The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-09-28
SENATOR THURMAN,
HIS OPENING SPEECH AT
CANTON.
THE SINS OF THE REPUBLICAN,
PARTY.
HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF
HONEST GOVERNMENT.
TEnquirer's Special Report

er's Opera House to the very utmost, on
which occasion Senator A, g. Thurman
made his first speech for this campaign.
The entire day, in fact, was sort of gala
day, in anticipation of the event, and
brought together a large number of peo-
ple from the neighboring towns. Mas
sillon alone sent in three carloads, and
several of the other towns showed their
enthusiasm in proportion. The meeting
was by far the largest one that has been
held in this place for years, and in point
of enthusiasm was simply immense. The
meeting was organized at y o'clock, with
Judge Raft as chairman; after which the
Nilsson Quartette Club sang aTilden song
and the Osnaburg and Louisville bands,
which had come with country delegations
played stirring pieces of music. Upon
being introduced, Senator Thurman
spoke as follows:
SENATOR THURN1AN's SPEECH.
Fellow -CIrIzENs-Fo more than tif-
teen wears the Radical party has held
power in the United States. Since the
close of the civil war, eleven years ago,
its dominion has extended over the
whole Republic. During the whole tif-
teen years, with the exception of the last
session of Congress, it has had the Presi-
dent, an overwhelming majority in each
branch of Congress, almost the entire
Federal Judiciary. For the greater por-
ton of this period it has had possession
of nearly all the State governments in
the North, and by Congressional legisla-
tion and Executive usurpation has exer-
cised almost absolute power over the
State governments of the South. Hav-
ing thus had for so long period the un-
restrained power to execute its own will,
it can not complain if the people now
demand an account of its stewardship
Has it brought peace and prosperity to
the country? Has it healed the wounds
of civil strife, and bound the different
sections of the Republic together, not
alone by material force, but by the great
er, more enduring and benehcent power
of common interests, common affections,
Constitutional rule and impartial justice?
Have its policy and practice tended to
strengthen the affections of the people
for their form of government, and to
make the great Republic an object for
the admiration and imitation ofmankind?
Has it commended republicanism to its
own and the other peoples of the world
by official purity, impartial laws, light
taxation, economical administration, a
sound currency aud general prosperity?
Ifthese questions could be truthfully an
swerered in the affirmative, the claim of
that party to further lease Of power
would be almost or quite unanswerable.
But if they, or the greatest part of them,
must be answered in the negative, then
every candid and intelligent man must
admit that the time has come for a
change of rulers, and in the power of the
people to make this change, without vio-
ience, without bloodshed, through the
peaceful agency of the ballot box lies one
of the chief, if not the very chief, excel
lencies of free institutions. But the pos
session of this power imposes upon the
people the, correlative duty to examine
II. when its exercise becomes necessary,
for in no other mode can they put an end
to malddministration and oppressive laws
And mark it, a people who fail to con-
denim corruption, invite and sanction its
continuance; people who fail to relieve
themselves from uni &t and onerous laws,
tamely submit to be the subjects of tyr
amy; people who make animosity, ha-
tired and narrow sectional feeling success
full stepping stones to place and power,un-
dermine THE same time theirpeaCe and
prosperity and the perpetuity of their
government. What right have you to
complain of corruption if you knowingly
aud voluntarily prolopS the power ofthe
corruptionists? What right have you to
complain of bad laws, if you continue in
office the very men, or their abettors,
who made and maintain them? What
right have you to complain under oppres-
sive taxation if you will not apply the
remedy when you have it in your own
hands? With what face can you COM
plain of hard times, if you, year after
wear, elect and re-elect the very men
whose policy, legislation and rule have
contributed so much to bring your suf-
fering and distress upon you? And how
can you deplore the existence Of animos'
tiles and hatred among the people and
ill-will between the different sections Of
the Republic, if you reward with high
and influential gifts the very instigators
of these animoslties, hatred and ill-will?
But now let us look, as far as our limited
time will permit, into the details of some
of these matters to which l have in gen.
eral referred.
And first let me speak briefly, for of
necessity must be brief, upon the sub
iect of hard times Without giving cred
1t to the exaggerated statements some
times made, think it will be universally
admitted that at no previous period oi
our history were SO many laboring men
out of employment or working at dimin-
ished time and diminished wages as there
are at this day; that at no previous period
was it so difficult for capital to find prof.
table investment in the productive in.
dustries, whether of commerce, manufac,
ture or agriculture; that never within the
memory of this generation did values ol
all kinds, real estate, goods and chattels
stocks and bonds Government bonds
alone excepted) suffer such a shrinkage
as has taken place within the last three
years; that never before did men in debt
find it so difficult to get out of debt, and
that, consequently, and owing to the
causes which gave rise to this condition
ofthings, there have been far more fail.
ures of business men, and far greater
numbers, than were ever known before
in the United States in an equal period
of time. These are facts patent to all
men, and under which the people are
suffering in town and country, from one
end of the Republic 10 the other. Now
the question naturally rises, Are our
Radical rulers in any wise responsible
for this lamentable condition of affairsi
1t is question that cannot be put aside
that must be answered. 1t is all in vain
that the Radical orators seek to shirk il
by waving the bloody shirt, and trying
to direct the attention of the people tc
the dead issues of years gone by. Dc
what they will, say what they can, the
question is in every mans mouth, and
falca iog,,ao M,