The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-06-23
THE RgpUBLIcAx CONVERSION.


d. 1880 Is thing ei the past 1t was imme
distely preceded by unusual atmospheric
disturbances Of the most destructive charao.
ter. 1t had many of the characteristics of
cyclone; at least that is the opinion of
Colonel Streight. IL upended that gentle
man, rolled him over. bursted his boom, and
lef, him sprawling. Itisan unpleasant duty
to state that large number OF the delegates
for many hours previous to the meeting of
the Convention evinced an entire disregard
for the high moral, n"God-fearing'' and
''religion-loving' ,planks which the Republi.
can party won't to put into its platforms
for the express purpose OF obscurlng their
true character Their spirits went
up as the spirits went down, and In
dianspolis had favorable opportunity for
estimating, at their true value, Republican
morals In the Convention Republican
duplicity aud mendscity cropped out with
its first official utterances. IL WAS thought
that General Ben Harrison would be Presi-
dent OF the Convention 1t was SO given out.
But for some cause, the man that Governor
Williams sat down on so heavily four years
ago, did not preside. gentleman by the
name Of Calkins was substituted. AS
matter of course, Calkins made speech, and
his indlscrest friends permitted him to have
it published. Calkins made very foolish
speech-a weak, yapid speech. He said
party is everything" With Republicans
party may be everything, for certainly it
has no regard for principles
As Flanagan said, Republicans want
offices. They want spoils. They are I'M
happy when they are barred out of the
public Treasury. With such men party Is
everything" Calkins said "the Republican
party is the grandest party that ever had an
existence in Republic" "Grandestl" We
would as soon think of referring TO case of
continent smallpox as the ''grandest" that
ever cat out its victims eyes. We would as
soon think of describing tumor as ''state-
ly," or q leper as having an Industrious
disease. Calkins overshot the target when
he called the Republican party grand"
Calkins said the Republican party began
its life amid storms and bloody scenes" No.
1t began its life when peace reigned through
out the land. II created storms and bloody
scenes. Party was everything" country,
truth, justice, fraternity, were nothing 1t
wanted power that it might plumber, and
every year of its power has been marked by
acts of perhdy that defy description. So
vile was its rule in all regards, that the peo-
pie hurled it from power, and placed the
National Legislature In the hands o. the
Democratic party. They placed the Execu-
tive Department of the Government also in
the hands of the Democratic party, and to-
day Hayes is in Office by virtue of Republi-
can villainles, and not by the voice OF the
people. Csikins evinced his devotion to
party by his malignant reference to tie
South. He demonstrated his loyalty to the
bloody shirt by the exhibition of consuming
hate toward Southern Representatives in
Congress. The country is in no condition
to respond favorably to such vile sentiments
as Calklns expressed in his speech yesterday
Indiana will not tolerate a bloody
shirt campaign, and the Republican
if not sooner-that the people of Indiana
are for peace harmony, fraternity and good
will-that such things rise sublimely above
party, and that party which antsgonizss
them ought 20 be condemned. Calkins has
sounded the keynote. Democrats are given
to understand what the Republican pro-
gramme is to be. We ASSURE the Republican
leaders that the Democratic party accepts
their challenge and is willing to go before the
people upon the bloody shirt issue which
Calkins has made.