The Portland daily press., 1877-07-06

surances-assurances which carried no doubt
ful meaning-assurances which meant to the
beleaguered and fainting soldiers on those out
posts OF freedom that succor and helm would
come # only they defended to the last the
ground which they had won. Sir, when 1
think of these things my heart grows hot with
indignation, and a curse comes unbidden to
my lips, for the men who thus played with the
blood of brave men and women as the gambler
plays with his dice. Such treachery passes my
comprehension. No, fellow citizens, L know
not how long his policy may have been medi-
tated in the secrecy of the Presidents own
mind. do know that he did not hint it, he
would not have dared to hint it to the country
at any hour from the time he was nascent
candidate for his nomination till he sat in the
seat of the President.
Do you tell me of the platform of our party
which pIoclaims the permanent pacifcation of
1ne southern section OF the Union to be great
duty OF tbe Republican party, and do you say
that the President is now engaged in carrying
out this work? Let us read that section of the
platform upon which the President accepted
his nomination. If 1 were today seeking to
frame a resolution of condemnation of the
Presidents policy towards the South, could
hardly employ more appropriate and emph att C
terms. But, sir, every man who was present
IN that convention, or who knows anything of
lts spirit, knows that upon the Southern Ques-
ZION the unanimous voice of the convention was
for the immediate and vigorous exercise of
all the powers of the government in repressing o
violence and protecting the rights of every man
at the South. No other thought or purpose
found expression there.
But it is said that the Presidents letter of ac-
ceptance foreshadowed the policy he has since
pursued. deny it. There is not word that
sustalns such claim. He declared the resolu-
ton in question to be ''timely and of great inn
portanoe." He declared the great need of the
South to be peace" and that "peace depends
upon the supremacy of law. He declared that
there can ba qn6urinU tbo
stltatIonal rights of any portion of the people
are habitually disregarded." But do not put
the refutation of the Presidents present claim
upon verbal grounds 1 appeal to every man
VINO l mas any knowledge of the spirit and tone
OF tne campaign. L appeal to the Presidents
own views, expressed often and to many per-
sons, that it was the Southern question and the
Republican doctrine of complete protection to
an men at the South which was the foremost
issue In the canvass, the question upon which
the party must rely for success
political party, fellow citizens, which can
not bear defeat in open political warfare has
little vitality, little claim to public confidence
But my knowledge of political history gives me
no example of party strong enough to long
survive either the abandonment of its princi-
pies or timid and time-SeIvng acquiescence in
the treachery of its leaders. Such is the atti-
tude, IN my Judgment, of the Republican party
today. Whoever has watched the course of
the present administration has seen the demor-
ment OF principles, spreading through all the
cnannels and activities of the government.
Look at the civil service reform-a policy VITAL
fundamensal-a policy which means the abso-
lutte freedom OF all servants of the government,
except the very few who distinctively and nee
essalily represent the political opinions of the
party charged with the administration, from
all allegiance to or connection with the politi-
cal fortunes of any party; the selection of such
servants with eyes blind to the political opn-
InTd nf hos No. A.
This is the reform to which the administration
stands peculiarly pledged. Has it entered upon
1t? Has it shown capacity or purpose to exc
cute it? No, the necessities imposed upon the
administration in its efforts to buy the support
or silence the opposition of partisan leaders to
the Southern policy has already defrauded us of
this reform.
Look next at the relations of this admins
tration to the present financial issues. Presi-
dent Hayes has heretofore entitled himself to
the confidence of honest men by his course on
this question Nothing, sir, but the necessity
OF gaining support for his Southern policy
could have induced him to contemplate an ali-
ance with the silver conspiracy-a conspiracy
which regards silver with favor only because it
has lost all virtue as standard of value, and
as currency, is cheaper than greenbacks 1t
Is the inherent and unavoidable weakness of
his present position, the effect of his wretched
Southern policy, that he must coDciliate an
outraged party, so far as possible, by yielding
uoW W Tue Q6uanQ r0r the ''Sp0lIS, and now
to the demand for "cheap'' money.
Again, the Republican party, by all its recent
platforms, is pledged to oppose the grant of
subsidies to private corporations. Yet no man
VINO today knows anything of the currents and
influences which are gathering at Washington
Is I ignorant OF the fact that asvast scheme is
steadily maturing, unopposed, if not favored,
py TINS Administration, which aims to take
from our public domain and from our public
treasury untold subsidies to build a Southern
Pacific Railway, railway from which private
capitalists would shrink with contempt.
But, fellow citizens, this gathering is not for
me alone. Others whose titles to your conf
dence and attention are older and better than
mine are here. The subject which 1 have dis
cussed still stretches on before me, but l must
close. We are summoned to the duty of ex-
posing and denouncing great crime-a crime
more wanton and objectionable than the crime
against Kansas, which aroused .the sleeping
conscience of the North, and gave its earliest
victories to the Republican party. That crime
was committed by the President at the bidding
OF the party which elected him. This crime
has been committed in defiance of the pIinc-
pies and pledges of the Republican party, and
in defiance of the personal declarations and OF
legations of the President
When Gov. Chamberlain had concluded, the
Rev. Mr.. Stoddard of Fairhavep, Mass, arose
and said that he desired with all due respect to
Gov. Chamberlain to say that be believed
that the sentiments expressed in the address
did not represent the feeling of New England.
He then called for all those who endorsed the
policy of President Hayes to signify it, and
three hearty cheers were given for the Presi-
dent. Somebody then called for three cheers
for Gov. Chamberlain and they were loudly
given. Mr.. Watt, president of the convention,
then arose and stated that it should be under
stood that every speaker was personally respon-
sible for what he said. As for himself, he had
abiding confidence in the integrity of President
Hayes and confidence in his policy. These re-
marks were greeted by hearty cheers.
SPEECH OF SENATOR BLAINE.
Senator Blaine was then introduced and
spoke as follows:
There is an agitation on the south west.
ern frontier of the United States at the
present time that may possibly develop
into a policy involving national danger
and ultimately grave disaster. An in
tslligint Representative in Congress from the
state of Texas has become the exponent of the
new policy, and has been urging it upon the
Administration at Washington with persuasive
force He is sustained and endorsed by not
few influential newspapers in various sections
of the country. The cause, or may not say
the plausible pretext of this new policy is the
incursion of predatory bands from some of the
and the seizing and carrying off the herds and
other property of her people. The line of ac-
tion urged to suppress and prevent these out
RACES embraces three points:
First. The pursuit of these outlaws beyond
the Rio Grande and their capture and punish
ment on Mexican soil. 1t is understood that
the War Department has issued orders to the
General commanding the Southwestern De-
partment to adopt this course. This is openly
aggressive and, though not done to create war
has strong tendency in that direction. A
similar invasion of Canadian soil would pro-
duce war with Great Britain in sixty days.
Second. Under thin veil of QuiXotio senti-
mentalism we are to extend moral support to
good government in Mexico-though what this
may precisely mean we are not very clearly in
formed, unless we are at liberty to infer it from
the more outspoken policy embraced in the
Third propostion-in which upon certain
contingency we are urged to give material sup
port to that party or Administration in Mexico
which best promises to insure law and Older
in other words, to assume sort of Protectorate
over the sister republic, and in the pending dis
pute it is quietly limited that we should sustain
Lerdo and frown upon Daz.
These last two movements are not understood
to have tie assent or approval of the Admins
tration at Washington; those who are engineer
ing the measure not having induced our au
thorities to 60 farther than the step described
in the first proposition.
As comforting and consolatory addendum
to the whole scheme we are kindly assured that