The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-09-02
Addresses of Hon. Bion Bradbury and
John Il. Fitzgerald.

the questions Of the campaign. Promptly at
s o'clock procession of Democratic dignitar-
ries was formed in the ante-room and headed
by that eminent reformer. Mr.. Charles f.
SWEET, marched on to the stage to the music OF
Chandler's band. Mr.. SWEET called the meet.
ing to order and nominated the Hon. Bion
Bradbury for president
On accepting the craftsmanship of the meet.
ing Mr.. Bradbury made short speech, con.
hned chiefly to what he considered the issues
of the campaign. The Democratic party en-
tered the field with its old banner flying and
inscribed with the old motto, "The Union, the
Constitution, Equal Rights and Equal Burdens
for ALL How long this motto has been on
the Democratic banner MIR. Bradbury did not
say. Not many years, evidently, for from 1860 to
1866 the Democratic party was laboring to de-
stroy the Union. If it has got this motto on its
banner now it is because the Republican party
forced it to inscribe it there. Mr. Bradbury said
| the Democratic party is in favor of the lowest
| possible taxation consistent with the efficient
administration of the country lso is the Repub-
Ican party the highest degree of integrity,
lso is the Republican party, and that's one
| reason why it strives to keep the Democratic
party out of pOwerl opposed to all subsidies,
1.-The last Democratic representative from this
district voted thousands of acres of land to
the Union Pacific railroad] tariff for revenue
only and sound constitutional currency. He
went on to accuse the Republican party of
corruption and extravaganza, and with bring
ing into prominence the currency question in
order to conceal other and more important is
sues. Mr.. Bradbury is mistaken. The Repub-
lican party did not raise the currency question
at this time. 1t settled it in 1875 by the pas
sage of the resumption land the only reason
why it is an issue in this campaign is because
the Democratic House of Representatives, at
its last session, sought to impeach that Settle
ment. Mr.. Bradbury thinks the money ques-
ton will take cafe of itself. So it would if the
Democrats and the National parties would let
it alone. But they won't 1t was only few
evenings ago that an orator of the Greenback
party, party with whom the Democrats are
coquetting, argued in favor of an issue of
Stat money, and his statements were heartily
applauded by an audience composed largely of
Democrats. The currency question is very
prominent one in this campaign and it will not
down at Mr.. Bradbury g bidding. The speak
er thought that the movement, as he called it,
to nominate Gen. Grant for a third term was
the first step in conspiracy to overthrow
Republican government in this country and es-
tablsh military despotsm. The old "Casar-
ism" bugbear is too dead to be resurrected.
Mr.. Fitzgerald began his remarks by an al
fusion to the power of the ballot. He warned
his audience, many of whom, he said, he saw
vuo 10 rodr
their grievances by banding together as class.
There are no classes in this country, said
the speaker. The history of the Republics
past is full Of promise for the laborIng man.
The tanner of Galena is honored by the
crowned despots of Europe; the unknown man
of to-day may tomorrow be President; the
penniless man of to-day may be the million
aire of tomorrow. If you would enjoy the
blessings of a republic you must work for
them, strive for them. Mr.. Fitzgerald's re.
marks on this point were eminently sound and
will receive the hsarty endorse ment of Re-
publicans. They show that even the Demo-
Eighteen years ago it took up arms ready to
destroy the Union to maintain the principle
of African slavery-the right Of one class to
dominate over another class-but today one of
its prominent orators is proud to confess that
there are no classes in this country.
Mr.. Fitzgerald went on to state the position
of the two great parties (he acknowledged the
existence of two only in this campaign. H.
ferentially he charged the Republicans with
being responsible for all the business depres-
sion, bankruptcies and poverty prevailing iG
the Republic The allegation is too absurd to
need any refutation Most of the evils under
which the country is suffering are the legaces
OF a Democratic rebellion. I'VE raise no is
sue," said Mr.. Fitzgerald, with the Republi-
can party on the currency. The De- mocratic
party, at least am, is in favor of taking the
greenbacks as good as gold" Mr.. Fitzgerald
differs from the majority of the. Maine Demo-
Gratis on this matter Gen. Anderson has
raised currency question in every speech
he has made in the campaign. The
Democrats in the Fourth District have raised it
by openly espousing the Greenback platform
and endorsing the Greenback candidates.
There is q radical difference between the Re-
publicans and the Democrats on this subject,
The former advocate steady progress towards
resumption with no step backward or sidewise,
Gen. Anderson wants the country to retrace
its steps and put the currency back where it
was before contraction began. an Gen. Al
derson certainly has better right to be consid-
cred the exponent of the Maine Democracy
than Mr.. Fitzgerald. P erhaps, however, it is
General Anderson's Greenback tongue that
raises currency questions and that if his Dem
ocratic tongue alone were permitted to wag he
would be talking only of fraud, and extrava-
gsnce, and corruption and CBsarism. A pure
Democrat, without any infusion of new blood,
generally confines himself strictly to dead
issues
The extravaganza and corruption of the Re-
publican party and the frauds by which they
secured the Presidency in 1876 are the subjects
to be kept before the people, according to Mr..
Fitzgerald, who went on to boast of Democrat
ic reduction of expenditures, always of course
neglecting to mention deficiency bills which
nearly wipe out these pretended reductions
The Republican party had shown itself corrupt
because it did not convict Belknap. Mr.. Fitz-
gerald should have told the whole truth. Mr..
Belknap was acquitted on the ground that the
Senate had no jurisdiction in his case, and so
distinguished a Democrat as Senator Eaton of
Connecticut voted on that side. If Belknap's
acqaittal shows corruption in the Republican
ranks it shows it in the Democratic as we'll.
Mr. Fitzgerald reviewed the campaign of
1876 and claimed, of course, that the Demo-
Gratis were deprived Of the Presidency by per-
jury and forgery. he dilated at some length
on the patriotism of the Democratic party in
accepting the decision of tribunal Of its own
creation, which it would have been eternal
damnation for it to have rejected. He charged
Mr.. Hayes with being prvy to conspiracy by
which he was counted in and asserted that his
| civil service reform system was simply the re-
warding with Office all those who had helped
him to Office or who resided in the state of
| Ohio.
As to the payment of rebel claims the speak.
| er argued that this was simply bugbsar got
ten up by the Republicans to scare people. The
| Democratic House at its last session had passed
an act declaring that no private claim shall be
| reported to the House until it has received the
sanction of the Court of Claims, and this, he
thought, was an effectual safeguard against the
payment of any rebel claims How this is safe
guard it is not easy to see. 1t does not provide