The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-08-26
SOLID!
4 Eorsing Meeting.
Ti,den and Hendricks in Dayton.


VILLAGE ON Tuesday evening, Aug. 22d. They
held il, and good one it was. The place
was the beautiful grove on the hill at the
north end Of the village. There speakers
stand had been erected and seats provided for
the comfort of the audience, while Chinese
lanterns Illuminated and gave an attractive
appearance to the scene, which was still fur.
Their enivcned by The music of Bach's City
Baud.
The village was out en- mdSse ladies as well
as gentlemen, and a great many had come IN
from all parts OF the surrounding neighbor-
hood, so that at least 400 or 500 people were
present Mr.. David Green was made presl-
dent, and made few happy remarks; but as
we did not arrive till Mr.. V Is. Weeks, who
followed him, had nearly finished we cannot
report either his or Mr. WIS remarks, though
the conclusion of the later's was excellent
We were fortunately just in good season to
hear the splendid speech OF Mr. }. e. CrooNer
of fundamentally the best speech we
have heard during the campaign. 1t is a
pity we cannot give it in full for the best
sketch gives but poor proof Of lis quality.
Once every four years, he said, we were wont
to hear It said that the country is in danger,
and we heard il SO often that we are perhaps
tired of 1t; bat If ever IT was true, ii is true
now, as a review Of the country's condition
will show. Sixteen years ago our commerce
was imnense, every sea was covered with our
sails. carrying The products of the world; the
smoke of our factories covered the land; bust
ness fourlshed and the people were prosper
Gus and happy. How is it new? Our com
merce is prostrated-reduCed from the first
rank among the nations to the seventh or
eighth place; our navy yards, that built the
ships Of the world, are now grown up with
weeds; our factories shut; business depressed
and the people in poverty and in want. Then
the government was for the benefit of the
people; now, the people are for the benefit Of
the government, which sucks away their sub
stance by ruinous taxation. Then the Off
ces were the gilt of the people; now they are
sold to the highest bidder. How long will
we stand it? y change must come; there
must be q new administration to punish the
thieves and restore purity to the government.
The republicans admit that Grant is corrupt,
but that now reform will come from within
the party Will Hayes and Wheeler bring
that REFORM Are republicans honest in their
statement? See how their relormers are
abused. Why don't they resist Grant in his
acts? In Johnson's time they fought the
PRESIDENT they settled back in their chairs
and detied him TO remove officers or appoint
new ones. But now they let Grant do as lie
pleases-he is king among them, and they
dare not resist or oppose HIM, as the printer
Clapp disgrace Is abundant proof of. But
they say, Tlden and Hendricks are polite
ians; Tllden was a Tammany man, and all
that sort of bosh. The truth is the republi-
cans will blacken any one. See how in 1872,
they assailed and abused Horace Greeley, a
man to whom more than any other that party
owes its standing at all times in its history.
You can't rely on these fellows in what they
say. There Is a vast difference between Off
GERS 16 years ago and now. Now the whole
country is controlled by rings, to steal the
back in Van Buren's time a New York col.
lector, named Swartwout, was short Sl3,1SO,
and the excitement was terrific. The papers
ran wild with Swartwout, and his name and
deed became proverbial. Now the man who
steals million is big man, is respectable
and held in honor, and they are common
And as to taxation, it benefits but the few.
Under our tariff laws duties are collected on
over 1000 articles which yield less revenue
than England obtains by duties on only Str-
teen articles But it makes offices. There IS
Blaine our Maine man, our American Apol.
10. He has custom officers on the cost o.
Maine who, IN the course of the year, collect
as much as dozen or fifteen shillngs in du-
ties tor the government and get salaries OF
S7,OUO, $4,000 or $4,000 tor collecting IL!
Why are these offices keptup? And he gave
the Sioux war "a little notice, not very compli.
mentary either, and spoke Of the st. Louis
cOnyentlon-its fine men and its splendid
work. He said the state ticket was good
one, and spoke highly of Mr. Lew Steward,
asaman owning large and well managed
farm, as manufacturer, beneiactor of the
people in numerous ways, and as man who
was never known 10 steal He closed by say
ing the government is what we make it, and
we alone are responsible for lis condition.
He was followed by Mr.. J. (. Thompson
and L. W. Brewer, both of whom made TIP
top speeches Mr.. John 5. Armstrong, of
Sheridan, closed the meeting, by stating
some facts about his connection with Lew
Steward. Said he was so flattrred in this
matter he might yet lose his identity. Said
people called him the grandfather Of Lew
Steward; that he gave Steward $4,000 grang-
er votes and worked for his nomination,
which was not true, either at Decatur or at