Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-08-23
SPEECH OF
EX-G0V. VIM. BIGLER.

SPEECH OF
EX-G0V. WIN. BIGLER.
DELIVERED IN THE COURT HOUSE, CLEAR
FIELD, Pa, FRIDAY EVENING, AUd. ii.
GENTLEMEN Within u brief period
We shall be called upon TO exercise the
privilege Of electors in relation to the
highest Office known to our Govern
mcnt, and about the performance oi
this duty | desire to express to you q
few thoughts. This right of suffrage,
about which We are so apt TO boast,
comes to us accompanied with grave
responsibilities. If in theory and in
practice we are possessed of the power
Of selfgovernment it follows that we
are responsible, in a large measure, for
the character of the Government under
which we live. Having the right to
select those who exercise the functions
Of government II is our fault If the in
competent, the venal and corrupt be
chosen for and retained in the public
service. 1t becomes our duty, there
fore, TO exercise this sacred right under
all the light we can bring to bear, and
as far as practicable for the public good.
The Republican party is before the
country asking a new lease of power,
so that its policies and practices may
be prolonged, and it is our right to pass
upon that question. Honest differences
of opinion about it may be possible !;
but, for myself, | can sec it in one way
only. think that the best interests
of the country require that the Rcpub-
lican party should have season Of rest
from the public service. For ten years
Of peace il has had control of the Gov
ernment in all its departments, and the
country is in the midst of ruin, At
the close of the war it had great
work before it. am not disposed to
underratc the difficulties of the task.
II would have required something Of
the wisdom of a Washington, and the
nerve and will of a Jackson, to have
devised and carried out the best means
to redeem the country from the evil
Influences of war--evils political, com
mercial and moral And in this con.
nection have always regarded the
death OF Mr.. Lincoln as q great mis-
fortune to the country. But be this
as it may, We have a perfect right to
hold the Republican party responsible
for the results of its own policies. 1t
must answer for what it failed to do, as
well as for whatit did. think it is now
conceded by oil fair-mindcd men that
its policy adopted at the close of the
war was eminently unwisc and unjust,
and, in the main, the very converse OF
what the welfare OF the country do
manded; wisdom, Justice ana mercy
required that vigorous steps should
have been adopted 70 retrace the prac,,
tlces oil the war. Inc reckless ana
prodlgal use Of money, and the abuses
OF power, ihuulged IN during tho war,
had begotten habits oil thought, senti-
ment ana practices totally unsuited TO
acondltlon oil peace. fublic men were
thereby educated up TO q BAD standard
hepupllcan statesmen ought TO have
ioreseen the ordeal before them. Ihey
should nave known that iuii treas.
ury under such circumstances would
SIMPLY oiier an opportunity TO waste
inc peoples money ior wilo' visionary
ana @ oyi,"ps,ng h p'eposvs NY . ar.
~ ~ " =. eAIusI' sJ ~ ~. no. ooo,ns 'ua' nav
.h .ho uou @ "a o .ho, vuva uAnaissJu ',iJ py
ho o 'a,,a m J "he,iJ @ a '.SG .ol;alt nol,So ..a'
nn Wv P'JPu ssvs ~ nd 49, ,,;a,aa =, sa. ,
s,on, ~ "as .'s. 49, 20 "e Wv "ineu .'l !" Sasn'
W 'u1 n, ,ieaes asa;d VI W. ,n oanaus'ca pso.
Pr ,.;h,. ~ ~ 'os'nOu "s'Ty'o'' MY T .ven ~,
au,,'s''o'1 au''is, Pu'Pooo'' Ino Lie,suiy
uuss ~ Law Dson nI Ipvsv,,s"uu 's ~ u
.'. means ~ goso,n'no',s'l ,'',s purify anu pc-
.auso ,i,' 'ue pooP,o eoa'u ~, pay nVery
uo,,ai " 'aAn',ou 90, snou'u nav voon ~.
,n,.'eu " guy Peope say . oany ~na' NV
was ncv,sSa,y !" Ply 'no l'i'crcs. On
'no Puoiic uep. anu 'ne upa,o'uauic
expenses Vi .ne uovernhcot Dut ,ne
poii,lciah ana not tne statesman rnied
tnc nour, ana hehce the eXcesses ana
lne CONGRATULATIONS from which wearc
now suiier'ng, :,
uoverhor i',uen SHOWS IN nus lG'.cr
VI ucccp.ahce, 10 wna' ir'ghuu' ex'
zen. tne country has pech exhausted py
THESE UNJUST measures lie says
Iho present depression IN all inc
business ana industries OF thc people
wnicn is ueprivihs iaoor Oh lts employ
,nen'' carrying wan. in'o 30 many
MONIES, MONIES, mas its prlnclPa' cause IN eA'
gs gyss,Vc governmental consumption
unuer .no Illusions OF u Speclous pros
PETTY engchuercu py tho ia'sc poiicies
y, ',,o, 'ne reucrl'' uovern'heht' waste o'
.ap'.a, mas peen esa gong on ever since
.no poaoo VI iouo wnicn c9uiu oniy ena
~ VI unlsersa' W ~ s u,s's.cr. s,' Inc reaeral
.aAes "; ~ s .no 'as, o'.von y.ais lcaon .ne ~,
'gan''o ', sum " iorty'nve hundred mlil'
IONS ,oca' .aAauoh mas amounted 10
e..n'a. e"o.sn.,.s "s "'uon luz, ,horo-'ne vas' ~
SSg,Is'u aSyggdrssd ;,,;nns n U. 'Vs ''s SsVensy-pve
,hosa 'oL o,ana,, ,n,"vns, ,,"s. :. , TOT
snau,;nn osu [ ha: I. Lo soyorn,non.'., aa con,
tbo pst;onaI sorn;n,,s vvIm a,s,' ,Ls pos',oh =,
,no.,,a .no n''o, a,'. ,,ns e"inss 'hal .nc wnole
,,o,,s povps .n ,;,dp o1s,o 'a.u, vson IN pros
Tho conso"nsnoo. 40, =" ns ,hoSo o~ 'voss,cn's . m
nrosont nrfI;n ooIa,a;,''S ~ ,"Vs0 ''o'' "'
P'o,e' P'o"' o'a'
inese enormous enc. drafts upon the peo!'
PFC are .he primary cause OF Their
present exhaustion Ihe substance OF
Of of ,;o,ons ,irinu 1 oV0 "a..ua ~ ssaso,'
of naner % mons, = ;rro'ippomahl" oJpoo~JJ"'a,oI amS
sbampstnllv donr,,;a,aJ ''o as "o,, >. WY NV,
w;,b tbc s,ondard 81 o,ho, 40 cow,a vO"aavC paoa,