The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-04-09
SECRETARY SHERMAN AT HOME.
A Review OF the Political situation...
what the Republican Party HAS
Done for the NatiOn-The
Questions nt Issue.


Secretary Sherman arrived at his old
home In Mansfield, Ohio, ON the 3lst
ult., and was met at the depot by q great
crowd Of people, and welcomed with
music and other marks Of enthusiasm
and respect. In the evening vast audi
ence assembled in the public hall, and
the secretary addressed them as follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS AND FELLOW TowxsMES:
have noticed, in coming here, that some Of
the papers are discussing why came 10 Mans
field: When yeat ago visited yua limos
Gently said came 10 repair my fences. This
was the simple truths, but thanks 10 my very
good friend before me, Mr. knight, my fences
Sre now in very good repair. Considerine that
have had my home among you, man and boy,
for forty years, / have lived in peace and con-
tentment with you, can hardly give any better
reason for coming here than that wanted 10.
l cannot trust myself 10 speak IN the language
my heart dictates my thanks for the kind man
ner In which you always receiveme ON my return
spouse to the declaration Of Mr.. Hedges, must
refer to personal politics, and that Is always q
dangerous experiment. What say to you win
be read by many who do not sympathize with
you in your generous Partially. But Il
Is due to them, ~ well as TO you that what say
shall be frank, manly and truthful.
by the course of recent events and not by
myself seeking, my name is mentioned among
those from whom the Republican party will nc
lect one to carry its banner in the approaching
presidential contest. 1t Is not egotism TO state
this fact, and il is not manly to shrink from
the criticism and scrutiny winch such course
necessarily invites and provokes. accepted
the position without pretense OF mock modesty,
l. IL n. .a.-lAA l.
friends to put themselves TO trouble on my ac-
count without q frank avowal that I was will
ing to accept, and without delaying until certain
Of success lapplausel, but with O firm determi-
nation not 10 detract from the merits Of the
services OF others, nor to seek this lofty eleva-
ton by dishonorable means or lying evasions or
pretences. .lApplause.l In this way, and in
this way only, am I q candidate, but with great
doubt whether, il nominated, / would meet the
expectations Of my friends, and resolved that
in case Of failure I will abide cheerfully and
kindly by the choice Of the convention. ZAP
plause.l There is one condition, scarcely neces-
bary to state, upon which my candidacy
depends; and that is, IL the Republicans Of
Ohio do not fairly and fully in their. con-
vention express preference for me, and sup
port it with substantial unanimity in the nation
al convention, my name will not be presented to
that convention with my consent. Applause
This, fellow citizens, il about all, and is perhaps
more than ought to say about personal mat
tiers; for in the great contest in which we are
about 70 engage, the hopes and ambitions, and
even the lives of men are of but little account
compared with the issue involved. When Amer
lean politics are 80 tranquil that mere choice Of
men and not great principles is the bone Of con-
tention between parties, then ii il a matter Of
comparative indifference who is nominated. But
the contest this fall between the Republican and
Democratic parties will present for decision
questions of the gravest Importance, and the
candidates chosen for the Republican party
must be those who will not only fairly represent
our side of these great issues, but who will
probably be most certain of election.
The Republican party is the party Of princi-
pie, and the Democratic party is the party Of
opposition. The Republican party wins, only
upon its bold leadership on questions Of public
Of resumption and refunding which has been SO
successfully executed thus far, but must be
supported hereafter by the friendly action Of
the government: 1t proposes to maintain and
enforce the constitutional amendments with all
the powers Of the national government, to the
end that every man, poor or rich, white or
black, may be secure in the full enjoyment OF
civil and political rights. lApplause.l II pro-
poses to fasten and extend the system Of free
public schools, both by the state and national
governments, to the end that every child Of the
proper age may receive instruction in the princi-
pal branches Of education, and thus give TO the
poor as well as the rich, fair chance in life; SO
that the opportunities to win an honorable posi-
ton in life may not be confined to any favored
or fortunate class. Enthusiastic applause.l /
believe the Republican party Is the only party in
this country that has the courage and ability to
carry out these great objects Of national desire,
and that the controlling element Of the Demo
cratic party cannot and ought not to be trusted
to secure either OF these primary conditions Of
good government. Though there are many
men III that party whose friendship highly
prize, yet never concealed from them or from
you my profound distru t of the principles and
the tendencies and the aims Of that party; and
now, more than ever, would regard its success
in gaining control of the executive and judicial
branches OF the government as an unmixed
calamity.
