Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-10-08
General Grant Defloes His Position PO-
litiCally.

At the great political gathering in
Warren, Ohio, on the 28th of Septem-
Der, addressed by Senator Conkling,
eX-President Grant presided, and, on
calling the meeting TO order, read
the following short speech defining his
political position:
In view OF the known character and ability
of the speaker who Is to address you to-day,
and bis long public career and association
with the leading statesmen OF the country Tor
the past twenty years, IL would not be becOm-
ing In me to detain you with many remarks OF
my own; but II may be proper for me TO ac-
count to you on the hrst occasion Of my pre-
siding ut political meeting, for the faith
that is in me-"
Lam Republican, as the two great politl-
cal parties are now divided, because tho Re
publican party Is a National party seeking the
greatest good Of the greatest numbers Of it's
citizens. There is not precinct In this vast
Nation whore Democrat Can not cast his
ballot and have II counted as cast, no mat
ter what the predomlnnnce of the other
party He can proclaim his political
n Thousand, without fear and without
proscriptl IN on account of his opinion. There
are fourteen States, and localities in some
others, where Republicans have not this priv
lleBe. This Is one reason why am n Repub-
licnn. But am Il Republican for many other
reasons. The Republican party assures pro-
lection TO life, property, public credit and the
payment Of debts Of Government, State, cOun-
" or municip ility, so far as II can control
Aut llNlll tINllN UAElF uilt'a lOL DFblulht Nulbs
II Il does. 1t has broken It's promises to tho eX-
tent Of hundreds Of millions, as many North
cru DemOcrlts can testify TO their sorrow
] am n Republican ~ between existing par
ties, bee mse IL fosters production Of the field
and furm, and Of manufactures, aud IL en-
couragcs general education OF the poor rs well
a. the rich. The Democratic party disCOurnges
all those when In actual power. The ltcpubiiO-
an purity Is u party Of progress and Of liher-
allty toward us opponents, II encourages the
ignorant to eduCpte their children 90 enable
them to compete successfully with their moro
fortunate associates, and, In fine, II secures an
entire equality before the law, OF every Citl-
rem no matter what his race, nationality or
previous condition. II tOlerates no privileged
class. Every one has the opportunity to make
himself all he Is capable OF. Ladies' and gem
tlemcn, do you believe that this can be truth
fully ~ In the greater part OF fourteen of
the states OF the Union to-day, which the
Democratic party control absolutely The
Republican party Is party Of principles, the
same principles prevailing wherever IL has
toOthOld. The Democratic party Is
united In but one thing, aud that Is
In getting control of the Government I'm all
it's branches. IL Is for internal Improvement
at the expense OF the Government In one sec
ton, and against this In another. II favors
repudlatiOn of solemn obligations in one sec
ton, and honest payment of It's debts in an
other where public opinion will not tolerate
any other ylewl IL favOrs hnt money I'm one
place and good money In another. Finally IL
tavOrs tho pooling of all issues" not favored
by the Republicans, TO the end that It may
secure the one principle upon which the
party Is most harmonious unit, namely,
gaining control of tho Government I'm all
It's brnmches. ] have been IN some part of
every state lately In rebellion within the
last year. ! WIS most Hospitality received at
every place stopped. My receptions were
not by the Union class alone, but by all classes,
without distinction. | had free talk with
many who were against us In the war and who
have been agninst tho Republican party ever
since. They were IN all instances rea 'Onuble
men, Judged by what they said. / believed
then and believe now that they sincerely want
a brenk-up In this "Solid South" political CON
ditun. They sec that II IL TO their peounary
interest, NJ woll as to their happiness, that
there should he harmony and confidence
between all sections. They want tn
break away from the slavery which binds
them 10 party name. They want preteXt
that enough OF them can unite upon In make
n respectable. Once started, the Solid South
viii 70 rs KukluNlsm did before, ~ IA 50 al-
miruhly told by Judge TOurFee, In his Fools
Errund," When the break comes, those who
start IL will be surprised to ind how many of
their friends have been In favor of II for u
long time, and have only been waiting to see
BoIae one take the lead. This desirable sOlu-
tion can only be obtained by the defeat aud
continued defent, OF the Democratic party US
NOW constituted.