The Portland daily press., 1876-06-26
GOV. HAYES.
A Speech to His Friends and Neighbors

FREMONT, O., June 24--The reception given
to Gov. Hayes this evening was bril- liant af-
fair and entirely non-partisan. Eight clock
brought together in the public square crowd
yariousy estimated at 10000 to $1,000 people.
The citizens and visitors are enthusiastic over
the success of the affair. People from all parts
OF Northern Ohio we're in attendance The
governors speech was listened to with much
interest. He said
Mr.. Mayor, Fel!o,o Citizens. Friends, Neigh
0orS and ALL need not attempt to express
the emotions l feel at the reception which the
people of Fremont and of this county have Civ
en- me tonight. Under any circumstances an
assemblage of this sort would touch me, would
excite the warmest emotions OF gratitude, but
what gives to this its distinctive character is
the fact that those that are prominent in well
coming me at home l know very we'll in the
past have not voted with me or for me, and
do not intend in the future to vote with me or
for me. 1t is simply that coming to my home
they rejoice that Ohio, that Sandusky county,
that the town of Fremont has received at that
convention that honor, and l thank you Demo-
cratic fellow citizens, Independents and Repub-
lcans for this spontaneous and warm and en-
thusiastic reception (Cheers.) l trust that in
the course of events the time will never come
that you will have cause to regret what you do
tonight. 1t is a very great responsibility that
has been placed upon me to be the representa-
tive of 10000, 900 people-a responsibility which
l know very we'll am not equal to perform.
l. UNDERSTAND very well IL was nOC because OF
my ability or talents CT position that L was
chosen. There were accidents and contingen-
cies that caused this result But that which
does rejoice me is that here where / have been
in my childhood are those that come and re-
joce at the result. (Cheers) l trnst my
friends that as 1 run along in this disultory
way, for you we'll know that since learned
that was to be here tonight the throng of let
tiers and visitors and kilograms to answer have
given me no time to prepare for reception
notl &c.
ed sentences, very unfitly representing senti-
ments appropriate to the occasion.
The Governor referred to the first visit to
Fremont then lower Sandusky, in 1884, and to
his boyish impressions of its then citizens
many of whom are not now present. He re-
ferred in telling terms to his old uncle who
| adopted and raised him, and whatever the re-
| suit might be in November he felt proud that
| he had home in Fremont.
He continued:
But now see what Fremont is, how it has
grown. 1t has not increased to first class
commercial city, but it has become pleasant
home, so pleasant, SO thriving that rejoice to
think that whatever may be the result next
fall it will be pleasant to return to it when all
is over. If not defeated 1 shall go to the White
House and if go there shall rejoice at the
| time when l shall be permitted to return to
| you and be neighbor with you again. have
been touched scarcely be anything that has oc-
CURED siuce the nomination as much as by
| if Sards Birchard could only have lived to
| know this. But this is the order of Providence.
! Events follow upon one another as wave follows
| wave upon the ocean. 1t is for each man to do
| what he can to make others happy. That is
| the prayer and that is the duty of life
| Let us, my friends, in every position we I'M
| 6ertake perform this. For one have no reli-
| ance except that which Abraham Lincoln had
| when he went from his friends at Springfield,
| when he said to his friends, 81 go to Washing
/ IN a fha,,
| than that which has devolved upon anyone
| since the first president, and 1 beg you, my
friends and neighbors, to pray that may have
| that divine assistance without which 1 cannot
| succeed, and with which L cannot fail"
| (Cheers.) In that spirit ask you to deal with
me (cheers.) If it shall be the will of the peo-
| pie that this nomination shall be ratified all
| will be well, If on the other hand it shall be
the will of the people that another shall assume
these great responsibilities let see to it that
| we who oppose him give him fair trial and al
| so our prayers.
| My friends L thank you for the interest you
| have taken in this respect, and that you have
laid outside partisan feeling. There has been
| too much bitterness on such occasions in this
country. Let US see to it that abuse or vtupera-
| ton of the candidate that shall be named at
ST. Louis does not proceed from our lips. Let
| us on this centennial occasion, this second CEN
| fury OF our existence, set an example of what
/ free and intelligent nation can do
Gov. Hayes then referred to the centennial
| at some length and said:
| Let US show in electng tie Chief Magistrate
of the nation, the office that is to be the first
| of 45 100000 of people, let us show all those
| who visit US how the American people can con-
| duct themselves through canvass of this sort.
| If it shall be the spirit in which we have met
here tonight, if it shall be that justice and
fairness shall be in all the discussions it will
| commend free institutions to the world in a
way which they have never been before.
| (Cheers.)