Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-16
NO. 43.

signed by G. c. Washburn, of Wisconsin.
| Cloud cheers) aud Mason W. Tappan, of
New Hampshire, which declared that the
constitution
| NEEDED TO BE oBEYED,
rather than amended ?' Which do you
! like best in contest like that-the lam
| guage of the eminently respectable pat
riot, Charles Francis Adams, in whose
| frigid presence the polar wave is sup
| posed to uncover as it passes-Who
| counseled concilIation and any reason
| able concession to stem and turn The
rising current, and who, while he admit
| ted the rebels had no case, still said,
"let US conciliate on some fair basis like
that offered by the committee ?" which
| do you like the best,-that or this Ian
guage uttered when the same report
| came up for adoption: "No! no! no con.
cession! no compromise, Give US strife,
even to blood, before yielding TO the de-
| mands OF traitorous violenceI" Who
said that? Old Zach Chandler Tlumult of
| applausel of Michigan. Which man
stood by his guns then? Which man
stands by them now. Before whom did
traitors in the United States senats tIem-
BILE in 1861? Before whom do they trem-
| BILE today?
Fellow citizens, have thus retravers-
ed these red and rugged fields of history
| not for purposes of complaint or spying
| out differences, if could; but rather fol
the purpose of graduating you, and
| with you the people of the whols coun-
try, that as the republican party was
solid and united in 1854, as it was solid
and united in 1860, as it speedily became
solid and united again in 1861, so on this
the 25th anniversary day of its life, it is
more solid, united and determined than
it has been at any time during the last six
years OF its existence. Applause.l Ac-
cepting this welcome fact, and leaving
to others the office of criticism, wa come
here to-day only to remem Der the lessons
and the glories of the past and to prepare
If we can for the realities of the future.
What they are need hot detain you to
enumcrate. The events of the last few
months are the property of the nation.
They have sent shudder of apprehen-
sion through all ranks and classes of so.
cicty. They too plainly tell that the
next two years are fraught with grave
responsibilities. Within that time the
last desperate struggle is to be made by
the south, aided by its faithful allies Of
the north to gain by the ballot that which
it lost by the bullet. In that same strue-
gle the question must also be decided
whether the laws of this government can
be properly administered by its author
lied officers, or whether they can be over
thrown by mob? A law for one is law
for all, and within proper jurisdiction
the laws cf the United States must be
equally enforced, north south, east aud
west. On. this ground the republican
party can stand; on this rock it can
plant its feet, and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it! Loud and long
continued applause.
The obligation of the government to
enforce law is co-extensive with the obli-
cation of the citizen to obey law. Alb
solve either from this obligation, and
civil government becomes farce. When
free thought and free speech can be toll
Grated in the south as in the north, then
peace and reconciliation will come to
stay; but to expect these on any other
condition is to jest with the subject.
Since the cessation of hostililies the life
of no man in all the north has been jcop-
ardized for political opinions sake. The
most extreme men of the south could and
have uttered their sentiments as freely
and safely on the soil of New England as
IN the state of Mississippi or South Caro-
lima! But TO say that an J northern repub-
llcan could prosecute political canvass
in the south, relieved from personal dan
ger, is to
INSULT THA COMMON INTELLIGENCE
of the country. The fact that such a
thing is not proposed or thought of is
the best commentary on the actual con-
dition of the country to-day.
Now, so long as this condition of things
remains, SO long must the republican par
ty stand guard. (Appause) AS we havo
seen, the same hateful sentiment of intol-
erance once existed in the north, but it
passed away more rapidly than expected.
So, in the south, it will disappear. But
as in the one case it did not go away
by magic or incantation, so in the other,
human agencies and logical methods
must work out practical results. The sit
uation is inded full of gravity, but this
nation is not going to die in the morning
of the second century of its lifel zap
plause.)
In the next apportionm ent, the centers
of political power will move toward the
northwest, leaving sectional issues be-
hind. Unless full and equitable relief
be granted, the near future Will zee such
an exodus of people from the south TO
north as this country has never seen be-
fore. l do not speak without advice ON
this subject He who attributes the
present movement TO some temporary
craze or delusioB, little appreciates how
the negro
CUERIsHEs ELS LOVE FOR FREEDOM,
or what he will do to secure it; not so
much for himself as for his children who
are to come after him. Any belief that
the dullest ex-slave in the hum blest cabin
ef the darkest corner of the republic does
not know who liberated him. and where
his rights will fiud protection, is one of
those delusions, among many, which
slavery left as legacy to the white man.
This movement will go on, unless re-
turning reason shall arrest it, and thus
the law of self-intcrest and self protec-
ton may work out and solve problem
which cannon balls could never do.
Would to God that it ight be SO.
And ia the meantime, fellow citizens,
let rs push on the grand old column Of
republicanism to its day OF jubilee! For
in that glad hour, American civilization
shall triumph and this land be dotted
over with happy homes from the lakes
to the gulf, from tn. rivers to the sea.
Uong continued and enthusiastic ap-
plaute.)