Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-07-29
Extract from the Great Speech of
Hon. CARL SCHURZ,
At indianapolis, July 20.

What is there then on the Democratic
side which could seduce you from the
path of safety? Is it the nomination
for the Presidency of soldier who, du-
ring the war, did brave deeds and de-
served we'll of the country? Is it a
sense of gratitude for those brave deeds
that should make you elevate the SOL
dier to the place in which a statesman
is wanted? Gratitude to those who on
the field of battle barred thei. breasts to
the enemies of the country is a senti-
ment of which l shall not slightly speak !;
it is noble sentiment; but is the Presi-
dency of the United States mere bau-
BILE that should be given as a reward for
things done on field of action wholly
different?
Is the Presidency like a presentation
sword, or gift horse, or a donation of
money, or a country house, given to a
victorious soldier to please him? If so,
then simple justice would compel us to
look for the most meritoriOus of our
soldiers, and reward them in the order
of their merit and, brave and skillful as
Gen. Hancock has been, there are others
who have claims of still higher order.
Then, Gen. Grant having already been
President, we should reward Gen. Sher-
man and Lieutenant General Sheridan
first before we come to the Major Gener-
al nominated by the Democratic party.
Certainly, let us be grateful; but let US
not degrade the highest and most re-
sponsible trust of the Republic to the
level of a mere gift of gratitude. Let
military heroes be lifted up to The high
est rank in the service of which belongs
to the soldier. Let them be rewarded
with the esteem of their countrymen /;
and, if need be, let wealth and luxury be
Showered upon them to brighten that
life which they were ready to sacrifice
for their country.
But let it never be forgotten that the
Presidency is a trust that is due to no
man; that nobody has ever earned it as
thing belonging to him, and that it
should not be bestowed but for services
to be rendered in the way of patriotic
and enlightened craftsmanship.
But above all things, the Presidency
should never he pointed out as the at
tainable goal of ambition to the profess
sional soldier. certainly do not mean
to depreciate the high character of the
regular army. But 1 cannot refrain
from saying that, in Republic like
ours, great care should be taken not to
demoralize it by instilling political am
bition into the minds of its officers. The
army is there to obey the orders of the
civil power under the law as it stands,
without looking to the right or the left.
And it will be an evil day for this Re
public when we inspire the Generals of
our army with the ambition to secure
the highest power by paving their way
to it with political pronunciamentoS.
| will not impute TO Gen. Hancock any
such design. He may have meant ever
so well when he issued General Order
No. 40, which is now held up by politi-
cal party as his principal title to the
But you once establish
such precedent, and who knows how
long it will be before you hear of other
general orders issued for purposes some
what similar to those for which they are
now issued in Mexico? am for the su-
bordination of the military to the civil
power. And, therefore, am for making
Garfield President, and for
letting Gen. Hancock remain what he is,
a General, always ready to draw the
sword at the lawful command
of the civil power.
What have we on the other hand in
the Republican candidate: His youth |
was that of a poor boy. He lived by his |
daily labor. He,rose up from that es-
tate gradually by his own effort. taking |
with him the experience Of poverty and
hard work and living sympathy with |
the poor and hard working man. He |
cultivated his mind by diligent study, |
and he stored it with useful knowledge. |
From learner he became teacher.
When the Republic called her sons to
her defense he joined the army and |
achieved distinction in active service as
one of the brave on the battlefield. He |
was called into the great council of the
Nation, and has sat there for nearly |
twenty years. No great question was
discussed without his contributing the
store of his knowledge to the fund of
necessary for wise decision.
His speeches have ranked not only |
among the most eloquent, but among |
the most instructive and useful. Scarce
ly single great measure of legislation
was passed during that long period
without the imprint of his mind. No
man in Congress has devoted more
inquiry to larger number of
important subjects and formed upon
them opinions more matured and valua-
BILE. He was not great soldier as his
for the Presidency but he has
made himself, and is universally recog- |
nized rs, what a President ought to be, a
statesman. He understands all phases
Of life, from the lowest to the highest,
for he has lived through them. He un-
derstands the great problems of politics,