuations returned by town authorities
who wish to keep them as low as possible, and are
therefore reliable.
If anything has gone amiss the republicans
would be held responsible; therefore he begged
that they might be credited with the good results.
Now where in the United States that the demo-
Gratis have held equally undisputed sway, can they
show SO fair o rccord' He instanced New York
as an example Of undisputed democratic sway
They took it from the control of the old Wing
party. city of 400 200 people, without mention
able debt, and to-day with one million Of inhabi-
tants, it owes one hundred and seventy millions,
and its people are bowed down with debt. Is it
unfair to hold the democratic party responsible
for this He instsnced the election Of Tweed to
the New York Senate by the democratic party a.
ter exposure Of his frauds. Therefore, taking
our State As it is-giving and taking credible
wished to contrast Maine with any State where
democrats had ruled.
He then discussed the cure ncy question. TAX
ing the two party platforms 10 this State there is
no perceptole difference; but in 1858 some gen.
tiemen and papers who agree with US now were
blatant in advocating the payment Of the debt
Now they give token Of change Of heart; but
the democracy Of Maine will not be largely prom
inent IN the National convention, but quietly drift,
taking the offices and letting others control the
measures.
The democracy of the States are now watching
to see if Maine will endorse the opinions of Ohio
and Pennsylvania, and do not regard the opinions
enuncisted by that respectable body of gentlemen
who assembled At Augusta last June. The demo-
Gratis Of Ohio favor unlimited issues of green
backs, and that he characterized as the most
shameful dishonesty.
In 1862 the government found itself withou,
dollar and gave its notes, stamping them legal ten
der. That measure was debated as thoroughly %
any great measure for fifty years, and especially
by that great NAV. William Pitt Fessenden, who
so long honored Maine with his Representations
He and Mr.. Collsmore Of Vermont pondered it
long with the gravest doubts as to its legality.
He described the conflicting advice that came up
to them from al parts Of the country; but there
was one argument that conquered. and that was
the vital necessity of saving the country. But
those gentlemen who now shrek for more curren-
cy, then voted soldly against it, despite the fact
that the fate of the country hung in the balance.
He sketched the gradual issue of more currency
and the rise of gold. 1t was soon found limit
must be put to the issue. aud Congress put in
provision solemnly binding the country to limit
the issue to four hundred million. This was
deemed vitality necessary to float the National
loan, which WAS an appeal to tho money lenders
of the world, and the pledge was as solemn as
could be made. We went through the war with
out exceeding it, and have gone on paying of the
debt; and now, ten years after the war, and when
that pledge has done its perfect work, he could
conceive of nothing more despicsble or dishonest
than TO violate it. The first hundred and fifty
millions hardly advanced gold. At three hundred
millions and after the defeat on the Peninsuar it
reached IL.
Two years later the four hundred millions was
worth only one hundred and forty millions in
gold-scarce half that the three hundred million
was worth at that time. Nothing was more COM
mon among the democrats than to descry green.
backs and abuse the rep. party for their issue.
Now, the dems. propose to issue greenbacks be-
You'd the four hundred million limit, in spite Of
that solemn pledge. He drew picture Of the re.
suit if their schemes should be carried out, and
asserted that one of the great issues Of 1875
would be between honest observance Of govern.
ment pledges and reckless disregard of faith and
unlimited issues of paper money. lie then dis
cussed the constitutional amendments. He did
not believe the dems. wished to revise the 18th
amendment. and therefore considered that settled,
but we owe nothing to the dcns for that. The
war was over and four and . half millions NO
longer slaves were on our hands. But they had
none of the rights Of freedmen-no vote, no right
to testify. They were pAriahs, socially and po-
liticaly. Was it just and honest to leave them
so Hence grew the necessity Of the l4tL amend
ment. He begged to say to gentlemen of tender
conscienccs that this amendment did not stop at
the negro, but was 9 very important amend
ment to white people. 1t twas found that in the
constitution there WAS nothing defining citizenship
Of the u s. rs years before Calhoun bad asserted
there was no such thing aside from State citizen
ship and if it was left to the States the blacks
would be powerless. Therefore the reps. took q
great step forward and proposed the 18th amend
ment. 1t WAS no light task, but against the united
vote # the dems. We succeeded. He eulogized
the amendmen Mt, saying it should be read in every
common school. He read it to the audience. The
design Of this was 70 cut up by the roots the idea
Of States defining citizenship. The positive part
! Of the amendment gives the right Of Citizenship