The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-09-21
MASSACHUSETTS, RATIFIES.
Rousing Speech by Gov. porsheimer

Friday evening last, to r2uly the nonlna-
tions of the recent State Convention, The
old hall was crowded TO its utmost capaci-
ty, and large crowds blocked all the sur
rounding streets Ex-Gov Castor pre-
sided, and opened the meeting with Il
ringing specchc that was loudly applaud
ed. At the close he introduced Lieut. Gov
Dorsheimef, of New York, who was re
ceived with long loud and repeated cheers
After stating the urgent need of reform in
the affairs of the national administration,
and the utter failure Of the repeated
promises which the Republican party had
made in that respect, he proceeded to
speak OF the matter Of civil service re-
form as follows
And now, as to another promise which the
Republicans made you. Four years ago you
complained of the condition of the Civil Ser
vice. You had little idea then what the cond-
ton of the Civil Service really WAS. You knew
that the President had appointed relatives to
office, and OF that Mr.. Sumner most eloquentlv
complained. You knew that all of the Pres-
dents subordinates appointed all Of their rela-
tiVeS to office that they could find | don't
know how the fact may be, but | do not
doubt that here in the city Of Boston the Post
master. the Assessor and the Collector of Inter
nal Revenue, crowded every one of their fam-
lies that they could find into their offices.
Well, from the existence of this ncDotism, so
demoraliZiDg to a government, men accuSton-
ed to the study OF history suspected that, there
WAS something worse behind But four years
ago we little dreamed Of the state into which
our civil service had fallen. Why. think Of ii +,
think n Friends 4 lh4it If
important Committees of the House of Repre-
sentatlyes ana of the Senate. found to be impi-
Gated III frauds in connection with the building
of the railway to the Pacific. The then Vice
President OF the United States suspected
that ut this day You never hear Il Republican
even mention the name of ColflN anywhere
The speaker OF the House of Representatives
writing to a great corporation. OF which he eX-
pected fayors. that he had made rulings in their
behalf while he sat in his great place as Speak
er of the House, Our Minister to England,
who carried the honor of the nation in his
hands, brought home for participation in dis
honorable business project. one member of
the Cabinet charged by Il Committee Of the
House with having used his high place 10 en-
rich his friends. \ candidate for Governor in
one of tine great States of the Union stricken
of right before your eyes because he had been
untalthtul rs il member of Congress. Indct-
ments creeping into the White House, and into
The very chamber of the President, and coming
SO near TO him that the people stood aghast lest
they might reach the great head Of the State
itself Another Cabinet officer impeaehed for
having taken into his hands the shameful
money OF the briber, and only saved from Just
punishment by Il techncality of law. Did you
suspect it: If you did. did not. | loved my
country, and | could not think it possible that IA
shame like this could fall upon the land of my
birth. [Applausel Parallels for it: There are
no parallels. thank God, in American history :.
10 lind "a parallel, man must 60 far back TO
more ignorant populations. lie must 90 to the
reign of The Regency" i'll France, or to the still
more corrupt and disgracetul reign of Charles
the Second in England. Applause. In the
history OF no modern European country is there
any page 50 shameful a. that which Americans
have been obliged, during the last winter, to
read whenever they took up Il morning news
paper. Applause.
Well, they have not kept their promise OF re-
form. They are making tito you again, They
made Il four years ago They make it TO YOU
now again, and they tell you, "Oh, we will do
it the next time because we have got rid of
Grant-Sot rid OF nominating Grant | am
not accustomed 10 deliver euogies upon Gen.
Grant; but this have TO say, that upon the
principle of reform in the civil service Gen
Grant is better than his party. He did try. or
appeared to try, to institute proper reforms.
He submitted to Congress scheme for reform.
tie asked the assistance of his party, but his
party refused assistance. You. men of Massa-
chnSetts, through your Senators and through
YOUR member of the House. Mr.. Ben Butler
[hissesl. my State of New York through its
senator, Mr.. COnkling, and his associate. Mr.
1ent0n, and the majority Of the members Of
the House Ohey being kepubican>) refused
him assistance. Mr.. Edmunds of Vermont and
MIR. Logan of Illinois refused him assistance
MIR. Morton of Indiana and Mr.. Sherman of
Ohio refused him assistance And vet these
men say that having got rid OF Grant they will
do better III the future. Have they turned these
other gentlemen out of the party: Has Mr.
Boutwell, been turned out of the Republican
party in this State: Laughter and NO"
Nor Has Gen. Ben Butler been turned out ::
lLaughierI l do not, gentlemen. know much
OF Massachusetts, politics, and don't want to
believe the newspapers; but | have been as
sured by several friends here that Ben Butler
has actually received the nomination for Con-
him back 10 Washington Il :. No." Mo-"
Never" Never" to rPfOr1A the GIRL Ser
ticeI lie says he wants 10 90. Laughter !
He says he wants the office. He is mot ex-
actly like Il maid. but more like Il widow
l-aughtcr.I No, my friends, is between the
President and his party, the President was bet
ter than his party; and believe that he fairly
tried TO institute reform in the Civil Service.
and was defeated by the men who now ask for
your sutlra@es on the ground that they have
put INN aside. l have to answer, we would
have had more confidence in them if they had
stood aside and left hia ut the front. Well
now, upon these two great subjects YOU are TO
consider which party is best entitled To N0ur
confidence. And that depends partly upon the
record Of the party and partly upon the char
acter OF he men. Applause.
Alter giving something Of The personal
biographies Of Coy. T1lden and his OPP
ponent Gov. Hayes. the speaker proceed
ed
Governor Hayes has, to Use Governor Til
denis expression, ''giidcd in safety through his
Official term. Are you prepared to make an
other experiment.: Do YOU want another mn
tried President: OH have had them, have you
not? When you selected General Grant YOU
took an untried President; and yet you Thought
him 10 be tried, because it had happened in the
history OF our mother country and i'll the his
tory of our own country that soldiers and men
who had won their fame upon The field Of bat
Tie, had proven, when they We're tested, to be
efficient servants of the State. Here in our
country, the first President had won his repu-
tation upon the field of battle; and when the
men OF his day put him in the chair of State.
they found the same qualities Of moderation
justice and tirmness which had carried the
Young colonies through the long war with the
mother country. And So, Il number Of wears
afterwards, when YOU put Andrew Jackson ill.,
10 the Presidential chair Lapplausel, you found
In nm the same fiery patriotism as that which
New Orleans. SO say it was not an unnatural
thing that The American people should put con-
iidence in the man who had been most distin-
guished in their service during the war. But
how has it turned out? Are you so well salts
fed with it that you want another untried
President: | tell you, working men, and tell
you, capitalists-both unrewarded-that it is
not safe for you to put the reins of power into
the hands of any but strong and skilfu man.
| remember to have read in my bovhood a
story OF the forging of IL set of armor for one
of the Scottish kings, and when the work was
done $50 the story reads, the forger put it up
on wooden figure and with sharp weapon
struck at it as hard blows as his Stout arm
could deal, to see whether the mail was tit
defence for royal and knghtly breast And
now do you, who are seeking for Il shield to
defend the welfare and the honor of your coun-
try. see to il that that shield has been well
proven by the forger before you put it to its
great and perious use. Loud applause Mr..
Hayes and Samuel Tilden-the one man of
peace, the other Il man of many battles; the
one placid, easy and comfortable gentleman,
with Il fine, open countenance"- laughterl-
the other the much dreaded foe of ever, depre-
dator who has looked into his firm face and
steel-gray eyes. Compare their lives! Why,