Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-07-31
25th CONVENTION
OF the Republican PARTY of
Wisconsin.

OF the Republican Party o
Wisconsin.
proceedings, Speeches, NOmina tions
Etc.
The Republican State Conventio,
was called TO order promptly at II
o'clock by Hon. Horace Rublee
Chairman Of the Republican Stat,
Central Committee, who opened
the Convention with appropriate re-
marks which were atten'iveiy lis
tened ID by packed Chamber. III,
crowd 10 the hall being largely aug
mented by the fact that . drizzlipe
ralnstorm prevailed without.
i Mr.. RUBLEE
spoke as follows:
GENTLEMEN or TIE REPUBLICAN SrarE Con
sESrIoN: IL is my duty as chairman of the
state COMMITTEE, to invite YOU to come Il
order You have met for the purpose o.
nominating candidates to be chosen state of
hcers at the mex. election. to reafiirm the
principles OF the Republican party, and to in
the time
IL is for the maintenance of these nrinc;.
Piles, for their incorpora ton into the Iarisla.
ton of the country, and to make them sh..
ping and controlling power in its legislation
that the party exists. The selection of agents
though an important, is yet a subordinate du.
ty. That great body of intelligent and patri
otto citizens whom you represent, demands,
therefore, that while you scrutinize carefully
the character and fitness of those presented
Tor NOMINATIONS no personal ambitions. no
personal rivalrles or animosities, no local and
irreveiant considerations shall be permitted
10 disturb the harmony of the party or d>
vert IL from the just ends it seeks to aecom-
plish
Although the canvas before us relates di,
rectly to the choice of state officers only. i,s
importance and the interest IL awakens
spring chiefly from its bearing upon national
politics. All parties recognize this truth. If
state issues were alone involved there would
hardly be room for a difference of opinion.
During twenty years, since 1859 the Republi-
cans have had complete control of every de-
partment of the state except, for the four
years beginning with 1874 and ending with
1877. The history of the Republican admin
situations OF the state is one of which we NAV
be justly proud and which entities the party
to the confidence of the people, It stands
out IN bright contrast with the records of de-
falcations and scandals which marked the
periods OF Democratic supremacy To>day
we can show honest, faithful and efficient
men at the head of the several departments
OF the state; all the machinery of the state
running smoothly and well; the public bust.
ness transacted with economy and dispatch;
everybody as well contented, so far as the
management of state affairs is concerned. as
we can hope to see until human nature un-
dergoes radical change. We are going.
then, to have an election not because We
need change but because the constitution
requires it; and since our opponents will not
be able to find ground upon which to make
any serious attack upon our manner of con.
Quoting state affairs, the canvas must turn on
the national questions which divide parties.
Within the past two years an auspicious
change has occurred. When your predeces,
f2PFfRe Hes p6FdeSE9 zi f6hhs ffie; rank and file
of the party. Instead of the confidence
which reigns to-day-the settled purpose
the unity of aim-the clear convictions that
are at once the means and the assurance of
victory-there were doubts, hesitations and
antagonisms concerning the most vital gues
tions of public policy. There were varons
kinds of Republicans then. There were ad-
ministration Republicans and anti-adminis>
tration Republicans, hard money Re,
publicans and soft money Republicans In
the presence of such differences the future
was uncertain, the eagerness of candidates
for nomination suffered a sensible abatement
and 1t was not without some difficulty that
| all the places on the ticket were filled Since
thas time discussions and experience have
harmonized the divergences of opinion
There rs only one kind of Republicans to-
day We all support the administration, we
all have a confidence in the firm attachment
of the president to the Republican principles,
and we all believe in honest money-money
that possesses or represents intrinsic value
money that does not change in value from
day to day, nor shrink and shrivel when it
enters into the channel of the worlds COM
merce. Two years ago the New York gold
rooms were still open and men were betting
| on the rise and fall of greenbacks. To-day
the gold rooms are closed and gold, greens
backs and national bank notes are inter-
changeable at par. Two years ago we were
paying six per cent. interest on more than
s400, 900, 900 of our debt. on which we pay
only four per cent to day, saving of over
100000 annually for the people, Conf
dence is returning. business is reviying, in
dustry feels the stir of new hope, the shrunk-
en- veins of commerce are beginning to swell
| with new and vigorous life currents. These
results have been reached under Republic
can administration. They are the results Of
a policy which our political opponents brand
ed as blunder and. wrong, which they
| pledged themselves to reverse if entrusted
with power and which they have endeavored
to defeat with whatever means and influence
they possessed.
| So far as the Republican party is concern
i ed the currency question is substantially set.
| tied; the duty remains of defending and pro
| tecting that settlement against the attacks
| which still menace it.
| The other paramount question which d.
| vides parties involves the relations between
national and state governments. Defeated
| thus far in the attempts to destroy the credit
of the nation, the Democratic party revives
the old doctrine of state sovereignty. During
the recent session of congress the same argus
| ments we're repeated, on the Democratic side
by which South Carolina attempted to vindi-
cate notification half century ago, and
| which we're employed to excuse and Justify
secession in 1850. 1. was alleged that there
are no national elections. that the national
government has no right to take measures
| to prevent fraud and violence at the cleo.
tions of members of It's congr Is and that al,
it is unconstitutional for the United States
TO keep the peace anywhere in the states
either at the polls or elsewhere
Gentlemen, the Republican party look:
back over period of q quarter of a centur,
since its organization, period Of storm ard
conflict that win be forever memorable in its
history. Through all the long and arduous
struggle, first for the limitation of slavery
and then in the defense Of the Union and the
supremacy of its laws, we have constantly
been met with the cry of Unconstitutional,
and from wbone From the traffickers II
in human flesh, from the defenders of SLAYER,
from the pirates on the sea and the bandit.
on the land, from the rebels in arms and tn,
rebels who have been disarmed, and from al
their friends and admirers, who with then
constitutes go large part of what calls itsel
the Democratic party. We were told it wa
unconstitutional to oppose the extension o
slavery into free territory, that it was uncon
stitutiona' 10 elect president of our choice
that ii was unconstitutional for the govern
mens to send provisions TO the starving gar
risons of IFS own forts. besieged by the cham
pions OF state sovereignty, that IL was uueon
stitutional for the nation to defend its owl
existence when il was assailed BY rebel al
mics, that il was unconstitutional to enamel
pate she slaves; but. gentlemen, the Republi
, can party has not been appalled, by the clam
! OF, il denies that the capacity to understand
and interpret the constitution is limited :