The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-07-12
Speech of Gov. Chamberlain, at Wood
stock. Conn, July 4, 1877.

stock, Conn, July 4, 1877.
Mr.. President and Fellow Citizens:
This is freedoms day. | shall spea
for freedom. shall speak with freedom
| have no secret grieis to present. So ia
as personal interests are concerned, rt
cent events have but relieved me of
burden heavy almost beyond endurance
For myself alone could be Thankful
for il.
speak to you to day from a profound
sense Of duty. Gladly would | close for
ever that chapter of history to which
have referred. But | dare not do it.
al see a hand you cannot see;
hear a voice you cannot hear"
the hand Of the helpless and deserted
Southern patriot, the voice of the widow
whose husband. of the child whose father
has fallen by the blow Of the political
assassin. | speak, too, because others dc
not Ny ambitions are few and limited
but il shall not be written Of me when
lite closes: He loved ease, or freedom
from detraction and calumny, or the
favor of the great and powerful, so well
that he failed, in a crisis which he was
involved, to utter his sincere opinions
without fear or remorse."
There passed away recently in foreign
lands one of the noblest spirits of our
age; an eminent American, whose bril-
liant services to literature, whose sensi-
| tive honor, whose rare courage, have won
new respect for the American name.
read the lofty and abounding eulogies
which cover his grave, but | read no
word more faithful and honorable to his
memory than this: whoever writes of
Mr.. Motley now ought by no means to
forget to record that he was one of the
lew who devoured no dirt, kissed not the
feet of the President or his Secretary,
and had no words of vociferous admira-
ton for MY Policy
have already sufficiently informed
you that must speak in condemnation
of what is known as President Hayes
southern Policy. The question wilt be
asked, "Why attack that policy now2 1t
is irrevocable. Criticism cannot recall it,
Denunciation cannot change it. Attacks
upon il will distract the party and pro-
mote only the success of our political op
ponents" | answer, that If a political
party is a contrivance for seizing and
holding the government of the country,
regardl IS OF any broad or fixed political
principles, ought to hold my peace
But II, as / have believed, political
party is a means or agency for promoting
the welfare of all the people by the en-
force ment, in the affairs of government,
of certain political principles, then, when
ever the citizen finds those principles
abandoned by the party protesting them,
it is a simple dictate alike of duty and
honor to oppose and attack those who
are bt traying the party which has trusted
them. This duty shall try to discharge.
Party success is not always possible.
Party honesty is. / know well that
there are tides il the affairs of parties.
great rehuent waves of sentiment or
opinion, which sometimes overpower the
strongest political organizations. There
IL no permanent loss in such reverses.
Principles remain and vitalize organiza
tions into fresh life after every defeat;
but woe to that party which bends 81
lently under the blow of treachery to its
own principles
am to discuss presidential policy.
It is one of the peculiarities. as well as
mis'ortunes. OF our political life that
heretofore, as we'll as now, we have heard
OF presidential policies. The expression
discloses a dislocation of the proper rela-
tions between a President and the party
which he represents. If you say the
President should represent no party, but
the whole people, the answer is he must
represent the whole people through Ii
delity to principles approved and accept
I'd by him as the representative of his
political party. Political parties, in the
sense in which we use the term. are the
outgrowth OF freedom The experience
Of free peoples has devised no other
effective mode of steadily influencing and
controlling public affairs. 1t is essential
To the lite OF party, to an honest or
useful relation between a party and its
leaders, that the latter should faithfully
represent the principles of the former
No man is ever trusted as party leader
upon any other basis. A Presidential
policy, if the term is descriptive, is an
anomaly and offense. 1t savors of bad
iaith. IL has a native and historical odor
of treachery and intrigue.
But. fellow citizens, what is the Presi.
dents Southern Policy2
In point of physical or external fact, it
consists in Withdrawing the military
forces of the United States from the
points in South Carolina and Louisiana
where they had been previously stationed
tor the protection and support of the
lawful governments OF those States.
In point Of immediate, foreseen, and
intended consequence, it consists in the
overthrow and destruction OF those State
governments, and the substitution in
their stead of certain other organizations
| called State governments.
In point OF actual present results, it
consists in the abandonment of Southern
Republicans, and especially the colored
ra CO. to the control and rule not only OF
the Democratic party, but OF that class at
| the South which regarded slavery as a
! Divine Institution, which waged four
years of destructive war for its perpetual
zion, which steadily opposed citizenship
and suffrage for the nrgro-in a word, a
class whose traditions, principles, aud
history are opposed to every step and
feature OF what Republicans call our ma.
tional progress since 1860.
In point OF general political and moral
significance, it consists in the proclama-
ton to the country and the world that
the will of of the majority of the voter 8
of State, lawfully aud regularly ex
pressed, is no longer the ruling power in
our States, and that the constitutions
guarantee to every State in this Union o.
IA republican form OF government and o.
protection against domestic violence, Is
henceforth Intellectual aud worthless.
Does not such a policy challenge atten
toni Does it not justify tree discussion
The statement which l have now made II