Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-08-31
Gov. Stone a. Columbia !.

sSA"sIcN.s Gtout uuu1EcSVA i1is
house ut Columbia, this county, last
Friday evening, in response to spsc-
iai invitation from Republicans OF
that vicinity. The audience having
assembled. on motion MFR. John May
berry was elected to preside, and ta-
king the chair introduced Gov. Stone.
From notes taken at the time we give
the following brief and imperfect
synopsis OF portion Of the address.
and will refer TO other portions next
week
nv Fenow citizens---I have net
made political speech for two years,
though In the past l have often spo-
ken to you here, and you have always
heard me kindly. Though we may
not fully agree ! know you will hear
me kindly now.
We all indulge pride In this great
commonwealth Of Iowa. In It's prairies,
forests, aud fields, in its growth aud
physical development. it's fertile soil,
its schools, churches and unnumbered
advantages, and above all its patriot
ism and defence OF the principles Of
our government. For all these we
are Indebted In large measure TO the
party which has for years controlled
your State aud National Govern
ments
We have hard times, sometimes
failures of crops, and hog cholera, and
men are apt 10 charge upon the party
In power the results. / tell you the
cry Of hard times is heard now in
every country. The country 10 infest-
ed with tramps-and the tramps are
In favor of Tiiden. The Administra-
ton is not responsible for these
things. You know you have hard
times because Of your poor crops for
two or three years. Grant is not TO
blame for IT, Now / am not going TO
recall anything have heretofore said
OF Grant. He has made mistakes,
and has sometimes chosen bad men
aud been deceived, but he did not
send disease to sweep away your hogs.
/ am Republican.
We are In the midst OF an impor-
tant Presidential campaign. Two
great parties are in the field with
their nominees, and you and ] are to
decide between them I'm November.
have no hesitation In making choice.
/ voted for Horace Greeley In '72. /
am not above party and hope ! never
shall be. ! opposed Grant for good
reasons. [The speaker here paid a
glowing tribute to Greeiey.l kept
still until the Democratic party met at
Baltimore and endorsed Greeley and
declared the Democratic party dead.
They promised 1t should not be resuY-
rected, and promised to unite with
them and liberals in forming a
new party The venture failed. The
Democrats failed TO abide by their
promises, and went back. The Bonr-
bon element was too strong. and re-
fused to die. They left the Liberal
Republicans to hold the bag II uoice-
"and no snipes."l l told you In II
that shoutd never go over to Democ-
racy. / did not, and DO not blame
them for going back when the Liber-
al movement failed. But their going
back released me. / have not drop
Of blood In my veins In sympathy
with modern Democracy. God help
me, ! never will--never can go with
them. My friends. have not left the
Democratic prrty, and you Anti-Mo-
nOpolists have not.
The Republicans are all back and
are supporting Hays and Wheeler. I
judge party by its past record rather
than by the platitudes and general
tiles promulgated by it's leaders. II
you want man for responsible
place you want TO know his REGARD
rather than his professions. Glen.
Grant is not a candidate, and II be
were could not support him.
Rutherford Is. Hayes. an honest
man, against whom no man can say
aught, Is the representative OF the
Republican party and Of Liberty aud
patriotism. You aud can support
him, and safely entrust him with the
interests OF the Nation. Let US look
at the record Of the Republican party
and see II all is crime that IL charged
upon it.
Was 1t crime TO go into the war
when the rebels fired upon Sumpter?
Was II a crime for the immortal Lin
coin to proclaim freedom to the
slave, In spite of the opposition Of the
Democracy Was 1t mistake? Was
IL a mistake to put the rights Of the
freedmen In the constitution, and say
that Congress shail carry out the pro-
Visions Of the amendments? We
reconstructed the Southern States,
and stand by it. Were we right?
What great issue has our party advo-
Gated which Democrats will now dare
to say was wrong?
What reason Is there now for de-
the Republican party and
putting In its enemies? You say
there has been mischief in Washing
ton. True. Belknap sold post ira
there have been whiskey
frauds, and numerous wrongs; but
the Government has prosecuted the
thieves. The party has condemned
the wrong and spared none. Why
then should we burl Il from power.
We approve tho measures and prip-
ciples OF the Republican party Now
what Is there In the history of the
party that even Democrats
can approve? They talk about carpet
baggers. The Democracy favored the
Missouri compromise. Their carpet
baggers invaded aud ravished Kansas
under approval Of the administration
Of Price aud Buchanan Dare they
approve ii to-day.
In Congress they refused to vote
man or q dollar for the war, aud Buch-