The Portland daily press., 1880-09-06
An Appeal to Young Men.

This Presidential campaign has brought
out many remarkable speeches from Repub-
lican and from Democratic orators. The
speakers are on the stump in every State of
the Union, except those States where sui
lenness and hate-the sullenness and
hatred born of defeat-stife liberty
of opinion and smother freedom Of
discussion, are ingeniously and adroitly
and eloquently calling the attention
of the Nation to the political issues upon
which the Nation will be asked to pass
judgment in November. The Democratic
orators, with an ingenuity as marvellous as
their forgetfulness, avoid the mention of
their disreputable past, and make their ap-
peal to the uneasiness, and unrest, and
longing for new things which often possess
a people that is prosperous and so has
leisure to grumble at imaginary ills. They
invoke the spirit of envy and causeless dis
content that led the Athenian to mark up
on his piece of tile sentence of banish-
ment against the ablest and most deserving
of his townsmen. The Republican speak
ers, on the other hand, plead the services
their party has rendered to the country, and
argue that political organization which has
done so much for its prosperity and honor
ought to be continued or reinstated in ex-
ecutive and legislative control.
Of the speeches so far made, one of the
ablest and most convincing is that deliv-
cred by Colonel John Hay at Cleveland. Its
concluding sentences, addressed to young
men, to those who throw their maiden votes
in 1880, are couched in strain of lofty elo-
quence and carry convincing argument
They come from man whose own youth
was lighted up by the sun-burst of freedom,
and whose days of early manhood were made
useful and honorable and glorious by con-
slant and personal association with Abraham
Lincoln and the other heroes of the contest
for the preservation of the Union. The ap-
peal he makes to the young men of Ohio
should touch the hearts, and enlighten the
minds, and quicken the consciences of the
young men Of Maine, of those whom Sep
tember finds endowed with the franchise.
To them we commend the following words,
words that will stir young and ardent and
sensitive minds as the words of the old bal
lad moved the heart of Sidney:
I have word to say to the young men of
this State-to those who are just beginning
their civic life, who are just casting their irst
votes in National election. Many of YOU are
Democrats through some accident of associa-
tion, without having maturely weighed the
history and the principles of the two parties. 1
ask 1OOk hack for fruo fv
upon which side the continuing honor and glo-
ry lie. Which party elected Abraham Lin
coin? Which party opposed, villifed and fl
nally killed him? Which party freed the
slaves? " Which party built the Pacific Rail-
load? Which saved the Union and the honor
OF the flag? Which sustained the financial in
tegrity OF the Nation, and made its credit the
best in the world? If it be right to regard
with pride the fulfllment of your duties a
citizens, look around you and see who boast
brags that he cast his first vote for Vallandig-
ham? What father tells his children that he
labored to put Buchanan in the White House?
On the one side is record of glory and good
repute which sheds something Of lustre on the
declining days of every man who fought that
desperate battle against slavery and treason.
On the other it is shameful story of half
hearted loyalty or open rebellion, of ignorant
or malicious opposition to light and knowledge,
of blind and futile defiance to the stars in
their courses, fighting for freedom and prog
ress. Why should young mentor youth is
generous and strong; it looks hopefully to the
future; it holds its honest brow proudly to the
broadening dawn-why should young men
choose to cast in their lot with discredited
and soiled record, with party which only
asks of the present, the plunder of office; and
OF history, only oblivion. With what noble
thought, with what high enterprise, has that
party been associated in the last quarter of a
century? What purpose but that of blind OBJ
struction has it served? 1 firmly believe it has
no space left for repentance. Its place is fixed
in history. 1t forms the dark background up-
on which the deeds of valor and of wisdom of
Republican worthless stand out in burning lines
of light. 1t is written and can never be for
gotten, that in the long contest by which the
Nation was saved, a race enfranchised, the
National honor sustained and heightened, this
Democratic party, as party, despite the hero
ism and loyalty Of individuals stood by in sullen
obstruction, refusing alike the labor and the
glory.
This is no fit fellowship for brave and mag
unanimous youth. If you wish to cast vote
you will be proud OF when you are old, if you
wish to take part in the sympathies and the
and progress, you will never have better
chance than now. The National glory and the
National welfare have beenlin Republican keep
ing for twenty years, with the results you see.
In the ranks of that party are enlisted the
greater portion of the virtue and intelligence
of the land; while its counsels are hailowed BY
the traditions of the patriots and martyrs of
the great war. Its past is luminous with the
story of benefcent achievements; its future is
as bright with promise as the radiance of the
morning stars.