The Portland daily press., 1879-07-24
SHERMAN.
HIS EXPL LANATION OF THE
FINANCES.
City Hall Packed with an Enthusl
astic Audience.
THE NEXT GOVERNOR MAKES
SPEECH.

THE NEXT GOVERNOR MAKES A
SPEECH.
Remarks by Senator Blaine and Messrs.
Washburn and Reed.
Never was a speaker more grandly welcomed
to the political platform of Maine than Secre-
tary Sherman last evening at City Hall. Long
before seven o'clock the hall began to be
thronged, and long before eight it was net
merely crowded but there was scarcely stand
lug room in the corridors. At about eight
o'clock Secretary Sherman entered, accom-
panied by chairman Dow, Senator Blaine,
Hon. Daniel f. Davis, Judge Appleton Col
lector Morrill,, Congressman Lindsey and
Reed, ex-Governors Washburn and Perham,
and other distinguished gentlemen, and the
vast and enthusiastic audience burst out into
spontaneous and long continued applause.
The gathering was well worthy the distin-
guisned speakers. Never has City Hall seen
more immense throng, nor witnessed an aldi-
ence SO notable in its character, for there were
present but few ladies and almost no boys 70
speakers were constantly followed with the
most intense interest, and were all greeted
with hearty and frequent applause. Secretary
Sherman was of course the principal object OF
interest. In his speech there was no attempt
at fine oratory, simply statement of dry, hard,
statistical facts, stated in the coolest manner
possible; but as the speaker proceeded and
felt the enthusiasm of the occasion
and that his audience were being borne along
with him, his slim straight straight figure
seemed to grow more erect and muscular, and
the bright blue eyes blazed in way that in
dicated the wonderful perseverance and energy
of the man. Rarely were there any personal
or political remarks, still more rarely any at
tempt to cause laughter, but as the speaker
went on from date to date and from amount to
amount tracing the history of the greatest
financial operations the world has ever seen,
the audience caught his cool impressive man
ner and listened intently for every word as it
fell from his lips.
Hon. Daniel f. Davis for the first time ap-
peared before a Portland audience, and was
most favorably received. In commencing his
brief remarks he spoke with deliberation, but
shortly growing warm, spoke with greater ra-
pidity and earnestness. AS q campaign speaker
he possesses splendid qualifications. His voice is
remarkably clear and senorous, his manner
earnest and energetic, his subject matter care
fully and thoroughly digested.
Senator Blaine made the great hit of the eve
ming. His description of the status of the
Democratic party was simply indescribable.
His allusions to the warlize Pillsbury were
iresistibly funny Nor could anything be
more delightfully."- ludicrous than the refer
ence to the failure of paper company. But it
all needed to be heard to be appreciated No
description can properly describe it,
AT few minutes past eight the Hon. f. N.
Dow called the vast assemblage to order, and
introduced as the chairman of the meeting
''Maines War Governor" the Hon. Israel
Washburn, who was received with applause as
he stepped to the desk.
Mr.. Washburn said: Wherever the cam
paign of this fall is opened there the campaign
of 1880 will be begun, and there could be no
place more fit for opening the campaign than
in Portland. There are more reasons than one
why the campaign is fifty opened in Maine.
Not only do elections come earliest i'll this
state, but we are also peculiarly a representa-
tive state in our industries. Agriculture,
mining, numbering, commerce and manufac-
lures are interests which are prominent in
our state. From this diversity of interests
Maine may be considered a representative
state and her voice may be considered as the
expression of the entire country. Not only
are we honored by being permitted to open the
campaign, but we are honored by the presence
of man whose record is before the country,
and whose record will live because it is good
one. No man in the country is better able to
instruct us in the great living questions sof the
time. 1t has been the privilege of Maine to
lead in the greet elections in 1860, in 1864, in
1868, in 1872 and in 1876, and I believe that
Maine will lead in the great questions of the
present day and that the country will declare
for sound money and for sound principles
The old issues have not altogether died out;
devotion to the flag and loyalty to the country
are not the only objectionable offences. The
soldier who wore the blue is not be passed by
for the man who wore the gray. Under these
principles we inaugurate the campaign.
Mr.. Washburn then introduced 'the gem
tleman you are all waiting to hear, the Secre-
tary of the Treasury AS Mr.. Sherman rose
from his chair he was greeted with round after
round of applause, and for some moments was
unable to make himself heard. After ex-
pressing his qualification at being in Maine,
and at the size an d character of his audience
he proceeded as follows:
/ accepted the invitation of your distinguish
l. e I
ring my brief vacation from official duties,
mainly that | might present to you the mode
by which, in spite of much opposition, United
States notes have been advanced to par in coin,
and some reasons why these notes ought here
after to be redeemed in coin at the demand OF
the holder instead of being, as formerly, ire
deemable, deprecated, and dishonored. You
will naturally expect me, as public officer, to
speak mainly on this and kindred financial
topics connected with my official duties.
But before doing 70, permi5 me to say that
there are questions involved in our political
contest this fall more important than those Of
hard money OF soft money, greenbacks Oh
bank-noteS.
REVIVAL OF OLD ISSUES.
If l felt at liberty to choose the theme mcs
important to you and to the whole people Of
the United States, would present the recent
revival by the Democratic party of the South.
ern doctrine of States rights. This doctrine
1t was born of hostility to the Union. 1t was
the bulwark of American slavery. 1t poisoned
and estranged a large section of the country
Under the name of secession, it led to the late
rebellion, and aimed to destroy the Union by
an open armed CONFLICT with the National Gov
ernment. Every life that was sacrificed, ant
the treasure that was wasted in that war, were
the bitter fruits of this doctrine.
Now it takes the form of nullifcation-no
notification by State officers as when Genera
Jackson throttled it, but nulliication by mem
bers of Congress, the sworn agents and officers
of the General Government. These officers
would surrender essential powers of the
National Government, nullify its law, cripple
it in executing its conceded powers, and make
it a Confederate instead of National Govern
ment In the arrogance of their power one o
| their leaders declared that it was their tixe(
| purpose to wipe out every vestige of war legis
| lation.
Their chief effort in the last two sessions o
Congress has been to nullify a law of Congres
| providing for an honest election of members o
Congress-a law passed in pursuance of plail
| provision of the Constitution, declared by Mr.
| Madison to be essential to the pre1ervation o
| the Government; q law which has been sane
toned by eight years of practical execution
which has been appealed to by both parties
whose constitutionality has never been disputes
in the>courts and which is the only guard pro
vded by Congress to protect citizens of th