The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-07-20
AnliGfaL
RATIFICATION.
Cincinnati for TiIden and Reform
SPEECH OF HON. GEO. 4 PENDLETON
PATRIOTIC LETTER FROM SENATOR
THURMAN,


The Democracy of Cincinnati met and
ratified at the Grand Opera House on
Saturday night. The night was warm
and the crowd large and enthusiastic,
and perspiration was shed at every pore.
Contrasting the meeting with that of two
weeks ago held by the Republicans in
Exposition Hall, there was but one opin"
ion. 1t was much larger, much more en-
thusiastic, and had the advantage over it
of having better speakers and more elo-
quence. 1t fairly started the campaign
for Tilden and Reform.
Hon. Alexander Long wound the meet
ing up and set it going, and then handed
it over to Judge Hoadly, who made an
eloquent address three quarters of an
hour In length, interlaided with quota
tions from various State and National
platforms and the German poets, and
then assumed the chair. He was follow
ed by Hons. George H. Pendeton, Fred.
Hassaurek, Charles Reemeln and Sam
uel F. Hunt
HON, GEO. II. PENDLEToN.
The Hon. Geo. II. Pendleton was re-
ceived with immense applause when he
stepped to the front. He spoke as fol.
lows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW CITIZENS
l have left my house this evening for the
first time in three weeks. was not will
ling to decline your invitation if | were
at all able to attend. When | saw that
you, Mr. President, (alluding to Judge
Hoadley,) were to preside and that Mr..
Reemelin and Judge Stalo were to be
speakers, it recalled the many years ago
when we worked together, and it gave
me great pleasure.
shall not detain you long, for know
you will be impatient to hear them and
Mr.. Hassaurek. l do affect to believe
that the resolutions adopted at st. Louis
are the most felicitous expression Of the
totality of human wisdom in politica
economy, On the contrary | could wish
that some things had been omitted and
others changed, and still others in
serted. | do not affect to believe that
the nominees are the only men worthy
to fill the high places for which they
have been designated. But do believe
those resolutions are, in the main, can
did, truthful exposition of views and
opinions entertaire ed by large majority
of the Democratic party. l do believe
the nominees are able, experienced, hon
est, virtuous men, and | am so convinced
that these opinions carried into admins
tration by these men will greatly bene-
fit the country, that think every intel
ligent citizen is in duty bound to put
forth his honest, earnest, active endeav-
ors to secure their success in November. |
What is our condition? Politics have |
fallen from that high standard of purity |
(which eXalteth nation" Public SER
vice is not the sacrifice of self to the pub |
lie good, but is made the means of self |
aggrandizement.
High official station is not valued for |
the duties which it imposes, but for the |
patronage and power which it confers- |
and these are treated as personal perqui- |
sites, the rewards, as grants and pensions |
are in othercountries--for past services |
to be disposed according to the interest
or pleasure or caprice of the possessOr.-
Offices are not esteemed as high public |
trusts, but for their money value.
Do | exaggerate? A President of the |
United States in public letter to the
presiding officer of State convention
argued that he was entitled to third
term, because two terms were not equiv
alent in salary Or power or honor to an
other Incompatible Office which he re-
signed.
This low estimate of the public service
has permeated every Department of the
Government, and tainted every policy.
Silver is demonetized to increase the
gains of creditors. Subsidies are granted
to benefit localities or powerful corpora
tiOns. The currency is manipulated to
advantage class. 1t has destroyed the
sensitiveness of the official conscience,
and gone far to dim the perceptions of
the people themselves. Nay more; it
has affected the whole body of organi-
zed society, and to some extent lowered
the tone of the public mind and heart
1t has entered commerce, and business
has become largely system of gambling
speculatiOns, and, if | may say so with
out ofense, it has entered the church
and often substituted protesting and
seeming for religion pure and undefed.
In great measure the effect has been to
contde politics to Office holders, and
they have justified Johnson's definition,
that patriotism is the just refuge of a
scoundrel-to Confide commerce to mere
spectators, and they have confounded
the acquisition of money with high COM
mercial honor, to con6de religion to the
orists and dogmatizers, and they have
raised open adherence to a creed above
q benefCent life. -..... ...-.
Twelve years of partisan Republican
ism has produced this result. Partisan
Republicanism planted this poison at the
heart of the system, and it has been car
ried with the blood through every ar
terry and vein of the whole body Parti-
san RepubliCanisn. as expounded by Re-
publican administrations, has been
a vice and a crime.
Do you ask proof2 The honest effort
of an honest Secretary to punish thieves
and robbers-that is, to do his simple
duty. Indeed, but "a little candle" in
ordinary times has been made by very
contrast, to shine like a good deed in
naughty world" And he has been prac-
tiCally dismissed out of the Administra-
ton, and all his aiders and abettors are
being kicked out after him. And in the
face of these acknowledged facts the Re- ,
publican convention commended the ad-
ministration for its Honorable work in
the management of foreign and domes-
tic affairs" and expressed its gratitude to a
General Grant for ''his eminent services |
in peace" This is Republicansm. This 1
is Grantism. They are one and the same. G
They are inseparabe. The great council ]
Of the party, composed, as it has been
boastiugly said, of its most intelligent,
cultivated, representative men, commend
this administration, commends its acts, Y
policy, commends its tone, commends its
whole domestic policy, is grateful to Pres I
ident Grant thathe has vouchsafed them 2
TO us, and says to his successor, "Go thou t
and do likewise" I.i +