Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-08-25
THE TORCErLEGHT PROCESS
stoN.
Twelve Hundred Lights III
Line.
,,,,ttNsE CROWDS OF SPECTATORS

/ and the hotels crowded Al CloVA 'He
visitors from across the lake arrived, the
steamer bringing over some seven hunired
people from Piatt>burgh and other
mart. Of northern New York. They
were met at the wharf and suitably re
eeiyed by delegation Of Burlington Repub-
licans headed by Gen. J. L. Barstow y
procession was then formed in the following
order Committee Of Reception; Platts-
burgh Cornet Band Plattsburgh Hayes and
Wheeler Club. about $50 strong West
Cbazv Cornet Band West Chazy
HAYES and Wheeler Club. number
I'M, some - members other citizens
The procession marched up College street
into City Park, where a brief and very hap
~ address of welcome was delivered by l.
/. Lawrence, Esq, when it disbalded, after
giving three cheers for Hayes and Wheeler
and receiving three from the Vermonters
present
At noon a large delegation arrived IRON
Jericho. accompanied by the cornet band OF
that village. They made the trip in five four
horse teams handsomely decorated with the
national colors. The noon trains brought
large numbers Of visitors from all parts OF
tie State. who were escorted up town by
committee of reception and the Queen City
Band
shortly before O'Clock the Milton Hayes
and Wheeler Club arrived, two hundred
strong. accompanied By the Milton Cornet
Band. They were received at the depot by
delegation and the Queen City Band and
escorted uu town. On the same train came
the 81. Adams Glee Club who were received
by the Hayes and Wheeler Glee Club, of this
city.
At half past one o'clock ten. Bristow
held an Informal reception at the Mayor :
Office; City Hall building and was cordially
greeted by hundreds OF Republicans. Gen
Bri-tow was introduced by the Hon. John
L. Mason, Of Richmond, and by his side
were Hon. Luke P Poland, His Ezcellency
Governor Peck and tie acting Mayor A
C. WL.tsenaoro-
At about O'Clock the speakers and invlt-
ed guests assembled the platform, on the west
side Of the Fletcher Free Library building.
The park in that vicinity was crowded with
people the long piazzas Of Strong's build
ing. and the windows and roofs of other
buildings near were filed with hundreds,
and large numbers III carriages filed
the streets around the park, the total
number present. being estimated at from
1000 to 5000.
On the stage, besides the speakers and the
singers, were Governor Peck. Gen. Grandey,
DR.. Nichols and Gen Barstow of the State
Committee. Col. Cannon. Hon j. n Pome-
roy, ten. Wells, Cen Henry, Judge Shaw,
Rev J II. Woodward, the " fighting chap
lain 90 Of tie lst Vt. Cavalry. Rev. f. r.
Atwill, Col l. B. Platt, Hon. Joseph Pc
land, Of Montpelier, Chauncey Williams,
ESQ.,. Of the Rutland Gioje, and other prom
inent citizens. The assemblage was
called to order liz the Hon. Daniel Rob
erts. President Of tie Hayes and Wheeler |
Club Of his city, who, after fine music by |
the Queen City Band, and a stirring
Republican lyric, very finely sung by |
the ST. Adams Hayes and Wheeler Glee |
Club. introduced the first speaker, the .
Hon. Benjamin Il, Bristow, of Kentucky, |
with the following stirring and forcible re-
marks
REMARKS OF HON. DANIEL ROBERTS.
Nm Of Vermont and Of the Nar York
Border
The circling years have once more brought |
the American people face to face with the |
grave responsibilities and duties of their
citizenship, as connected with their choice |
OF national rulers for the four years 10
come; and the question is now before US
for answer-what men of what party, and
representing what principles and policy OF
administration. shall We put in place to
guide public affairs TO right issues, and the
nation TO its best destiny And here, By
the demands of any effective cooperation
and the practical necessities of the case,
If We would have our votes count for any
ing in the wilderness warning to re-
pentance, we are forced TO a very
narrow scope of selection among the
forty-fOur millions Of the American nation.
Ii l. Hayes and Wheeler with such reforms
as they will bring into administration ; or it
j. Tilden ald Hendricks with such reforms.
if they be reforms, as they promise.
And this word reform, TO make things bet
Ter, Is a tocsin cry which has come down
10 US through the centuries, the voice ever
crying in the wilderness Of error and
wrong, Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight and the civilizs-
ton OF the nineteenth century, the exhibit
tons OF this centennial year OF the Ameri-
can Republic, are evidences that this warn
ing voice has not died away unheeded.
The word has become the main plank of
party platforms, and the chosen text of po-
litlcal and partisan debate. 1t echoes and
reverberates with rhetorical iteration
through and through the formulated pro-
iessons of the Democracy at St. Louis I'M
til 1t comes to sound like the parrots cry,
or the ravens crOak. IL was the real in
spiratiOn of the gathering at Cincinnati,
the guide OF its counses, and. if not the
dictator, the director OF is nominations. If
reform. if to make things better, to raise
the nation to higher civilization and es-
tablish it the frmer on the foundations of
liberty, equality and justice, be the aspIra-
ton of the people, and the professions of
parties and leaders, We are called upon to |
weigh IN the balance man against man and
party against party. the declarations Of the
one against the professions of the other, but.
most of all, the historic life of the one |
against that OF the other, and particularly
in those times which tried men 5 souls" In
which Of the two parties have the great moral ideas
hisle a !
kndlest rootl Which has been truest to the great
ioess o. justice, liberty, equality, loyalty Which
first eau ht with attentive ear, aud answering heart,
the cry Of the bondman in southern cotton field
and rice swamp With first stood up presenting
front to the domination Of an oil garchy whose
ershp OF the back made II a Necessity to the
whiie man aud 10 suppress IN human breasts their
instructive impulses against human slavery J
Which party, party, was the 10y al one in de
fence OF the Union, when the nations LIE was | G
assailec And, which, with those Of its leaders
who have remained Its leaders with sy mpathies all
perverted and 10y atty all asry, party, took O
the role OF critics, obstructonists doubters, not
opposers, and denounced the war to preserve the =
UulQz a failure, with desire 10 make 10
Sol An4 which, after tie victory in the I
field was ~or, secured the fruits OF the victory a
by constitutional amendments, declaring sacred =
he national debt, and Incorporating into the fun-
iamental institutions Of tie nation. the freedom
and the equal citlenship OF all iEen o. the nation
And which party is IL, winch stands by the .hted
ath Of the nation, that its debts shall be pGid a.
promised that the promise OF q dollar shall be q
,ol ar in performance! Ana yet some tell rs the q
lopc OF reform lies only in the Of the Dem.
cratls party, and the election Of those rciormers
Nv ezssiiesa, Tildsn and Hendricks and the for
pulstsd nonsense |, repeated from the platform, p
. though u ven spak,r 81 the sssss, that no ! d