The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-04
LAST WORDS FOR REFORM.
J TUE LAST or THE GREAT MEETINGS
:. IN COOPER UNION HALL.

l-rhe Hon. David A. Well. of Connecticut Law
tne Bare the Elaborate sopbistries OF Will
liam N. Evarts and tho Weak Deciamatien
Of the Fallen Ex-senator Carl echurz.
The large hall Of tho Cooper Union wss
allied to overnowins last evening by the Demo-
cratic merchants Of Now York, who had assem-
bied to hear the reply Of tho Hon. David A.
Wells to DIR. Evarts's diagnosis OF the political
ailments OF tho country. II was an enthusiastic
gathering. The audience were fresh from the To-
ispiritipg spectacle OF Thursday night, and the
merest mention Of the name Of samuel J. Tilden
was the SIGNAL for prolonged cheering.
The platform was nllcd with gentlemen Of the
biebest standing. among them Messrs. August
Belm ont, Stewart Brown. James NJ. Brown.
Frederick g. winston, Henry Morgan. Psrko
Godwin. Wilson @. Hunt, William e. Dodge,
Jr.. Abram 8. Hewitt, David Jones, John II.
Asnew, Smith Ely, Jr, Robert D. Minturn,
Charles II. Marshall, Adrian Iselin, Charles NJ.
Fry, l.. NJ. Lawson, william II. Appleton. J. d.
Alexander. George A. Crocker, Anson Phelps
Stokes. Robert NJ. G. Graham, william d.
Crooker, Edward Cooper. Robert L. Cutting,
and Royal Phelps.
MIR. Thomas Cooper Campbell called tho meet
ing to order and introduced Howard Potter,
ESQ, the Chairman Of tho evening. On taking
the ohair Mr.. Potter said that while he did not
think that every person throughout the land
would accept the latost teachings OF the CeDten-
nial orator. yet Mr. Eyarts In his latest public ut
teraooe had said some acceptable things about
the IN motlyes that actuate citizens In their uso of
che ballot. He made three categories. personal
Interest In candidates. disinterested attachment
Co candid and expresslon OF conviction a. to
the party best ntted to he trusted with power.
There Is, however, one motive that Is most salu-
tary differing from Mr. Eysrts's reason In that II
refers to the past and not TO the future. 1t is
the vote expressing want Of confidence In tho
existing rule. The main question now presented
to voters Ia whether the record of the Repunli-
can party entities 1t to further confidence
lCries Of mo, no."l l also sm OF those who
paY no. when II was question OF larger area
and deeper bondage for the blacks l stood
with the Republican party. Now that they
narrow the issues to the practical enslave-
ment OF the whites / am against It..
tAppnuse.1 The party managers have done oil
they could to divert attention from issues grow
Ing out of their wasteful misrovernment by
making Il n canvass OF personal abuse. They,
however, cannot blind US entirely to the fact
that the real object pursued by them is to make
tbis a government OF the oficeholder, by tho
oficeho older, for the onlceb older. Laughter and
appIausol We have had enough OF such gov
ernment. IL Is not Oulf AT tue south tOat tD0
functions Of government have been misuirected d
to the prostration and impovcrishment OF tho
voyerned. The experience OF New York mer-
chants shows that the oficeholders In this city
do not lack the disposition but only the power
Co be guilty here Of outrage. like those In South
Carolina and Louisiana. These are the reasons
why vote OF want OF confidence 10 a vote for
Samuel J. Tilden, a man whose record IL a
guar intee tina, his administration will he direct
ed with stfi test regard to ths principles and
traditions Of out Government as well d for the
material advantage OF all citizeDs.
In introducing Mr.. Wells. Mr.. Potter spoke OF
bim rs man Of national fame, who was an
Ohtoeholder at a time when there was no req
sobs why an honest man should not hold once.
lLsughtsr.1 But" added he. the place that
baps tor The reason that there are secrrLs which
ao hone.t man ma' uot Know IApp!ause1
MIR. Wells sad:
FEILow CITIZENS: owe you an apology. In
the first instance for resentiDc myself here to-
Night before a .llt'cel audience with a manu-
speak on important economic topics. know
what | have TO by will be subjected to severe
criticism and challenge, and cont propose 10
leave open any ioophoie for attack Nv reason OF
slip OF tongue or ilute u memory respecting
going TO speak Tonight on either specie resuin ..
tion or civil service reform. not Lec iuse | AIN
hfraid to discuss those questions before New
York audience ON this pl TORN, not because
have anY lesa clear convictions on those suo.
