Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-09-29
Our Washington Letter.


| WARRINGTON, ID. c., September %, 1880.
Mr.. Editor The excitement over the coming
presidential election Is Increasing every day In
this region, particularly in Maryland and vlr-
ginia, where there IL some little hope Of Republi-
can gains II not Of Republican success. We at.
tended Republican mass meeting held In Bladens-
burg, Maryland, yesterday, and the occasion
proved to be one Of special political significance.
One OF the principal features Of the meeting was
| SPEECH by SECRETARY SHERMAN
which was, In our opinion, one OF the most pointed
and logical Of the many able productions Of the
great financier during the present campaign. lie
took for his text the speech made by Senator Bay
ard at the recent Democratic mass meeting held
In New York city, and his answer to that effort
was thorough, terse and entirely comprehensive
Mr.. Bayard, in his remarks concerning the claims
OF the Republican party, had stated that the
claims, made by the Republicans and by Mr.
Sherman In particular, that they deserved the
credit for bringing about the resumption of specie
payments was refreshing exhibition of effront-
cry and cheek" and secuted the idea Of such
claim being made Secretary Sherman took up
this speech OF Mr.. Bayard, made only forty-eight
hours before, and very carefully dissected 1t,
point by point giving history at the same time,
OF the progress Of resumption and showing by
whom the process was started and by whose in
strumentalty IL was finally completed. Although
dealing mostly with dry facts and figures the sec
rotary, by his interesting way OF putting his ar
guments before the people, held the closest atten-
ton OF the large assemblage, and often inter-
rupted by applause. He referred TO the fact that
| there were three acts passed by congress which
contributed to the resumption Of specie payments
First, AN act to strengthen the public credit"
which was passed March, 1869, merely giving the
promise Of immediate efforts looking to the end
Upon this act every Republican voted for, and
| every Democrat against it. The next step was
the passage of the " refundng act" for the pur-
pose Of reducing the rate of interest upon the
public debt-selling four per cent bonds at par
and paying off the higher bonds, and substituting
| those bearing lower rate OF interest In this
too, the Democrats we're almost solid in opposi-
ton. The third measure wac the resumption act
Of January, 70, recalling the promise made in
| so and passed, after conference among the Re
publicans in congress, and was opposed by solid
Democratic vote Senator Bayard lodged"
being present and not voting. Eighteen months
| after the Republican party had inaugurated their
next president and in face of the most violent op.
position ola Democratic congress- resumption was
accomplished, The progress OF the work. from the
time the secretary became the head of the treas
| ury down to the time of resumption, was briefly
told, the work OF abolishing the difference be-
| tween the United States notes and gold coin was
succincty detailed, until finally when the day
came there was sl35 900 600 in gold coin in the
treasury ready to pay out to whoever called for it.
In all this work Of restoring the credit of the
country, and reducing the national debt, it was
very clearly shown that the Democratic party in
congress and out Of it, have had no hand On the
contrary, the records OF congress show that an at
| tempt was made by the Democrats to repeal the
resumption act and that 1t came within one vote
of being successful And yet Mr.. Bayard the
most conscientious Democrat in the party and the
only prominent hard-money member of it now in
congress, denied that the Republican party had
brought about our present financial prosperity
| and claimed share Of the credit to Democratic
congress. Arguments such as these taken from
| the records Of history the secretary has at his
very tongues end, and by the clear logic Of his
| argument and the comprehensive manner Of his
speech, he can be considered as the foremost po-
litical orator OF the day.
THE RECORDS OF THE TWO PARTIES
is the best argument for the stump, and when
the ignorant or wavering voter is thoroughly in
formed upon the records which the two parties
have made he can hardly go astray.
Among the other speakers, beside Secretary
Sherman, were Fred. Douglass and General
Raum. Mr.. Douglass took up the sectional issue
OF the campaign and treated it in mastery
| manner. Being well acquainted with the south
and with the habits OF the people, he is thor
oughly qualified to talk intelligently upon this
important subject. He is also conservative
man-if negro can ever be called conservative
and looks upon the question without prejudice or
| bitterness. He is a philosopher, rather than a
partisan. The right of free speech was referred
| to as the boast OF this free country OF ours and
yet 1t was denied to Republicans in the SOUTH
There was no use in attempting to hide the fact
or to palliate the crime The Democracy was IL
legally in possession; they had stolen the eleven
states of the south and must be considered AZ
section by themselves-a "solid south" The
north must look to it that they do not secure the
government of the country in the same way
General Raum has had much experience as pub
| lie speaker of late, and Is entirely at home upon
the stump. lie arraigned the Democratic party
| for its sins Of omission and commission and gave
| some sound, sensible reasons why he WAS Re-
publican
Bladensburg Is in the fifth congressional district
| OF Maryland a district which ought to be Repub-
| lcan, but which is represented by Democrat
| through the process Of counting out" by the
party in power 1t is believed that this year the
Republicans may be able to break up this Demo-
| cratic game, and the meeting to which we have
referred was held mostly for the purpose OF