Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-08-25
Senator Booth.

Hon. Newton Booth. the indepen-
dent Senator from California, who
was elected by a combination of Sc
ceders from both the old parties, and
on a platform Of reform, has, as has
been before announced, declared for
Hayes and Wheeler, deeming their
election the best and most available
guaranty of the reform Of which he,
himself, has been regarded the cham
pion. Last week being on a visit
to his native State, Indiana, and at
tending a Republican Mass Meeting,
at Danville, at which Gen. Harrison,
the Republican candidate for Cover
nor, made a powerful speech, Mr..
Booth was repeatedly called for, and
after some hesitation, finally consent
ed to briefly address the people,
His remarks, which we give below,
are significant as coming from the
man, whom, two years ago, many
people regarded as the coming can
didate for the Presidency on
platform of the reformation of abuses
and publication of politics. The
speech is worthy of note, as we'll for
its literary merit, as for Its severe yet
truthful arralgnment of the Demo
cratic party. Senator Booth is not a
party man, nor does he talk for eff.
feet, and when he finds the only hope
Of the country at the present juncture
in the success OF Republican candi-
dates and policies, it has more than
ordinary significance. Dir. Booth
said:
1t would hardly be worth while to
come SO far to say SO little, but this
call of yours thrills my heart as it has
not been thrilled for years, for to-day
I stand for the first time in my native
State to speak to my fellow-citizens
on political question. can only
congratulate the Republicans of In.
diana that they have leader in this
canvass who bears a historic name,
to which he adds the luster of his
own abilities and patriotism. I can
only rejoice with you that the first
Governor of the Territory of Indiana
will give us a Governor in the Cen
tennial year. I do not deny that, as
far as l am personally concerned, l
recognise that there are great pollti-
cal questions bearing upon us in the
near future that are not touched up
on by the division between the Re-
publican and Democratic parties,-
great questions Of finance, great
questions of fiscal policy, methods of
reform and administration,-but
when I find the Democratic party, as
a compact mass, cherlshing its old
traditions, animated by its old ideas,
all other questions in my mind are
to its defeat and destruc-
ton. l know not what others may
think, but rs for me l can see no
road to progress that does not lead
over its ruin.
For fifteen years it has stood in
the pathway of our advance; for fit
teen years it has resisted every great
political idea; for fifteen years it has
endeavored to suppress every grand
political utterance, and the time has
come, yea, the fullness of time, when
it should cumber the ground no
longer. l do not deny that the Re-
publican party has made mistakes.
| do not deny that it has had corrupt
men, sometimes, for its agents; but
look at the past behind us; think OF
the great questions it has confront
ed; think Of the hundreds of thou
sands and hundreds of thousands on
that that it has Employed; think of
The difficulties it has passed through,
The work it has accomplished, and it
seems to me miraculous that its mis-
axes have been but the bends Of the
liver that do not affect its channel
Is it rushes to the sea. And there is
his to be said of it, that it made the
extremity its divine oppor-
unity; and when the catastrophe
came over us that good men all over
he world supposed would surely de-
,troy us, it snatched the victory even
rom the jaws of that, and made the
event that was to blot us out from
the nations the opportunity to
tx upon our policy the seal of. uni
rersal freedom, and make it the guar
anty of indissoluble union.