, 1879-07-24
GAnFIELD.


MADISON, Wis. July 23.-After the rtadlng Of
atclcgram tho Chairman Introduced Gen. James
a. Gaflald, OF Ohio. This old fayorfte was ro-
rceivcd with even moro than tho old-tttne ap-
-plauee, and the speech ho made was one OF tho
witti<st, as we'll as one Of the tnnst stirrEng e
has delivered for years. It was as loliows:
Mn. CHAIRMAN AND FELLow CITlzESs: /
know you will DO glad to mage whatever re-
mining e1erctsco OF the dny you hayc very
short, and I stall enjoy With you that short
ncss. am sure you have with mo enjuyeal
richly what you have hRd to4lay Of the history,
OF the "Reminiscences, OF the poetry, Of The nlu-
Bic, Of tho prospects, Of the prophecy, Of ail
that belongs to tho history OF the Republican
party. / hive only two Thoughts in my mind,
md, therefore, ! may not be long in getting
them ut you; and thc first Ia that the origin Of
the Republican party Is very important in the
matter OF history. We have heard It said 10.
day that It was born trent1-1vs years ago. In
one very important sense 1t was, but iu an
other exceedingly important hlstor-
TWENTY-FIVE years ago was revived.
1t was, indeed, the restoration OF The earliest
party Ut this Government. Tile Declaration Of
lndepcn1euce was thc originator Of the f1rst
Republican party, The grand Inspiration Of
that great instrument rave life to thought,
and subsequently gave namc to nar.v which
for nearly quarter of century was known aa
the Progressive Republican pnrty Of the United
.States. It WAS the party Of Jefferson. It was
TIC party Of the fatilcrs that made the Govern
mont, that created The Constitution, that started
.iuto It's long career Of ]lic this new Republic,
mud 1t was party that }ad as destructive doc-
triuc rs wo liAgs had since our moro recent
origin Of 1851.
THAT FIRST PROGRESSIVE REPUBLICAN, PARTY
had for Its central llea tile doetrlue Of the
Declaration Of Independence, the equality Of NIL
men before The law. They hatcd slavery, nn,l
they lovcd liberty, and they .nado 1t part OF
their great work to 70 just Us far as they could
towards rcalizing t1,e full measure Of HAT doc
tr!ue. They did not hope to destroy slavery in
their day. but they hoped to limit 1t, reatruct
1t. narrow its tsll, aud enlarge the boundary Of
liberty, rs faE and rs fas1 40 tho vested rights
a,,l the vested wrongs OF shareholders would
let them. They did abo1Ish the siave trade on
the high seas. they did dccarc that thu
~alave.truder vas \ pirate, 10 ba known aud
punished as such everywhere tl,at our col1l-
,1ncrce Or our ships Of war could reach HIN.
While they Knew t1!at ihay could not nuke lth
egusl In talents, thry did declare they would
make education free alld eve every one frec
race to do all Goti hsd rnnblet him to DO by thu
talensa given in his crcation. and that old Re.
publican party, therefore, dedicated part ul
all our PUBLIC tctrrftortes IN oil portions oi she
that old party dedicated all this territory that
NO ere on. mud all that 1t then Owned, 10 free.
dom forever,
THEY DID NonE.
They knew that all 'nen were mt equal II
wealth, but they would tlo NIL III their purer t.
rive each man free chAnco III the rats for
wealth. aud tlat old Republican party al'o
ished imprisonment for dabt In erery state IL
which thry hnl control. Thty lid more. Thai
old Republican party exempted trusn e1ecul!"l
Tho nescssartea Of fife Of all houtcluldcrs h
all the States where they had coat1ol. The,
did more. That old Republican party abollshct
tiiey went ont Of power. They did more
They made sutErags universal without lislne
ton Of race III s!nost every ope u the o..
hortit.n STATES except, psFhap;' ,l.e t,ns
party that died IN the DAYS of Tue younge
Adans' administration covered ITSELF, am
covered thr first quarter Of our present century
W.h glort y sns iots'ssts - o. bsssy qssSss S,
that ate necessary 10 Hlu diligence and .Tot
per!ty. The freedom and the hoaoE, OF grea
=. people. Applause. But thrre were eoi.se'
measotrs was opposed by conservatives to III
utmost IT ..".v power. Tie otteInut to sto
thu slnSe tra'1u was DECLARED 70 10 unEodly, ~
1t cut of the s'os ncailMn 0l Afrlra IRON cols
Ing to this tt'untry to hear the Gospel pscarhc
IN it& purity. ti.RughtsE1 The abolition c
imprisonment for debt was assal'ed Il. Il etrok
aG1tnyE
THE RIGHTS or PROPERTY
and OF creditors. and the abolition Of the ol
systeu, that took away the Int thing from tn
poor >nlau in executions, was nisu stroll
tAey condemned Tor the sa,ne reusou. Yes
BY year the ma!cuutents, lt.e conservative
ths resiAiess Of Progressive Aepu!cznlss
gained Erouud, until At lust They allied then
selves with tue slave power, mud thu, allant
Ma TOO strong for thu earl, Repuhlcan. part
and 1t hroke iu pieces, und tho regular Detno
rscy, intu which sll the better eeu!enta oi Il
power OF this Government That Democrat
had many noble impulses IN Its eass!est da
It held to some good doctrines, but at last, U
FousctouslY to itsGlt, lulperceptlbtY, "a Il
charges went on, 1t bowed lower a.
hover, and descended deeper md dee
RI, until IL became tue bon
kIaTs oiiths slave power on thia Continent, 81
it was only uhen, Twenty-Five JsarS axu, It hI