5ecis than l nave had previously. but because
of a puphc nature, Of nos lees paramount I'M
portanCe, and winch have not been trcat ed IL
this campaign with the attention which ttiul
they deserve. | propose TO speak specifically OF
this one question, "Mnat Is the relation OF tn'
pending Presidentiai election to the businesi
Interests OF the countryF lAtpiause.l pro
po-e TO speak TO you slso from text, aud thu
text " the following extract from the speech o
my friend MIR. Carr schufZ, at the Union League
Club of this city. Oct. ~, and aldressed espe
cially 70 The suOstanti.i business men oI TIT
country:
A Democratic victory. said Mr.; schur. h. 70
you meaning. II means several years more " tina
nnoeuIinty whlcn ls now crpllng ousuess, when !
uepTessins manufactures, wnIch has been closing GU
factories. and mas pu a great many OF our working
men out OF employment.
For years Mr.. Schurz and myself have been II
The closest sympathy in respect to matters po
titioal, economic and personal. 1 dtsike YER
much 10. find myself IN sntagOnism with HIN oi
any question of IA puolio nature. But de-
wholly now disagree with MIN IN the opinion al
hbove expressed and 90 dissCreeing, propos
10 review the facts IN the Case US they seem q
me to present themselves. and to ask he publ
10 Judge which oi US Two Is right In his conclu
pyns,
The returns OF capital invested In almost ever
species Of Industrial enterprise are declared L,
be unsatisfactory, while lsbo, everywhere com
plains that IL Is inadeQustely rewarded, or de
prved OF the opportunity OF earning an honest
livelihood. All are AAIeed on the subject o
those matters; but there is another point which
j. not 30 clearly recognized, aud that is that til,
nepression of Industry, Of uace aud commerce
which We are nov aud for the last three year,
much OF scarcity as OF sverabund ance. Ever,
be0tlon OF tue cnuutiy Is fuil VI what the othe
)eOtiOns ana the whole world want. The Soutl
ts fun Of cotton, the West Of grain and pOrk
kho Middle states Of coal ami IRON, Now Eng
land of textiles. Yet tue excnAnge Of these
bOmmodities, which Constitutes coIameres, L.
sluggish. All are living from hand TO mouth
pOnstructivo works To meet the wAnts VI III,
future are nearly all suspended.
Certainly sucn condition ~ things Is no
phtural, but artificial aud being artificial ad
miis vi relief and remedy. Nuw, in seeking 10
The uses OF toe present probation and IN,
reason FOR the retsTdatiOn Ot curative action
hm not 80 narrow minded, 80 unjust and parti
san Us 70 attribute the Ulams wholly to tue poi
Icy of the party aud tue Administration whicl
Tor a lOug period Of years has now controlled tn
Federal Government Governments are no
DmnipOtent. 1htv cannot make men wise WI
hre naturally foolish, or give brains TO those l.
whom nature has not been generous. II Canno
restrain them from beng eKtraVaRant whe
they should be economical, nor irom engdRin
10 rash and speculative enterprises II woul
seem " me, az r. m he common results f,
human frailties, That t"rie ~ no one class c
agencies wnich IN ttii4Iiy Affects the matyrii
Interests OF tine people, which so determine
the size OF their loaf the cost II their coats, IN
price Of their co5l the pure hasin2 power OF the
money, and tbs limitation OF their capital, A. III
policy which the Government adopts Ia IA
management OF the trsat hdininistratlye Iusl
Whicn ale especially committed To II. thus IL
eXAniple the Federal GOvsrnment taxes I
1tsolf tho eIclIHlvs control of tho follOwln
matters lhe relations Of the several Sthte
the impobitiOu VI taxes on domestic pfouuO
md foreign me huulse, the regLl lion OF con