The Portland daily press., 1876-08-26
POLITICAL.
A Ringing Speech from the Hon
w. A. Wheeler.

ST. ALBANs, VT, Aug 26 The Republican
rally tonight was largely attended, but heavy
thunder shower interfered somewhat with the
original arrangements and proposed iumina-
ton of the Park.
At Z o'clock the meeting assembled in Acad-
by Lucius Bigelow of BurlingtoR, in an effect.
i've speech of an hour and half. The meeting
then adjourned to the front of the Weldon
House, to tender serenade to Hon. VIM. A.
Wheeler Mr.. Wheeler arrived by special
train from the White Mountains at 8.15, On
his arrival salute was fired. At 8 D. m. he
was serenaded by the St. Adams Brigade
Band.
Mr.. Wheeler appeared on the balcony and
was greeted with tremendous cheers. He was
introduced by Edward A. Smith, Esq. as zone
of the noblest statesmen OF the republic" Mr..
Wheeler spoke as follows:
Republicans of st. Albans-You honor the
cause OF which am now prominent repre-
sentative. L was placed in nomination as the
Republican nominee for Vice President in the
national convention by the action of the states
of Vermont and Massachusetts,. 1t is the
greatest honor of my life that the Republicans
of these states deem me sufficiently grounded
in the New England faith to be one of the rep
resentatives of their ideas in the pending can
vass. (Applause.) In the matter of my faith
/ trust they have made no mistake. applause
L believe in New England. believe in Ply
mouth Rock, for they are convertible terms
One of the most gifted of New England women
has said that Plymouth Rock is no quartz; it is
perfect stone cut out of the mountain without
hands, and hands cannot prevent it from be-
coming a great smountain filling the whole
earth. Every church, every school-house, every
town house from the Atlantic to the Pacific
has Plymouth Rock for its foundation stone
Wherever freedom aims musket or raises a
standard, or sings a song, or makes protest,
there is Plymouth Rock Freedom, the church.
the school-house. the town house, those. my
friends, form the cardinal principles of the Re-
publican party.
have often thought and often said that the
commonwealth of Vermont composes and illus.
trates the complete realization of the highest
ideal of a Republican form of government
Where else can you find so much general intel
ligence, the result of your free, popular system
of education? Where so much fidelity and
economy in the administration of state affairs?
1t is the mission of the Republican party to
confer upon all the people of this country in
all the states and in all the territories, the ines
Unable privileges which you in Vermont en-
year of cur nation we ought to address our
selves to with renewed attention and fidelity.
I have no purpose here tonight, my friends to
recall the memorable conflict through which
this nation has passed and which made the
American arms forever illustrious. But let us
never forget the obligations resting upon US to
secure the results of that great conflict for our
selves and those who follow after us, and never
my friends, were these obligations more appar-
emit and imperative than BOW. We are al
ready engaged in another, conflict with the op.
ponents of the party which saved the nation
and which today protects its integrity and
guards its honor as in 1860 We are once
more, my friends, face to face with an united
South with the Democratic party of the North
as its subservient and plant ally. In every
federate party is dominant, it claims and may
receive 100 votes in the electoral college. 1t
has complete control of the lower house and
the balance of power in the Senate. There is
not today in those late slave states any man
holding prominent position who was not
eminent. Not even in the state of Kentucky
can you find man in any position whatever
who was not engaged on the rebel side This
is the condition of the South today.
have sat for months during the past winter
in Congress by the side of sixty-oDe men who,
few years since with arms in their hands
were engaged in the attempt to break up the
government Now have heard those men de-
fend the hellish atrocities of Libby, Anderson
vile and Salisbury. l have heard Lincoln ma
ligned, have heard defended the right of a
Virginia justice of the peace to detain and open
the mails of the United States. Can you tell
me where is the difference in the spirit which
twenty years ago led Missouri: border ruffians
into Kansas and the massacre of Hamburg,
where regularly organized militia company
were first disarmed and then murdered in cold
blood in order that the white race might assert
their superiority?
My official relations have called nae during
the past two or three years into the Southern
states, and 1 tell you l know, my friends, of
the real feelings OF the Southern people regard
ing the reconstruction acts. They regard the
amendment to the Constitution in reference to
slavery and the laws for the protection of freed
men as the French provinces did their cession
to Prussia at the point of the bayonet.
1t is to the South, my friends, with this spirit
and with the Democratic party OF the North as
its plant ally, that we are asked to turn over
the government of the United States, with all
its powers of legislation, with all its machinery
OF taxation. No such proposition for audacity
has its parallel in the history of the country.
What is the spirit of the Democratic party?
Do you want to prove what the Democratic par
ty Of the North still is? Go to Washington,
see fifty soldiers crippled in the service Of the
Union turned out of the House to make room
for as many rebel soldiers.
This is the spirit of the Northern Democracy.
My friends we confront the old issue and YOU
must not underrate the strength of the South
and its allies in the North. You ask me if il can
old way only. You must not underrate the
strength of this alliance. have a confding
faith that the confidence of the nation will be
sufficiently awakened to avert the great peril,
Under the lead of the gallant Hayes, who per-
rllled his life on the field of battle, a modest
man. q plain man, a man who has evinced
great ability in his administration of affairs of
thelgreat state of Ohio. under Hayes the Re-
publican party will again achieve a new tri-
umph. (Applause.)
What shall be your duty inithe canvass?
tell you friends of Vermont that know the
Democrats are making great efforts to reduce
the Republican majority in this state. Will Won
permit this my friends? Voices no, no.) The
banner of Vermont was never trailed on the
battlefield. Let your ballots protect the work
so effectually done by your bayonets at Gettys-
burg and on many a field of strife. AS YOU
value good government, as you value the sacri-
flee of the past as you hope for the future let
your devotion to the cause of the Union be
proved by your ballots. On the first Tuesday
In November next may the star which never
sets beam with new effulgence to light the