The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-06
Carl Schurz i'm the Ohio Campaign.

would only accommodate 1000, and was
very inadequate for the crowd in attend
ance. The speech, was received With
great applause, and is said. by Republi.
can papers. to have had great effect.
The following is the opening portion of
bis speech, which is an explanation of his
course in entering the campajgn:' ~ ,,
Mr. Chairman and Fellow Citizens: ,ft1
The merchants and business men of Gin.
cinnati have greatly honored me by in
viting me to address the. people~~of Ohio
as an advocate Of honest money. For
that honor offer them my sincere thanks.
In obedience to my own sense Of duty
have accepted that invitation, deeply
sensible of the magnitude of the question
and the far-reaching Importance of the
declaration of sentiment which the people
of Ohio will soon be called upon to make
at the ballot box. --~.S'~>
But before proceeding to discuss the
issues of this contest, owe you prelim.
mary statement of
A PERSONAL NATURE.
am told that my appearance in thi
campaign has been represented as part
a concerted plan to lead the independent
voters of the country into the ranks of
the Republican party; and to commit
them to the support of it's candidates in
the Presidential election in 1875. That
story is an idle invention. know of no
such plan. If it existed would not be a
party to it. The independent voters
have minds of their own, and | re-
spect them. too much Ito. believe
that they can be ~ transferred
to this or that side by any individual
or combination Of individuals. Besides,
[ not only do not seek to commit any
body else as to the Presidential election
of 1876, but do not mean to commit
myself. reserve to myself entire free.
dom Of Judgment on that matter, to. be
exercised When the exigency will arise,
and I advise everybody else to do the
same. Ny relations to the Republican
party are no secret. l have deemed it
my duty, as Senator and as citizen, to
combat the errors and transgrcssions
Of set Of politicians that controlled it.
and to attack the abuses grown up under
its rule. was in earnest: I thought
was right when I did so, and it is no mere
stubbornness Of opinion when I say
think so now. Not only have nothing
to retract, but am sure recent develop.
ments have convinced many good, con-
scientious Republicans that, had our APP
peals been needed la time, that organiza'
ton would have saved itself many hui.
mutations. r. -
1t is, therefore.
NO SENTIMENTAL. PARTIALITY
for the Republican party that brings me
here. Whethe the Republican party will
put itself in position to deserve support
in the Presidential ELECTION of 1876, re.
mains to be seen. Whether the Demo.
Gratis will do SO remains to be seen
also. My opinion has long been, and |
have not concealed it, that patriotic men
Of the Republic might do better than de-
pend upon either. That well-meaning
citizens should SO frequently have, found
themselves compelled to support one
party, not because it had their approval
and confidence, but because the other
party appeared still worse, is not only a
condition of politics unworthy of a free,
n tclligent and high minded people, but
one Of the most prolific sources Of the
corruption and decentralization of our own
political life. In that situation we have
been for years; and now there is some
thing going on in 0hieZWhioh tltreafansto
continue that state of things for the Year
1876, only in an aggravated form.
Proclamation has been made by the
Democratic leaders of Ohio thai this
State campaign IS to be of decisive effect
as to the issues Of the Presidential cleo
ton of 1876; and in the very front Of
these issues, conspicuous before all others,
they have placed one which involves not
only the material interests, but the char
acter, the good name, the whole moral
being of the American people.
An attempt is being made to Sc
cure the Endorsement by the people of the
greatest State of the west,one Of the great
est States in the Union, of financial pol
icy which, if followed by the National
Government, would discredit Republican
institutions the world over, expose the
American people to the rid;cule and con-
tempt Of civilized mankind, make our pc.
litical as we'll as business life more than
ever the hot-bed Of gambling and corrup-
ton, and plunge the country into all
those depths Of moral and material bank
ruptcy and ruin, which, as all history
demonstrates, never, never fail to follow
course SO utterly demented in its wick
:e.dness:s l. '.:!t
The advocates Of imitation in this State.
as they themselves give us to understand
expect, if the people of Ohio by the cleo.
ton of the Democratic candidates declare
their appreciation Of that financial policy,
that ,the initiation fever will, under the
stimulus of such success, sweep like Wild
fire over the western and southern States,
overwhefm and subjugate the Democratic
National Convention next year, dictate its