The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-01-25
SPEECH or GEN. MORGAN AT COL
UMBUS, JAN. 8th.

GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTIONS |
have come to take counsel with you in
regard to the issue that has brought to-
gather to day this vast assemblage ofthe
freeman of Ohio. The question is not
between the Republican party and the
Democratic party, but between the peo'
pie and the tyrants who are seeking to
steal away their liberties. Our fathers
fought seven years of long and arduous
war to achieve our liberties, and laid the
foundation of republican Government
in America; and the great question, my
countrymen, in this Centennial annlver'
sary of our national existance is whether
the defendants of our Revolutionary
sires are willing to surrender the tree IN.
stitutions achieved by their fathers bloodf
don't propose in an hour like this, to
detain body of men gathered together
from the different parts OF the state nor
would do so on any other occasion than
one like the present. You have already
been told that on the 9TH of last Novem
ber, the American people made choice
of the President of the United States; and
the simple question is now before the
people, whether or not the Will OF the
people as fairly and legally expressed at
the ballot box, shall be carried out, and
whether the republican institutions OF
the United States of America shall be
subverted for the purpose of the Repub-
lican party, not as politicians and men
but conspirators, who seek to overthrow
the republican institutions OF our country
What do they mean by Mexicanlzlng us
by the use of armies and forces in sub,
verting Republican institutions, and
sighting the will of the people.
Now, word or two if you will allow
me, in regard to the election. You all
know, my countrymen, whether you be
Republican or whether you be Democrat
that before the election it was conceded
by Republicans and Democrats that the
canvass in New York would decide the
Presidential contest, and when the word
came over the lines and announced in
Ohio and her sister States that the State
of New York was carried bya majority
from 10000 to $4,000 votes for Tllden
and Hendricks the Republicans through
out the land conceded the election OF
Tilden, and the Democracy met on the
streets next morning and shook hands
with the Republicans in friendly spirit
over the result of the Presidential con-
test 1t was not until afterward that the
conspiracy was developed of overthrow
ing the will ofthe people by force and
fraud, by counting in the person who
had been rejected by the people at the
polls. Who is Mexicanizing? who is
sending armies into theSouth? BY whose
order was it,that the regulaHtrained bands
of the regular army were stationed atthe
doors of the Legislative Halls in South
Carolina and refused to admit legally
elected members, holding certificates
from the Secretery ofState, to the Hall
of the House. Not the Democratic par
ty not the men now assemble but those
conspirators against the liberties of the
people. They were received by Federal
bayonets acting under orders of Presi-
dent Grant. Not the President of the
Republic but the leader Of the Republi-
can party; and members of the House
of Representatives were driven from the
hall at the point ofthe bayonet.
After referring at length to affairs in
Louisiana the speaker said: Let us say to
those who are seeking to overthrow
American institutions, that we don't in
tend that our institutions shall perish, but
that we will preserve them as long as our
arms are strong and our nerves capable
of defending the right; and we will main
tain them let the cost be what it may
Applause. There is another question
Whether the people need regular
standing army at all-Whether these
men should not return to the associa-
tons of civil life. The Citizens of the
country are the natural guardians of the
rights of the people. The speaker
thought the men in power did not un-
derstand the character of the American
people if they thought they could turn
their bayonets and cannons against the
liberties of the people; and that when the
question was finally and fairly met there
would be an overthrow of despotism and
there will be but one great party in the
country, and that party will represent the
white people. Might God in His mercy
have pity on the tyrants who seek to steal
our liberties. He advised the Delegates
to go home to their wives and children,
and assure them that the liberties of the
American people will be preserved, and
hat without war 1Great annlauSe