The Portland daily press., 1879-08-22

The Ball in Motion.
INTERESTING MEETING OF THE CAM
PAIGN CLUB.
Admirable Speech of Chas. F. Libby, ESQ

Admirable Speech of Chas. F. Libby, ESQ.
Th e meeting of the Davis campaign club at
Lancaster Hall was attended by much larger
number than any previous one, and the en-
thusiasm manifested by the audience was
truly gratifying to all Republicans Of our city.
In the absence of the President, j. A. Locke,
Esq. called the club to order Previous to
announcing the speaker for the evening he
said eighty-six new names to the club roll had
been secured since the last meeting.
G. f. Libby, Esq, Ex-County Attorney,
was then introduced, and for three-quarters Of
an hour he held the close attention of his au
dience. His speech was very able one, and
we regret that press of other matters COM
pels us to condense our report of it, and to give
but an abstract as follows:
MIR. LIBBY's SPEECH.
Mr.. Libby commenced by saying that he did
not expect his voice would have much in
huence on the issues of the campaign, neither
did he propose to discuss the fallacies of the
the Greenback doctrine especially before such
an audience of commercial men who under
stood the value of stable currency. The
United States also needs a stable currency
since its exports will soon make it one OF the
creditor nations of the globe.
The best refutation of the Greenback
doctrine is be found in the revival of business
throughout the country, the marked improve
ment Of which shows the falsity of the state
ment that the comm erciul depression from
which we as people suffered together with
other nations, is due to the financial policy OF
the Republican party, policy which has
eliminated in the resumption OF specie pay
fNrnnr nhnn 1fu
political creed than that already propounded
on the financial question its days are already
numbered.
But do not need to argue this question with
you, as Republicans. prefer rather to call
your attention to some of the reasons why we
should do our whole duty in this campai gn:
We are waging natural contest in ia vor OF
honest elections, honest governm emit and
honest money; the true character aud i'm
portance of which shonld not be obscured by
local questions. We are lighting for NATIONAL
issues, and we should not forget that these
issues far outweigh all State and local questions
and that they are involved in our State
election.
Practically every voter must belong to one of
two political parties, (for no third party can be
a permanent factor in polltics) The 1nde-
pendent voter is not success in politics and
never will be. Every man who wishes to
exert his proper influence in the management
of public affairs must so far resign his indie
pendence as to identify him self with some
political party. He must be willing to waive
his opinion on minor questions in order to sue
coed in matters of greater Importance. Per-
lection is not to be expected in political organ
izations any more than in any other human
institution.
No man can expect to find all his political
preferences or convictions gratifed in the
platform of any political party. No political
platform purports to outline a complete theory
of political principles or to embody complete
statement of political principles. Its object is
rather to state the position of the party on
practical questions OF the day, and to Indicate
its policy on national affairs. All political
parties which have had any permanence, have
embodied some broad political principle which
they sought to introduce into the conduct OF
public affairs. In government like ours no
political party has any reason for existing
which is not national party with national
views No party which represents merely
sectional interests, or which prefers state to
national interests can gain any permanent
supremacy in this country, No policy OF any
political party which cannot be adopted safely
as a national policy, which cannot be applied
as rule of government for the whole country
will ever be accepted by the people OF the
United States.
We have had one party in this country
state rights in opposition to the National gov
eminent. That doctrine was the legitimate
o,ltprowth of the Democratic party as poiti-
cal organization The Republican party came
into existence to oppose the Democratic doc
trine of state rights. 1t defeated the Demo-
cratic party at the polls, aud when they APP
pealed to arms again defeated it. AS an
organization responsible for all the evils that
flowed from the war, the Democratic party has
forte tied the confidence OF the nation It
found its political grave in the buried hopes OF
the Southern Confederacy. Its leaders today
are the same men who inaugurated secession:
fought in the Southern armies and INSTRUCTED
the government in the North. In the late
extra session of Congress it renewed-ln an
other form-the old doctrine of state rights,
declaring that there are no national elections
and that the election laws must be repealed.
1t processes to respect the rights secured to the
colored race by the constitutional amendments,
but the sincerity of this profession can hardly
be credited in view of events in the South.
Today the only cry of the Democratic party
is "Anything to beat the Republican party"
Formerly it was Anything to beat Grant 1t
has turned its back on the traditions OF the
past SO far as the financial question is concern
ed, and seeks fusion with the Greenback
party. 1t has no principles which 1t deems
worth maintaining.
Its protested friendship for the Greenback
party can deceive none. If the Greenbackers
expect fair division of the spoils they Will be
deceived They were not successfulsln the
last legislature, and the result OF the late con
j
nominations in whose interests they were ma
nipulated.
So far as the Greenback party is made up of
men who honestly believe the theories they
profess, they will not trust their Democratic
allies. The reform element in the Greenback
camp will not receive much assistance from
politicians of the Democratic school.
Some men have Joined the Greenback party
believing that the widespread commercial de-
preston in this country is due to the financial
policy of the Republican party, but the best
proof of the fasity of this opinion is to be found
in the revival of business throughout the
country, which has followed the resumption OF
specie payments.
While the Republican party has no cause to
regret the loss of men who have deserted from
its ranks to seek office in the GreenDack camp
it is gratifying to observe that the Greenback
party does not always reward such desertion
with nomination to office. The Republican
party can afford such losses by the gains it will
make on men Of the opposite class from the
Democratic party who stick to their principles
although the leaders of the party desert them,
and who vote for honest money because 1t is
necessary for them to vote the Republican
ticket.
Believing as 1 do that the Republican party
has always been the party of progress, that it
has done more for humanity, for the oppressed
and enslaved of this nation than any other
party, that it is now the only party which
plants itself firmly upon the platform OF hon
est money and honest elections, | would rather
fight under its banners, even II L knew were
marching to certain defeat, than to triumph in
the cause of its adversaries. But | am happy
to say, gentlemen, that in my opinion this last
contingency is not to happen If the Republic
cans of Maine do their duty, if they enter into
the campaign with something of the old time
ardor and enthusiasm, we shall not only re-
cover the ground lost last year, electing our
Governor and regaining our ascendancy in the
Legislature, but shall have placed Maine in the
van of those states which in i1S4O will elect
Republican President of these United States,
again justifying the political adage, GAS goes
Maine so goes the Union.'
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Libby's speech Mr..
Locke announced that as Hon. j. G. Bur-
rows of Michigan would address the citizens
of Portland in City Hall Thursday evening OF
next week, the regular meeting OF the Club
that evening would be postponed.
CITY GOVERNMENT.