The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-19
Ben Harrison

Harrison began his canvass for Cover
nor of Indians at Dsnville, Hendricks
county, to-day, where he addressed a
large meeting and spoke for nearly three
hours, and almost entirely on national
politics, his only reference to state mat.
tiers being warm advocacy of such an
amendment of the state constitution Is
would permit of the enactments of a
rigid registry law He only had sim
gle sentence for Hendricks, which was,
that il he had said or done anything in
favor of his country in her hour Of trial,
history had failed 10 record. He began
by explaining that he had in the start
declined TO allow the use Of his name for
the Governorship, only for purely per-
sonal reasons, and not because he did not
appreciate the high honor which the
nomination would confer, nor because he
feared to enter the contest which
he was convinced, and had
been for some time. must lead to
Republican victory. .45...s,,.
He then reviewed at some length and
in strong terms, the history of the DEM
ocrstic party, claiming that, rs an Or
ganizstion, it was disloyal to the coun-
try. This kind OF talk, or truth, that all
is not quiet and orderly in the south, is
called the "wsving of the bloody shirt"
1t is an expression with which he had no
patience, for it was an insult 10 loyal
soldiers who had diedfor the nations life.
He then took up the record OF Tilden,
beginning with the Kent letter Of
1860, which ne characterized as the ut
terances of u secessionist reading por-
tions of it and commenting on them at
length, and without severity. lie took
up in order the letter Of DIR. Russell,
showing that Tilden held the same senti.
ments in March, 1861. He again proved
the same thing BY his refusal to take
part in the war meeting in April, 1861,
and by the Chicago peace resolution Of
1864. He then dealt with Tilden Ms the
ally of Tweed, and sham rcformer and
was frequently interrupted by applause
When General Harrison had concluded
Senator Booth, of California, who is
visiting his relatives in this state, WAS OBJ
served by somebody TO be in the court
room, and cry WAS raised for HIM. lie
refused for some moments to say any.
thing, but being finally forced forward by
the continued demands, he said 1t would
be hardly worth while to come so far to
say so little; but this call of yours thrills
my heart rs 1t has not before been
thrilled for years, for to-day
stand for the first time in my
native state TO speak 20 my fellow
citizens upon political question can
only congratulate you on tins susplcious
occasion; can only congratulate the
Republicans of Indiana that they have II
leader in this canvass who bears An
historic Rame 10 which he added lustre
by his own abilities and patriotism, and
can only rejoice with you that the first
Governor Of the territory ot In.
diana will give us a Gov
crnor in the Centennial year.
| don't deny that, as far rs | Am
personally concerned. recognize that
there are great political questions bearing
upon us in the near future, that are not
touched upon. The divisions between
the Republican and Democratic parties
great questions Of finance, great ques-
tions of fiscal policy, methods of reform
and sdministrstion-but when 1 find the
Democratic party, as "A compact mass
chco ing old traditions, animated
ny It's old ideas, Nil other questions III
my mind are subordlnstod IL It's deica.
and destruction. / know not what Others
may think, but as for mo can see no
road To progress that does not lead over
its ruins. For fifteen years it has stood
in the pathway OF our advance, for fifteen
years il has resisted every great political
idea, for fifteen years it has endesvor
to suppress every grand political utter
ance, and the time has come, yea
the fullness of the time, when
it should cumbcr the ground
no longer. ] don't deny that the Re.
publican party has made mistakes; ]
don't deny that it has corrupt men some
times for lis agents, but look st the past
behind US, think Of the great questions it
has confronted, think "fthe hundreds Of
thousands, and hur dreds of thousands on
that, it has employei; think Of tn" diff.
culties it has passed through, the work
it has accomplished, and il seems 10 me
miraculous that its mistakes have been
butIas the bends Of the river that do not
effect its channels as il rusheS 20 the se'.
And there is this 10 b. said Of il, that il
made the country's extremity its divine
opportunity; that when the catastrophe
came that good men Nil over the world
supposed would have destroyed us, il
snstrhed victory even from the gains Of
that and made the event that was 70
blot US out from among nations the op-
portunity to ft upon our policy the seal
nf uniyersat freadom and make IL tho