The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-08-16
TWhOle No. 215l.
Judge West at Home.

VAN 80 W 60 q ! GtOlilSH
On his return home from the
Cleveland Convention, the people oI
BelIefontaine, without regard to par
ty, held a meeting to congratulate
1 him on his nomination. In reply be
made the following eloquent speech,
which does honor alike to his head
and heart:
Judge Lawrence, for the kindly
words you have uttered, I thank you
Capt. Price, for the cordial senti-
ments you have expressed, I doubly
thank you. My neighbors and
friends, the magnitude and hearth
ness of this unexpected greeting
overwhelm me. I have no words In
which to express the depth of emo
ton it has stirred within my heart.
You can bear me witness that neither
gbv word or act did / ever solicit or
ask the position with which I have
been hOnored. You can bear me
witness that not one of you, my
dearest, closest friends, did I ever
influence to bring about the result
I presume you did not know, as 1
did not, that my name would come
before the Convention until after I
had departed for Cleveland on Mon
day morning, without a single ac-
companying friend but my little son.
I set of, only feeling a profound con
cern for the condition of my coun-
try, and trusting that, possibly, 1
might contribute something to ad-
vance its welfare by taking part in
the deliberations Of the good and
earnest men who I knew would as
semble on Wednesday.
As unexpectedly there, as here, 1
met with a cordial, hearty greeting.
Gentlemen with whom I had served
in the House of Representatives
proffered their support, i'll should
suffer my name to go before the
Convention. Gentlemen with whom
I had served in the Senate in like
manner gathered about me. Friends
with whom I had been associated
in the Executive Department Of the
State, and other positions of public
trust, rendered me their cO-Opera-
ton. The kindness and warmth Of
these friendships of years touched
and decided me. I veDtured, and
success resulted. 1t was an honor
worthy of one more deserving than L
Now I have returned surrounded
by this multitude of friends and
gathered without distinc-
ton to greet me home. Here are
those who have known me longest
and best. Here are the friends Of
seven and twenty years of active Ia.
Dor, and here are my rivals IN the
battle of life. I am, unfortunately,
endowed with few negative charac-
teristics. My opinions are generally
convictions my actions affirmative,
possibly too aggressive. That IN
the utteranee of those, or the eXecU-
ton Of these, I may at times have
provoked resentment, or manifested
seeming harshness, is possible. Ii,
in the struggle of my manhood and
the conflicts of opinions, I have Civ
en- offense, I now, here in this pres
ence, invoke your forgiveness.
To you, Judge Lawrence, 1 now
say, let the past be forgotten.
To you, Capt. Price, whom I have
aided, honored and loved, but who
have, for a brief season, seemed ali
enated, I say, let bygones be buried
I say to you, neighbOrs and friends
of my OWL political household, 1 but
family express my emotions, when /
declare, for the heartiness and the
generosity of this welcome 1 sincere
" thank you From you, my neigh
bors of a different political faith,
whose presence is the expression Of
an earnest and disinterested friend
ship, the cOrdiality Of this greeting
is touching, and to you, my cOlOred
friends, Ibeg to make my most sincere
acknowledgements for to the kindly
aid of cOlored men, delegated to the
Convention, I am in no incOnsidera-
bic part indebted for the honor con
ferred. To one and all, without dis
tinction of color or race, or opinion,
I return my heartfelt thanks for the
friendship manifested, and the vel
come extended, and whether success
full or unsuccessful in the final con
test for the palm, the recollection OF
this pleasant incident in lifes battle
will be cherished as the dearest and
sweetest in the memory Of him who,
a quarter of a century ago, came in
to your midst a youth to fortune and
to fame unknown, and whose career
has been before you as an open vol
ume, to be read of all men. Good
night.
At the conclusion of the speech,
Judge West received the congratula-
tions of his friends and neighbOrs,
and great numbers pushed forward
to take the Judge by the hand. The
meeting dispersed with rousing and
repeated cheers for the Republican
nominee.
Judge West viii open the cam
,oio,n IN a sDaeob at PeIlefOntaine