do not intend to make you long political
speech on these numerous topics, which will en-
ter INTO the canvass, but there are some matters
connected with the present state Of affairs,
which think should bring briefly to your at
tention. What marked change has taken place
in the condition of our country since I spoke
to you in the summer Of 1867. At the begin
ming Of the present administration the Republic
can party had lost control Of the great central
states. Democratic senators and Legislators
had been elected in Connecticut, New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and
even Illinois sent the Independent party " to
the United States senate. and the national house
Of representatives was strongly Democratic.
When President Hayes was sworn into Office the
local governments Of Louisiana and South Caro-
lima were in the possession Of legislature elect
ed by the most shocking crime and violence.
From the LIST Of January, 1877, to the 4th OF
March, 1877, the whole power Of the state gov
ernments was absolutely under the control Of
Hampton and Nicnols. The president was
powerless to correct this great wrong, and al
though his course In this matter has been the
subject of more criticism than any act
of his administration, yet I believe il
is now the considerate judgment of
the majority Of all parties that what he did do
was wise, prudent and for the best interests of
all classes, both white and black. He did not
attempt the impossible, but he did do all that
could be done according to law to secure peace
overthrow the popular will. Three years ago,
our financial condition was as desperate and dan
gerous as it has ever been from the foundation
of the government. Great bodies Of discon-
tented men, deprived Of making livelihood by
honest labor by the hardness Of the times, were
tramping through the country, stopping rail-
roads and adding to the general calamity by
riots and violence. Our paper money was be-
low par, and universal dstrust pervaded all
classes Of men. Workshops and manufactures
were idle. Capitalists boarded their money.
Prices were low. Production had been re-
duced to its minimum for want Of O market.
And, although our public credit has been well
maintained by the strict observance Of public
obligations, yet our bonds bearing ~ per cent.
interest were sold at par slowly and with diff
Guilty. I call your attention now to the views
expressed in my speech here on the 18th Of
August, 1877, upon the policy Of the admins
tration in regard to resumption and refunding.
Mr.. Sherman here read extracts from
a printed copy of the speech referred to. ]
Every promise and prophecy therein made
has been literally fulfilled, and the condition
then existing is now happily changed. The
troops Of idle men, desperate from want of
labor, are now busily employed in all the various
branches Of industry. Our paper moneyis now
not only at par with coin, but It is Of universal
credit throughout the civilized world, and IL
eagerly taken at par with coin In all the conner
cial capitals OF Europe. Capital, no longer
boarded, is reviving old industries and strating
new railroads, tclegraphs, workshops. Mines,
factories, rolling mills and furnaces arc all now
III full and successful operation. From surplus
revenues, without any increase in taxation, our
debt is now being rapidly reduced, and this very
month tho reduction IL greater than in any
former month since the creation Of the debt,
being fourteen million dollars. [Great APP
plsuse.l Hundreds Of millions of our bonds
have been sold, bearing per cent. interest, at
or above par, and our credit il 80 advanced that
they can now be sold in future operations at q
very large premium, and bonds at still lower
rate Of interest may perhaps be successfully ne
gotiated.
And our political condition Is vastly improved.
The Republican party, ut the elections of last
fall, carried, either by majority or plurality,
every state in the north where elections where
held, and it is confidently believed that We
would have carried Indiana and Oregon II there
had been any elections in those states. II is
believed, also, that at any fair election, five Of
the southern states would give majority to the
from doing 30 by the lawless violence and ter
rorism that IN 1875 defeated the viii Of ma
jority Of the voters.
Such is the changed condition Of affairs in
which we are about 10 enter into the presiden-
tial contest Of the present year. do not, fell