Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-08-11
Grand Rally ct Winooski'
ORGANIZATION OF HAYES AND " ~ w,suINc-
-sPEEcu BY PROF. LANdsroS' vi
TON. ,

IT,. psrrhl;cans of Winooski openeu
.,.;- ..mn.;rn in earnest on Friday eve
ming last. The notice of the meeting ""
comparatively short; but they tufheu ou'
in force. and filled Concert Hall to over
flowing. while many stood througnou' '"0
evening". There was a sprinkling oil DEM
ocrats in the crowd. who had the oppoi'u
nitv to hear some wholesome poiiticai
trutbs. The Sherman Band was in attehu-
ance and diseoursed stirring and e1ceiieh'
music.
The meeting was called to order by oanl-
mel Bigwood, Esq. of the Republican town
committee, and organized with Mr.. Bigwoou
as chairman and o p Ray, Esq. las secretary
At the suggestion of the Chair a committee
was appointed to report constitution anu
bylaws for Hayes and Wheeler club. anu
a list of officers for the sane, as iolo"s
Samuel Smith, W. L. Greerleai, A D.
Stevens, Peter Fountain, Avery b. I'd
wards.
Mr.. Bigwood then introduced Prof.. D.
NJ. Langston. of Washington. d. L. froi'
Langston is bright mnlatto. born III
Virginia, emancipated by his owner and
father, educated at Oberlin College. ana
till recently one of the Professors OF How
ard University. at Washington. lie Is the
attorney and secretary of the Washington
Board OF Health. and is much respected 10
that city as an intelligent gentleman ana
worthy citizen lie IL, as his audience soon
found, a bright and effective speaker, though
lab0ring on this occasion under the dlsad-
vantage of serious huskiness OF his voice,
the result of weeks continuous public
speaking.
PROF. LANGsrON's SPEECH.
lie said that he should address them as
community of earnest, intelligent and pa
triotic persons. desiring 10 know and to do
their duty as voters and he should speak
not in the interest of any class or section
he would try TO forget, even. for the hour,
that he was cclOred man, and 50 under
the utmost obligations to the Republican
party, for all they had done for his race
and should speak a. an American citizen,
interested in the welfare of every section.
and honestly desiring to support the best
party, whichever it Is.
The Republican party has now been SIX
teen years in power, and that 1t has been 50,
has been largely due to the men of Yer
mont. Voting first Of the Northern States
! in the campaign, and composed, a. she Is
| known to be, of intelligent men, not swayed
| By prejudice or purchasable by brides,
| Vermont exerts more moral influence on
every national election than any other State.
| The Republicans of every other State are
now looking at Vermont. Always Repub-
| hcan. will it now be largely. grandly Re
| publican? Ii it IL, the party everywhere
will be encouraged. The question i for
YOU to answer. and by your answer the gen
| eral result will be largely affected. Prot
LangstOn reverted to the condition OF the
| country under the control oil the Democrat
| ic party previous to 1861. That party now
claims the right to resume control. And
what does it propose 10 DO. Its plat
| form. adopted at ST. Louis, demands
"cbange of system" Now system i
word Of fundamental meaning, and a
change Of system means fundamental
change. The speaker argued at length
that the change of system demanded by the
| Democratic platform a. expOunded 10
the light of the declarations Of
leading men and papers Of that party,
il change back 10 the condition
of the country in 1861. when no man.
white or black, could exercise free thought
and free speech IN the presence OF the
Southern oligarchy when a Republican
president was compelled t. skulS through
MARYLAND, on his way to Washington. Mr.
Lamar, the leading Democratic orator, in
his speech stating the position of the party,
says I'VE demand that the General Gov
eminent shall give the Southern States
state governments and then let them alone.
They want again to be able to say to your
sons who have seen fit to 20 South, carry
ing with them their love Of liberty, leave,
and let the Southern whites take their Old
CONTROL We are told by Democratic ora
tors that where the Conservatives have con-
troll there Is peace between the races. 50
there i peace In yOnder city of the dead
where sleep the remains OF Ethan Allen.
The peace in Mississippi, to-day, Is the
death OF free thought and free speech.
II YOU dent believe it, brother Democrat,
90 down there and try it on. Go
and make your free speech. claiming
your right to settle where YOU choose
as an American citizen, and the right of
uttering your opinions. whether they agree
with most of the white men around you, or
not See how long you will be permitted
to stay. We are asked to let such peace a.
this prevail in every Southern State. But
it was not for this YOUR boys went down
there to die. And We are not going to give
up the liberty. TO " hich Abraham Lincoln,
God bless his memory, died a martyr.
As the Democratic party OF old truckled
to the shareholders, 50 now, 1t sympathizes
with the southern rebels. As an illustra-
ton of the spirit pervading 1t, the speaker
quoted the remark of Sunset Cox to Mr..
Rainey. a colored member. of Congress. Mr..
Rainey is Mr.. Cox's peer in position and
IN intellect. and his superior in dignity
and courtesy. and yet Mr.. Cox, in the de-
bate on the Hamburg massacre, addressed
Mr. Rainey with the words and spirit of the
old plantation times sit down. honey
sit down" Another illustration is the
course Of the House; as soon as it assembled
with its Democratic majority 1t elected so
Union soldiers some men who had given arms
and legs to their country when attacked by
traitors. and put in their places A. ex-UOn-
iederate soldiers. This i but fOreshad-
owing of the process which would take place
in every department of the government. if
the Democratic party should resume control.
Taking up the financial question, Prof
Langston reviewed the management Of the
finances under Republican control. He
presented statistics showing the immense
prOpOrtionate reduction OF losses TO the
government ty deialcations under Republi-
can presidents, and the great increase IN
the efficiency and economy of collection of
the revenues. The Republicans in ten years
have reduced the public debt $500. OO0, 600.
They have greatly decreased taxation.
They have given the country the best bank
ing system and the best paper currency
possessed by any nation. IL Is now every
where current, at a uniform rate Of value.
Everybody Is glad to take it. and in addl-
ton TO the faith OF the nation phghted for
its redemption the Republicans have fixed
the day when 1t shall stand on gold basis.
The Democrats propose to give US hard
money with Tilden and unlimited soft
money with Hendricks. They cut down
the expenditures of the departments, sim
ply to make capital for the campaign, with
a certainty that they will be increased to
their old dimensions by deficiency bills a.
sOcn a. Congress meets again and they
have at the same time put in bills Tor pri-
vate claims, mostly for properly of rebels
taken or destroyed in the war, to an
amount equal to the present public debt.
The speaker commented humorously on Mr.
Tllden's delay in writing his letter of &C
ceptance, and closed with a glowing ap-
peal to the Republicans of Vermont to get
out their full vote and do their whole duty
next September.
Prof. Langst0n spoke with immense earn
estness, at times rising to elOquence, and
thoroughly carried his audience with him
lie repeatedly challenged the Democrats to
gaInsay his statements; bat no one ventur-
ed TO take single exception tn any Of
them. lie was frequently interrupted by
long and hearty applause.
At the close of his address. on motion of
DR.. j. Ii. Richardson, the thanks of the
meeting were voted to him. for his able,
instructive and convincing speech.
The committee, then reported the constltu-
ton and bylaws for the Hayes and W heeler
club of Colchester, anu a list of officers of
the same as follows:
President-J. Ii. Richardson
Vice-Presidents - Col. W. d. Munson.
Elisha Allen.
Secretary-O. p. Ray
Treasurer-L. b. Platt, Jr
Executive Committee-Samuel Bigw0od,
John Lyon.J Z. Platt. T. B. Ilne. q. ID.