Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-06-17


We now come TO this Place while so
many are gone but We meet here to-
night with the war SO far back in the
distance that it is an almost half-forgot-
ten memory. We meet here tonight
under the lag We fought for. We meet
with a glorious, great and growing Re-
public, made greater and more glorious
bv the sacrifices through which the
country has passed. And coming here
rs | do tonight, bring the two ends Of
twenty years together with all the VS.
ions of the terrible and glorious, the
touching and cheerful, that have oc-
Cured during that time.
l came here, moreover, fellow cltl-
zens. to thank this General Assembly
for their great act of confidence and
compliment to me. l do not undervalue
the great Office that you have rendered
to me yesterday and to-day, but L say
without, think, any mental reservation,
that the manner i'll which it was tender
ed to me is far more admirable than the
thing itself That it has been vOluI-
tarv gift OF the General Assembly OF
| Ohio. without solicitation, rendered to
me because Of their confidence, is as
touching and high tribute aS one man
can possibly receive from his fellOw-clt-
izens, and in the name of all my friends,
| for myself give you my thanks. re-
cognize the importance of the place to
which you have elected me, and should
| be base if I did not also recognize the
great man whom you have elected me to
succeed. ! say for him that Ohio has
| had few larger-minded, Undetermined
men in the record Of OuT history than
that OF Allen G. Thurman. (Applause)
Differing widely from him as l have
done in politics, and do, | recognize him
| as man high :; cf:..arc2I and great IN
| intellect, and take this occasion to re-
! fer to what | have never before referred
to in public, that many years ago, in the
storm of party fighting, when the air was
| filed with all sorts of missiles aimed at
the character and reputation of public
men; when it was even for his party in
terest to Join in the general clamor
against me and my associates, Senator
Thurman said in public, in the cam
paign, on the stump, where men are as
likely to say unkind things as at any
place in the world, most generous and
| earnest word of defense and kindness for
me which | shall never forget so long as
[ live. (Applause.) l say, moreover,
| that the flowers that bloom over the gar
den wall of party politics are the sweet
! est and most fragrant that bloom in the
gardens of this world (applause,) and
when we can fairly pluck them and en-
| joy their fragrance, it is manly and de-
| lightful TO do so.
| And now, gentlemen of the General
Assembly, without distinction of party,
recognize the tribute and compliment
made TO Inc tonight. Whatever my own
course may be in the future, a large
share of the inspiration of my future
public life Will be drawn from this occas-
ion and these surroundings. and I shall
| feel anew the sense of obligation that |
! feel to the State Of Ohio. Let me ven
ture TO point single sentence III regard
to that work: During the twenty years
that l have been in public life, al
most eighteen of it in the Congress
Of the United States. have tried
to do one thing. Whether L was
mistaken or otherwise, it Las been
the plan OF ny life to follow my
conviction at whatever cost to my
self. / have represented for many
years district in Congress whose ap-
probation greatly desired, but though
it may seem perhaps little egOtistical
to say it, : yet desired still more the ap-
probation vi one person, and his name
was Garfield. Laughter and applause
He is the only man i ain compelled to
sleep with laughter, and eat with, and
die with, and if l could not have his ap-
probation, Should have bad compan-
ionship. Renewed laughter and ap-
plause. And i'll this larger constituen-
cy which has called NE to represent
them now, can only do what is true to
my best self. applying the same rule
And If | should be SO unfortunate as to
lose the confidence of this larger cOnstit-
uency | must do what every other fair
minded man has to do-carry his politi-
cal life i'll his hands and take the conse
IquenceI. But / must follow what seems
to me to De the only safe rule of my life,
and with that view OF the case and with
chat much personal reference, leave
that subject.
Thanking you again, fellow citizens,
members of the General Assembly, Re-
publicans. Democrats, all, party man as
| am-thanking you both for what you
have done, bid you good night. OOng
and continued applause)