The Portland daily press., 1875-09-11
THE LAST RALLY.
Great Meeting at City Hall.
NEITHER NUMBERS NOR EN-
THUSIASM WANTING.
Speech by the Hon. James G..
Blaine.

| ESIatnes
| The announcement that James G. Blaine,
the foremost of the public men of Maine, and
one of the foremost in the Union, was to speak
in City Hall last night, called out the largest
political gathering of the campaign. A half
| hour before the time announced for the meet
| ing the hall was filled. By eight o'clo TX it was
packed, Every seat, on floor and gallery, was
taken, the aisles and corridors were crowded
with standing men, and even the acoves were
occupied The gross abuse heaped upon Mr..
| Blaine by the Democratic papers of this state
has produced natural reaction in the public
mind, AMI people seemed minded by
their presence to testify their appreciation of
and sympathy with the man who has been so
uniustly assal!ed.
At eight o'clock the meeting was called to
order by Mr.. S. r. Small, who said he had been
| directed to read to the assemblage the names of
| the Republican candidates for representatives
| from this city. He read the names of the
| nominees, and they were greeted with ap-
| plause. He then introduced as the chairman
| of the meeting Gen. Charles p Mattocks
GEN. MATTocKs' REMARKS.
On assuming the chair Gen. Mattocks re-
marked that the present political campaign in
Maine is one unprecedented in the history of
| the state. The two parties to all outward ap-
pearances are divided upon no great principle.
| On most of the questions before the country
| there seems to be little difference of opinion.
| Both make professions of reform. Thinbipg
men, looking at the platforms, may hesitate.
| 1t is to these meu that we appeal tonight.
Doubtless there is corruption in the Republic
can party, as there is in all great parties. But
reasonable men will Judge that reform can be
better accomplished in the Republican ranks
than by going outside. Deverance is GER
talnly not to be expected from the Democratic
party. The party which resolved in 1852 that
slavery was sacred institution, not to be dis
turbed, which resolved in 1856 an 1860 that
new slave states might be admitted to the Un-
ion, which resolved in 1864 that the war for
the preservation of the Union was failure.
which has since in the main contented itself
with with affirming general propositions, to which
little exception can be taken, and which has
hesitated to commit itself to anything nas no
claims upon the people of Maine. The party
which educated half ofits civil and military
servants to become traitors, has little solid
pretensions as a reform party. The question
In Maine today is between two men, both hon
orable and brave. Gen. Conner represents
purity in politics, integrity in business, courage
in battle The speaker here uttered glowing
eulogy upon Gen. COnnOr's personal character
and soldery services. If new men were want
ed in state administration Gen. Conner filled
the requirements. Of Gen. Roberts the speak
er expressed high opinion, and deprecated
any assaults made upon his military character
by Republican journals or speakers. But he
strongly objected to the men whom Gen. Rob-
erts represents, the men who declared the war
failure, who did all they could to discourage
our soldiers He did not think it safe to en-
trust the administration of the state to those
men. While he deprecated attacks on Gen.
Roberts he severely denounced. Democratic
papers for the gross abuse and calumny which
they have heaped upon Republican candidates
and public men. In conclusion he introduced
Mr.. Blaine as the best abused man in Maine.
MR.. BLAINE's REMARKS.
AS Mr.. Blaine stepped forward he was re-
ceived with loud and long continued applause,
in which the audience very generally Joined.
A flew unregenate Democrats attempted to
create diversion by indulgence in the pleasing
Democratic amusement of cat-calls; but they
were so few ia number that the attempt
amounted to little. The reform party"
would do we'll to begin by reforming their con-
duct at pablo meetings. But then it is only
reform in the abstract that Democrats are anx.
ious for!
ed greater differences in this contest between
the two parties than were noticed by the chair
man. Political contests in Maine have for
twenty years past been chiefly. almost en-
grosslpgly, upon what are called national is
sues. There has scarcely ever been square
fight upon state issue. Why is this? it is
because our opponents have not been able to
lind an issue, cause of complaint, upon
which to fight. Had there been crevice in
our armor they would have searched it out.
The Republican party has governed Maine.
wisely and well. They have administered af
fairs with prudence, fidelity, integrity and
economy. The opposition have made no issue
because they could find none. Since civil gov
eminent was instituted no community on Gods
green earth has been better or more wisely
governed than the people of Maine for the last
twenty years. The Democracy can bring no
accusation of specific malfeasance, but their
papers reek with vague assertions that the
good old days of Democratic rule Let us
compare those days before the people unmis-
takably signifei their disgust of Democratic
administration, with the present 1t is good
to cast up the books once in while and strike
the balance Let us see, in view of Democrat
ic complaints, how the state has prospered I'M
der Republican rule. Many political econo-
mIsts tell us that the progress of a people may
be measured by the growth of its railway sys-
TEN. Let us apply that test.
When the Democratic party went out of
power in this state there was not mile of rail-
way in the counties of Lincoln, Knox, Frank
lin, Somerset, Waldo, Piscataquis, Aroostook,
or Hancock. To day there is not county in
the state without railroad, and of the sixteen
shire towns, fourteen are knit together by the
iron bands. Let us apply another test by look
ing at the amount of ready money. In 1854
the banking capital of the state was but five
accumulations, scarcely worth mentioning,
were less than two millions To-day the
national banking capital is ten and one-half
| millions and the savings banks show thirty
two millions of surplus earnings Here is an
| increase under Republican rule from seven and
| one-half millions to forty-three millions of
dollars. But you people of Portland need not
| go beyond your own city to note the progress.
| In 1854 your valuation was under seven and a
half millions. To-day. despite your great and
devastating fire, it is twenty nine millions. In
the same time the state valuation has increased
| from one hundred millions to two hundred and
| twenty-four millions. And remember that
| these figures are not those of padded census
| report gotten up 10 make the best show pos
| sbe, but are the hard-wrung additions from
| towns anxious to keep their reported valuation
down on account OF taxes.
The Republican party has had the govern
NEXT in. its own hands for about twenty
| years. and whatever Of mal-adminstration is
| truthfully charged must be atoned for by that
| party, and only ask what credit it deserves
| shall be given to it, Now point out place
where the Democratic party has held absolute
| sway as the Republican party has in Maine
| There is one place where the Democratic party
| ruled and was glorified during the whole period.
| mean the City of New York. Cities are the
last places where ignorance can he reckoned an
excuse. Therefore the plea of ignorance can
not be put in. They ave for quarter of a
century held absolute sway there. They took
it an honored and pure government They took
| it a city OF 100000 and so little in debt that it
would not be extravagant to say that it
was city without debt And yet on this bless
ed night. this tenth day of September, 1875,
| the city of New York with population of l.,
600, 1000, is groaning under debt of $170,0O0,-
600. Every man, every woman, every child,
and every baby is burdened with debt of $40,
and every child that is born tonight ia mort
| gagged for part of this debt. Is it unfair to
say that the Democratic party shall be held by
this test? When, in 1871, the revelations of
Tweed's rascalities were exposed, when the
| New York Times was publishing the evidence
| of his guilt, and it was so plain that the way
| fariEg man though fool need not err vet in