Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1877-10-06
CONGRESSMAN PLATTS SPEECH AT
THE OPENING OF THE ROCHESTER,
CONVENTION.

We herewith reproduce the terse, pointed
ringing speech delivered at Rochester by Hon.
Thos. c. Platt, member of Congress from the
Tioga District, and Temporary Chairman of
the Republican Convention of New York: 81
thank you most heartily for the distinguished
honor of being chosen to preside over your
preliminary deliberations. | take it to be
your purpose to make a recognition of the
radical working and fighting soldiers Of our
political army. There has not been an cleo
ton, either national, State-and may almost
say local-that have not stood at the polls
from sunrise to sunset, and fought without
WEAKNESS or rest for the ticket, the whole
ticket and nothing but the straight Repubi-
of deep and absorbing faith in the righteous
ness of our cause, and the Immortality of our
principles. That faith still lives and animates
the hearts of the live Republicans of our State
from the Hudson to the Lakes. That faith in
dignantly spurns the thought that the mis-
sion of the Republican party is accomplished.
That faith grieves because the glorious achey
Inents of the war are in danger of being an
nulled by Southern artifce and Northern SEN
timentalism That there are few men claim
ing to be Republicans and men occupying high
places conniving at the dissolution of the Re
publican party is most lamentable thought.
They are the very virtuous statesmen who are
credited with the opinions that there is no
such thing politics at the present time;
that 'the people are tired of politics; that
they want party lines obliterated. One glance
at the past political record of all such dema.
gogues will show them to be men who never
had any honest abiding Republican convic-
tons. Some of them may be found among
the ilustrious spirits who aided Andrew John
son in carrying the Constitution and the Amer
lean flag during his brief career Others were
so weary of politics that they labored to ele-
yate to the gubernatorial chair that prince of
non partisans, Samuel j. Ti!den. Ironical
laughter | venture the opinion that any
protested Republican who now pronounces in
favor of disregarding party lines means one of
three purposes, namely, the destruction of his
own party, the advancement of the Democratic
party, or what was quite as probable, the for
nation of a new party. 1t is cause for con-
graduation, however, that the number of
these political Pecksniffs and tricksters is not |
large and their influence is limited. The |
great Republican masses are sound and true. |
They believe in the necessity for the existence
Of the Republican party as earnestly as they
i and how IL
existence. They have confidence in their old
leaders, and mean to stand by them. Could
any stronger proof be asked that the heart of
the loyal people beats true and warm to their
old convictions and affections than the pride
and pleasure universally manifested over the
generous tributes of admiration and respect
which the old world has been paying to the
soldier and statesman, Ulysses S. Grant
| APPLAUSE. We all glory in the fact that this
modest, silent, sensible Republican President,
who was always true to his friends, his party,
and his country, is the recipient of an unend- {
ing series of honors and ovations such as no
American citizen ever before received. His {
triumphs are our triumphs (Applause.) {
There is enc subj ect of political discussion {
which demagogues have magnifed into I'M d
seemly proportions | refer to the incessant 7
cry which is raised that the Republican party a
is pledged to reform in the civil service t
Hungry expectants of office stand on street C
corners and shout the shibboleth until they P
ire hoarse and weary. The independent jour b
lalist rolls it as a sweet morsel under his t
ongue and daily blurts it in the face of nau- C
eated public. As | understand the case, the I
Republican party is not pledged to any plan of a
ivil service reform which is not practical in G.
is bearings and general in its application, W
,qually applicable to every State of the Union p
md every department of the government p
S binding upon the Cabinet officer upon Ell
he tide waiter as earnestly opposed to polit- CT
:al favoritism in the high places as well as in
he low The Republican party is not pledged to
D any system of civil service reform which pr
bridges in any degree the rights guaranteed to
D every American citizen by the Constitution pl
f the United States and the laws The Re- til
ublican party is not pledged to any plan of al
vil service reform which most practical men a
re sincere in believing will demoralize and m
estroy the organization. 1t would be worse of
ian folly TO disguise the disagreeable fact to ha
hich I have hefore made a11usion that tho M,