The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-10-08
General Grant Makes a POIit-
icai speech.
Atnhe Great NeslIns at warren Ohio.

an immense audience. Gen. Grant
presided, and upon introducing Mr..
CoDkling, said:
Ladies aud gentlemen: / hope We
may be able 70 have quiet and order
here. 1t is not important, so far as
anything ] have to say 70 YOU is CON
cerned, because ] shall not BE- able t.
MAKE many OF you hear, but after me
comes a speaker, whom 1 know YOU
will all be glad to hear, aud you can do
so by keeping quiet and orderly. Not
being accustomed to speaking public
ly, i have drawn off a few words that
/ will So in advance Of the gentleman
who is 10 follow me.
In view of the known character and
ability of the speaker who is TO ad-
dress YOU to-day, and his long public
c;reer and association with The leading
statesmen Of the country for the past
twenty years, it would not be becom-
ing in me to detain you with many
remarks Of my own; but it may be
proper for mt to account to YOU, on
the first occasion of my presiding at IL
political meeting, for the faith that is
in Inc l am Republican, as the
two great political parties are now
divided, because the republican party
is a national party, seeking the great
est good for the greatest number Of
It's citizens. There ia not a precinct
in this vast nation where a democrat
can not cast his ballot and have it
counted rs cast, no matter what the
predomlnence Of the opposite party.
He car proclaim his political opinions
even if be is only one among a thous
aud, without fear and without pro
scription on account of his opinions.
There are fourteen states and local.
ties in some others where republicans
have not tins privilege. This is one
reason why | am a republican; but |
am a republican for many other reas-
ons. The republican party assumes
protection to life property public cred
ii and the payment of the debts Of
the government, state, county and
municipality, 50 far as it can control.
The democratic party does not prom
ise this. If it does, it has broken its
promises to the extent of hundreds Of
millions, as many northern democrats
can testify to thicr sorrow. / am a
republican as between the existing
parties, because it fosters the produc-
ton Of the field and farm, and of the
manufactures, and it encourages the
general education Of the poor, us well
as the rich. The democratic party dis.
courages all these when in absolute
power. The republican party is a
party Of progress and of liberty to-
ward its opponents, 1t encourages the
poor TO strive to better thier coudi-
ton, the ignorant to educate thier
children to enable them to compete
successfully with thler more fortunate
associates, and in fact, it secures an
entire equality before law Of every
citizen. no matter what his race, natl
%onality or previous condition. 1t toler-
ates no privileged class. Every one
has the opportunity to make himself
all he is capable of. Ladies and gen
tlemen, do you believe this can be
truthfully said in the greater part OF
fourteen of the states of this union
to-day, which the democratic party
control absolutely? The republican
party is a patty of principles, the same
principles prevailing wherever it has
a foothOld. The democratic party is
united in but ono thing, and that is
in getting control of the government
in all it's branches. 1t is for internal
improvement at the expense of the
government in one section and against
this in another. 1t favors the rep
udiation of solemn obligations in one
section and the honest payment Of It's
debts in another, where public opinion
will not tolerate anY other view. 1t
favors fat money in one place a nd
good money in another. Finally, it
favorS the pooling of all isses' not
favored by the republicans to the end
it may secure the one principle
upon which the party is a most har
monious unit-~namcIy, gaining con
troll of the government in all its bran
ches. ] have been in some part of
every state latoly in rebellion, within
The past year. was most Hospitality
received at every place where l Stopp
ID. My receptions were not by the
union class alone, but by all classes,
without distinction. l had free talk
with many who were against us in
var and who have been against
republican party ever since. They
we're in all instances reasonable men
judged by what they said. ! beloved
hen and believe now that they sim
.erely want u break up in this solid
iouth" political condition. They say
hat it is to their pecuniary intrest as
veil Us to their happiness that there
e harmony and confidence be- '
ween all sections. They want to brak !
way from the slavery which binds
hem TO a party name. They want q
that enough Of them can unite I
lpon to make it respectable. Once {
tarted the solid south will 90 as
:u-kluxism did before, and as so ad- |
told by Judge Tourgee in his :
Fools Errand," when the break ,
ONES, those who start it will be as I
onished to find how many Of their G
have been in favor of it for II a