The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-04
rsnecial nesnatch to the Press. l

least 2000 were present and the meeting was
most enthusiastic one, showing that the
Republicans are determined to roll up
heavy vote for Daniel F. Davis The Gorham
Cornet Band was in attendance. Among the
prominent Republicans present were Col.
Robbie. Ex-Gov Perham, Lewis Mcclellan,
Esq, Col. H. r. MIillett.
Lewis Mcclellan, Esq, called the meeting to
order. and announced the following list of
officers:
PRESIDENT:
Col Frederick Robe of Gorham.
VICE PRESIDENTS;
William Siller of Windbam.
B. C. Gary of Gorham.
Rufus Bobb of Gorham.
Phineas Harmon of Buxton.
Col. Freeman Harding of Gorham.
Solomon Mouton of Gorham.
Charles Moulton Of Gorham.
Levi Valentine of Gorham.
DIR. Parsons of Windham.
BENZ. d. Small of Windham.
SECRETARIES:
William Bartlett.
NJ. Fogg.
James M. Wells.
Col. Robbie on assuming the chair spoke as
follows:
SPEECH OF COL. ROBBIE.
FeUow Citizens and Republicans Of G0lhaDa-
On behalf of the town committee 1 thank you
for your attendance on this interesting occasion
Publ meetings here are no new things Here
our fathers met to discuss public questions
Here spoke Sargent S. Prentiss, a man who
seldom had his equal. Here almost where /
stand we have listened to the wise counsels of
that sagacious gentleman, William Pitt Fes-
sender, and have been thrilled by the
all Alorn
men stood 81 years ago on the same platform.
I locked at a copy of the Eastern Argus of
years ago and found there in the largest letters
that paper could afford the words of Daniel
Webster "God and silver are the only con-
stitutional currency" (Applause) And l
wish to God that every every voter would
remember those words of Webster when he
comes to vote (applause) and would answer in
WebSter's words when asked to vote for a
party that claims for paper currency the at
tributes of money But we have here to-day
with us a man distinguished in the councils of
the nation whohas come to us over the hills and
dales to bring to us the greetings of the great
Stat of Iowa, a state that stood side by side
with the State of Maine during the war. Gap
plause.) And say to the Senator that next
week Maine will again fall into the line of
Republican states. (Applause) have the
honor to introduce to you the distinguished
Senator from Iowa. the Hon. William b. ALI
son.
SPEECH OF SENATOR ALLISON.
Mr. Chairman, DadieS Gnd Gcatlemen-l
come to fill the time for a few moments till the
appearance of Senator Blaine I thank you
Mr.. Chairman, for your compliment to the
State of Iowa, and l will add something more.
T had the honor to vote to elevate your dis
tinguisLcd Senator to the Speakers chair, Zap
plause) and in 1876 the State Of Iowa sent an
unbroker delegation 10 tie Republican
national convention, and that delegation cast
an u.broken vote for James G. Blaine for
President (Applause.) Could the fathers of
this town rise from their graves they might
we'll be surprised to find their sons debating
the question Of whether Webster was right
when he said Gold and silver is the only
constitutional currency This is the only cur
rency that can constitute money. What is
money? 1t is the standard of exchange, the STAN
dard by which you measure the value of your
products, and the standard by which you pur-
chase. All nations supplement their metallic
currency by issue of paper money, and the ma
ton which has the best system is the one that
converts its paper money into gold and silver
at will, What is the currency Of today. 1t is,
thanks to the. Republican party, good every
where. not only from EaStport to kittery but
from ocean to ocean, from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. (Applause.) What was the case
der the eli system of state banks? Its curren-
cy would not circulate outside of the state
lines, if as much as that. Oaughter.) We of
Iowa in 1860, if we could find even an uncer-
tain bank, deposited our money every night, as
even the credit of an uncertain bank was better
than the uncertainty of our money. We
studied the bank detectr six days out Of the
week, leaving but one day to study the Bible.
Naughter.) But who reads the bank detector
now?
Our currency is composed Of gold, silver,
treasury notes and national bank notes, and the
notes are convertible into gold and silver.
What does the greenback represent if not the
same patriotism that is symbolized by the sol
derS monument in front OF this hall. ZAP
plause.) And while the greenback was issued
as war measure what was the position of the
Democratic party? Sir, heard the Hon. Geo.
H. Pendleton then and now in Congress, de-
clare that the greenback would go out branded
with the brand of Clan, wanderer and fugi-
tive on the face of the earth, and that they
could not be redeemed and he and the soft
money Democrats are doing their best to make
their prediction good. (Laughter.) In 1864
when l voted for a loan of $500, 100 we pre-
pared for the final struggle. Then our expenses
were 100000 day. Then Europe held us
and the cOnfederacy at the same level, and
when the soldiers of Gen. Grant were prepar
ing far the last struggle with their foes, then
what did Congress do? 1t pledged the solemn
faith of the nation that no more than $780, 000,-
600 of greenbacks should be issued forever, and
no Democrat or Republican from that day to
this has ever had the dishonesty, the bad-faith,
and may add the lunacy, to propose to in
crease the greenback currency above S400, 000-
900 till Greenbacker named, think, De La
Matyr, proposed to issue $1,000, 100000.
Uaughter.) And / do not believe that the in
telligent audiences that have addressed de-
sire to be party to an act of national il-faith,
and do not believe that you will allow men,
bers of Congress to go to Washington from
Maine again who do. (Applause.)
feated here, and I fear it was be-
cause some of my good Republican
friends stayed at home, which they will not do
again. (Applause.) I fear that some of you
one year ago were led away by the Greenback
Try that resumption could not be effected, or if
Effected, it would be over ruined business.
How was it2 The first of January, 1879, came,
md at one blow 100000, 900 of paper currency |
became equal to gold, and then the rush ON
-he Treasury predicted by the Greenbackers,
been collected, in one day, did not take place. |
No one could be seen about the Treasury, I'M
less it might have been 4 solitary congressman |
who. not having gone home for the holidays, |
was seeing to some jtte matters Of interest to
Of January $137 only of gold had been drawn
out and at the sub-treasury at New York, at |
he end of that day, $1,000 more in coin was |
'eceiyed than had been paid out Then the |
ifeenbackers cried that the coin that was said |
o be in the Treasury was not there, and so |
Intelligent Democrat as General Ewing in
reduced resolution into Congress to have a
go down to New York and investi-
rate the subject, and three Democrats went
own. and after days of counting gave it up,
nd said that the coin was there. Laughter.) |
How stand we today? The purchasing power
# the dollar is increased for the laboring man.
The government has refunded all available
onds at per cent to the amount of nearly
700,000,000. and out in Iowa, where the farm
rs, borrowing class, We're told that with re-
umpton gold would be demanded for their
mortgages, and gold they could not obtain, and
hat their farms would go, and that they
would become mere hewers of wood and draw
rs of water, today they can have their mort
ages changed SO that instead Of II per cent,
hey pay but to s per cent.
What caused the panic? l remember the
xcitement when some $500, 000,0 600 of property
vas destroyed at the Chicago fire, but the
litter war that ragged from 1861 to 1865 took
rom us 100000 gallant brave, devoted lives,
applause) and it destroyed $5,O0O,OO0,O0O of
ur property, and entailed on us debt of more
han S2,700, 000, 900, and could we escape disas-