Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-08-25
SPEECH or non MI RSEfALL JEW.
mn

Hon. Marshall Jewell Of Connecticut,
late Postmaster General Of tho United
States, made his first campaign speech at
the town hall in this place on Thursday
evening, Aug. II. A large audience was
present, including many ladies. The fine
figure, easy, unpreientious manner aud
sound arguments Of the speaker produced
a good effect upon the audience, who fire.
quently manifested their approval. The
speech was mostly read from tho manu-
script, and was substantially AZ follows:
Mr.. Chairman, Lddics and Genlcmtn,-I
hardly need an introduction TO you this
evening, since was born very near this
town and feel almost at home among you
neither do need to apologize for under
King TO address you on this occasion.
According TO the constitution, forms and
traditions Of this great Republic, every
four years marks an epoch ia this country.
Once in four years the citizens, the freemen,
the voters, the men who control affairs by
the ballot-box, are required to meet at that
ballot-box aud decide who shall for the
next four years control the destinies of the
country. This is an unique spectacle, an en-
tircly new feature in the government Of ma
tons, that periodically, regularly and sys-
tematically tue Government changes and
the principle OF self-Government is Illus
trated and shown to be safe in this country
by the fact that whichever party may win,
the other acquiosces in the decision thus
made, with tue same disposition to abide
by the rulings of the incoming administra-
ib,nrl II ha1 ham ttsaf Of thnir
own choice. In but one instance since the
formation of this Government has there
been any protest against this decision of
the people, and how that protest was an-
swered by the nation, in ills integrity and
might, has passed into history aud needs
no comment from me here.
We are called upon in this, the first year
of a new century OF our existence, 10 elect
an administration for the next four years.
Never in our history was it more impor-
tant for a right decision to be arrived at
than in the coming campaign. More than
ever before do we look for the proper adj
ministration of affairs, 10 the character,
qualifications, history aud habits of the
candidates, and especially TO the tendencies
and purposes Of the next party behind.
These are Of vastly more Importance than
the cautious professions Of any convention
al platform. For the first time in our his
tory the pretensions Of the parties are some
what similar.
Both are raising the cry Of "relorm," and
propose to examine somewhat into the
professions of Tue men aud parties, with
view that we may form a correct judgment
as to which will carry out the reforms so
loudly called for by the masses OF both par.
ties.
No one man can rule this country. To be
successful the President must have at his
back majority Of the people. He must
| defer to the leaders Of public opinion, par
ticularfy in his own party. He cannot be
successful by placing himself outside Of his
| party. He must neither rise above nor adj
vance before the best thoughts of his sup
porters. nor lag far behind or fail much
below the honest sentiment Of his time. lie
cannot run counter to the wishc. and pur-
| poses OF those who made him President,
and Of this fact we have abundant exam pie.
| President Tyler having been elected as
| Vice President by the Wing party, aud sue
ceeding to the Presidency by The death OF
the President elected on that ticket with
him, event back" 50 to speak on his par
ty, its methods, intentions and professions;
with wha, success, his history has shown
and is well known TO this audience.
Andrew johnson failed to carry out the
purposes OF the panty which elected him,
and TO a great extent, particularly so far as
the Southern policy was concerned, placed
himself in antagonism 10 the party which
placed him in the position. Whether his
failure was as signal As that OF President
Tyler or not ii is not necessary here to dis
cuss. But it is sufficient TO know that his
administration, so far as carrying out the
principles OF the party which elected him
may indicate, was a failure, and he went
out Of office with the respect of neither par
ty.
Abraham Lincoln, ON the contrary, earn
ed the title Of one of the greatest admins
traitors ofthe age by the native instinct that
led him 10 get far enough ahead Of public
sentiment 10 be leader, and not far enough
in advance TO be alone and dishearten his
followers. A President must be not only
in accord with his party and with the best
sentiment Of that party, which, almost 10
a certainty, controls both Houses of Con-
gress, as the lower House Is elected at the
same time as the President, but he must
have the courage 10 act in an emergency in
unison with those better sentiments, and
act up TO the standard of the best thought oil
the highest and wisest patriots Of his time,
To illustrate: Take Llnc)ln's Emanci-
! patton Proclamation. We all know how
restivo the progressive sentiment of the
| North was when it found that the war was
not primarily for the purpose of emancipat-
ing the negroes, but, as announced by the
Administration, was for the integrity of the
| Union. The North believed that the Union
could only be preserved by the utter an
inhalation of slavery, complained all the
time that the Administration did not make
that its foremost and only object. Mr.
Lincoln, wisely keeping his own counsel
intended, as it was aiterward shown, at the
right time TO emancpate the slaves by one
bold stroke. He allowed the question &c
be argued pro and con by his adherent:
and his opponents, and with wisdom lai
beyond what was expected OF him, at the
proper time boldly stepped forward and
emancipated the negro, and thus had q
united North at his back. 1t was an ac
which required the courage of an honest
progressive statesman, and courage only
comes with honesty. Both these qualities
in abundance were possessed by Mr.. Lin
coin.
Take another illustration: President
| Grants veto of The initiation bill passed by
the Forty-third Congress. You recollec