The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-09-29
Col. R.bsrt IpsersolI on Republieanlsm

Col. Rsbsrt Ingersoll on Republicanism.
At the meeting of the boys in blue in
indianapolis the other day, Col. Inger-
soil explained to his hearers the reasons
why he supports the Republican party.
He said:
1 am a Republican. / will tell you
why: This is
THE oNLy FREE GOVERNMENT
In the world. The Republican party
the chains from 1000, 900. The Re-
ress, touched the auction block and 1t
became a school house. [cheers. The
Republican party put down the rebel
lion, saved the nation, kept the old BAN
ner afloat in the air, and declared that
slavery of every kind should be extirpat-
ed from the face of this continent.
[cheers. What more? / am a Repub-
lican because it is the only free party
that ever existed. 1t is a party that
has a platform as broad as humanity,
q platform as broad as the human race;
u party that says you shall have all the
fruit of the labor of your hands; a party
that says you may think for yourself; a
party that says no chains for the hands,
no letters for the soul. IA voice
"Amenl" cheers.
l am aRepublican, because the Re-
publican party says
THE COUNTRY Is A NATION,
and not a confederacy; l am here in In
diana to speak, and / have as good a
right to speak here in Indiana as though
/ had been born OF this stand-not be-
cause the state flag of Indiana waves
over me. / would not know it if l
should see it. You have the same right
to speak in Illinois; not because the
state flag of Illinois waves over you,
but because that banner, rendered sa-
cred by the blood Of all the heroes, waves
over me and you. [Cheers. lam in
favor of this being q nation. Think Of
q man gratifying his entire ambition in
the state Of Rhode Island. Laughter.
We want this to be a nation, and you
can't have a great, grand, splendid
people without u great, grand, splendid
country. The great plains, the
sublime mountains, the great, rushing,
roaring rivers, shores dashed by two
oceans, and the grand anthem of Mag
ara, mingle and enter rs it were in
the character of every American citi-
zen, and make him, OF tend to make
him, a great and grand character.
l am for the Republican party because
it says the government has as much
right, as much power, to protect its
citizens at home as abroad. The Re-
publican party don't say that you have
to go away from home to get the pro-
lection Of the government. The DEM
ocratic party says the government can't
march its troops into the South to pro-
tect the rights of the citizens. 1t is a
lie. [Great cheers. The government
claims the right, and it is conceded
that the government has the right to
go to your house, while you are sitting
by your fireside, with your wife and
children about you, and the old lady
knitting, and the cat playing with the
yarn, and everybody happy and sweet
the government claims the right to
go to your ireside and take you by force
and put you down to the valley of the
shadow of hell, set you by the rudy.
roaring guns, and make you fight for
your flag. [Cheers. Now, if that being
so, when the var is over and the coun-
try is victorious, and you go back toyour
home, and a lot of Democrats want to
trample upon your rights, / want to
know If the government that took you
from your Preside and made you fight
for it, / want to know if it is not bound
to fight for you. [Cheers. The flag that
will not protect its protector is q dirty
rag that contaminates the air in which
it waves. The government that will
not defend its defenders is a disgrace to
the nations of the world. IA voice,
"Amenl"l l am a Republican, be-
cause the Republican party says: "We
Will protect the rights Of American cit
zens at home, and IL necessary, we will
tect the rights of the humblest citizen
in that state" [Cheers.
RIGHT OF PRIVATE JUDGMET.
am a Republican. Laughter. lam
4 Republican because that party allows
me to be free-allows me to do my own
thinking in my own way. Cheers
/ am q Republican.because it is a-party
grand enough and splendid enough and
sublime enough to invite every human
being in favor of liberty and progress to
fight shoulder to shoulder for the ad-
vancement of mankind. [Cheers.l It
invites the Methodist; it invites. the
Catholic; it invites the Presbyterian
and every kind OF sectarian; it invites
the free-thinker; it invites the inHdel,
provided he gives to every other human
being that he claims for himself.
Cheers. am a Republican l tell you.
Laughter. There Is room on the re-
publican air for every wing; there Is
room on the Republican sea fol. every
sail. Republicanism says to every man:
Let your soul be like an eagle; fly out
Id the great dome Of thought, and ques-