The Portland daily press., 1878-08-22
The Campaign Opened i'm Port
land
Hon. Julius C.. Burrows o. Nficpii.
gan at City Hall.
An Eloquent Hard Money Spsech.

| The meeting was a brilliant one and it gives
the present sharp political campaign an au
| spcious opening in this city. The attendance
| was large and the audience was composed Of
| our very best class of citizens. The address
was just what such an audience went there to
listen to. 1t was mainly devoted to a consider
alton of the currency questionable question OF
the day in this state. He, however, touched
upon the dangers of solid South and the
fears Of the reign of Communism in the West.
His hits were most happy, especially on the
subject of an irredeemable currency, and the
applause was loud, warm and frequent. 1t
was not uncommon for the audience to coz
tinue their signs of approval for minutes to
the interruption of the speaker. The Repub.
lcans in this vicinity are evidently dead in
earnest and if the campaign is continued in
the same spirit that it was opened Portland
will give a good account of herself on the Oh of
September.
At s o'clock the speaker and large number
of prominent citizens took seats on the plat
form. After music by the band William 81.
Plummer, ESQ.,, chairman of the city commit
tee, called the meeting to order and called A
A. Strout, Esq, to the chair to preside. Mr.
Strout in accepting the position, spoke as fol-
lows:
Ladies and Gentlemen:-It must be apparent
to the most casual observer of public affairs
that the issues to be decided in the approaching
election are of the very gravest importance. Ii
is the appreciation of this fact, which has
awakened the profo md interest, manifested by
all classes of society in their discussion, and
which today arrests the attention of thinking
people, whose ordinary pursuits and callngs 10
life have not been such as to lead them to take
part in affairs of public concern. 1t is this
realization Of the perils which threatens the
country which has brought here tonight the
earnest men and women of this city, the labor
ing man from his work, the mechanic from his
shop, the professional man from his Office and
the merchant from his counting room TO take
part 10 the discussion OF these topics 80 vital
to the continued prosperity and honor Of
great and magnanimous people. In times
past the Republican party 10 the halls of pa-
tonal legislation and in the field has fought
the battles OF the laboring man, when capital
claimed the right to own labor and to avail it
self of tho fruits of unrequited toll, and the
result of those contests has been the emancipa-
ton of four million of laboring men from
slavery and placing in their hands the means
of preserving their right to enjoy the fruits of
their labor as freemen and as citizens of the
republic. Today the same party is called upon
to protect the currency of the country from
depreciation and to defend the honor of the
country by resisting the reputation of its
promises made at the darkest hour of its peril
and at the moment of its greatest need. In my
judgment the last issue is not less important
than those which have preceded it. The cur
rency is the life blood of business. Its de-
rangement and depreciation instead Of afford
ing any help to labor and trade would serve to
destroy public confidence and paralyza the in-
dustries of the country. What we need is to
stand firm for a sound circulating medium and
no 10 of far pt 90 hpn lah or and trada
will recover from the depression which follows
feverish speculation, and the magnificent re-
sources of the country, developed By the skill
aud energy of the people, will place US amongst
the richest and most prosperous of the nations
of the globe.
Upon this issue rejoice that the Republican
party has tagen no uncertain stand 1t is for
honest money and the honest payment of the
nations debts.
Ladies and gentlemen, do not intend, nor
is it my province. to detain you by any extend
ed remarks. You have come to listen to an
other who will fttingly discuss these great
questions, and [ now have the pleasure of in
Producing the eloquent and gifted gentleman
who is to address you, the Hon. Julius 9. Bur
rows of Michigan.
Mr.. Burrows was received with much
enthusiasm and he at once gained the attsu-
tion of the entire audience. He said there
were great dangers threatening the Republic:
First. Southern ascendency; Second, Repadis-
ton; Third, Communism. With Democrat
House, Democratic Senate and a Democratic
executive in the near future it would seem that
these fears are we'll grounded. If the
Southerners can have their way they will drive
the country to Reputation. Prudence and
patriotism would seem to say that the party
that preserved the Republic should have the
control of it, at least until the other party
show some little repentance.
AS tothe question of quotation he sail that
the word was hard one aud probably no one
now in tie new party would say that it was
his purpose to repudiate the national debt
But this is what it means and whati must
come to. This party is formed for the purpose
of reputation. Tney claim aud desire control
of che nation and expect to elect a Congress in
1880. They ask all other parties to stand back
and give them an opportunity. The speaker
then reviewed the legislation of the RepuDli~
can party in the past thirteen years. In that
time they have paid million dollars week of
the national debt or 1921, 100000 in IL years,
ard still the new party wish a change. The
$40 bonds have been taken up, and per
cent bonds issued inste ad and still 1t is claimed
that the Republican party lsgislats in the III
terest Of the rich man, Taxes by the general
government have been SO reduced that now
scarcely a man feels such revenue. We
have paid the deb, reduced the interest,
reduced taxes, reduced expenses aud Still there
is a call for a change.
This new party has all sorts of names, but
Onocommon purpose, 1t is called Green
back party, but that is q MisnGmer for it is
not the purpose OF the party to have green
backs at all but irredeemable paper. IL should
be known as the National Irredeemab!e
Party" 1t has no hope of redemp tion or of a
Redeemer. This parry has no past and | trust
that it will have no future. The resolutions of
this party mean that resumption shall not take
place. The pnrpose of this party is to make
greeubacks cow redeemable irredeemabla.
He illustrated the issue of the greenoacks to
pay the war debt in very entertaining
manner. Congress made the greenbacks
payable in January l, 1879. Ii that act does
not go into effect it is nothing but reputation.
The Greenbackers want to strike out this date
but they offer no better time for the payment.
The initiation of the currency for the purpose
of helping the debtor class. 1t is however the
very worst thiog for the laboring man who
earns his bread BY day labor, Such class can
get more collars for their work, b4t they will
be smaller. The depreciation of the green
back will have the effect to retire gold aod
silver. When there are two currencies, one
good and the other deprecated the DEPRECATED
money will be used and the gold and silver
Will De put away 10 keep LOT IL lS Iuo mOSt
valuable. The Greenbaakers are tryiog to
destroy the greenbacks by putting off the day
of resumption. We want greenbacks but We
want them as good as gold and redeemable in
gold The greenback is the product of the
Republican party, it is their boy and the party
propose to stand By him. If when this boy
only weighed 373 pounds we stood by him we
can now that he is within half foot of the
golden summit Of specie payment We can
afford to stand by him and We will, loud
applause.)
1t is impossible for any Congress to make
money by saying, "Let this bs money" The
only case of such authority ever heard of was
when the Creator said "Let there be light and
there was light" Tnere is no such thing as
fiat money. If you should dig up some of the
paper m oney bundred years hence, what
value would it be? But 60 to Greece and dig
among the ruins and find coin with the
stamp of Caesar on it will tax you md the
globe (Applause.)
The Supreme Court has decided that
irredeemable money like what the Green
hackers propose to issue cannot be made legal
tender. The Greenback was only sustained as
a war measure. But Brick Pomeroy is to get
over this trouble by killing the Supreme Court,
and he is the father of this new party
The danger of an inflated paper currency was
shown by review of the history of the French
assignats. The Greenback party propose to pay
off the bonds OF the government in iredeen-