The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-08-10
THE HOUR AND THE MAN.
ONE OF THE SPEECHES THAT
STIR THE BLOOD AND COW.
VINCE THE REASON.


Roger A. Pryor. a Hard-FighlInR
Democrat On HamcOck's
Nomination.
FellOs0- Democratic By the providence
of God and the votes Of the American
people. we are going to win this fight !;
and by the blessing Of the same gracious
Providence and the help of the same peo-
pie, we are going, this time, to realize the
results of our victory. Applause.
And why should we not win this fight
Why should not the people of the United
States elect Hancock President of the
United Statesp
Nobody impugns the purity of his per-
sonal character nobody doubts his pa
triotism nobody challenges his splendid
service to the country in the hour of need
nobody denies him the possession of that
faculty of sober and sagacious Judgment
which best qualities for the grave duties
of magistracy.
But they say he is soldier, and the
implied argument is that soldier is not
competent to the exigencies of civil ad-
ministration.
From whom does this objection come ?
From the selfsame party that transferred
the Chief of the Army to the head of the
States; that made President of a man
wholly unused and inapt in the arts and
employments of civil life; a man who
knew no more of the philosophy of repub-
lican institutions than of the German met
aphysic man of whose administration
the first act was to appoint as Secretary
OF the Treasury person whom an imme-
mortal and familiar statute expressly in-
capacitated for the Office; man, in short,
whose notions of civil government were
picked up in the barracks, and whose
methods of civil administration were mod.
eled after the processes of court martial
this man the Republican party promot-
ed to the Presidency not once ouly, but
twice; and nothing but the portent of the
popular indignation frightened them from
their deliberate purpose to retain him in
power for another term.
But no matter whence the argument
comes, if it be intrinsically valid. Now,
the fact cannot be denied that Hancock is
a soldier; that he is a soldier-and gal
liant soldier, too-is blazoned upon the
brightest pages of the American annals:
that he is soldier-and triumphant
soldier, tools attested by the most en-
during and resounding memorial of the
nations gratitude-a resolution of thanks
for his services passed by the unanimous
vote of both houses of Congress, and hal
lowed by the approving hand of the i'm
mortal Lincoln. From the day when his
young sword flashed like a meteor over
the ensanguined fields of Mexico to that
fatal hour when his resistless prowess in-
fiicted the final blow on the falling for
tunes of the Conlederacy-from Cheru-
busco TO Observation-Disclosures life
has been an unchequered career of uncon-
quered and unconquerable valor. If, then,
to be soldier units one for the Office of
President, Hancock, it must be owned, is
distinguished by prominence of disqual
i6cation; and the sturdiest Democrat
must concede that, in this particular at
least, Garfield is exempt from the disa-
bility which attaches to our candidate. j
Laughter and applause.
But what sane man said-what sane
man ever said-that the mere fact of be-
ing a soldier incapacitated for civil trust
Service as a soldier, it is obvious, devel-
ops and disciplines the man in many
essential faculties-in quickness of appre-
hension, in correctness of judgment, in
presence of mind, in courage and fortitude
of spirit. Hence the most eminent states
men of history were soldiers as we'll and
in our annals, Washington not only
achieved our independence by arms but
organized our government by policy !;
while Jackson was as skillful in rescuing
the country from the corruptions of Q CO.
lossal corporation, as he was valiant in
delivering it from the presence Of An in
vading foe. No; the objection that may be
urged against military man as q civil
ruler is not merely that he is . military
man, but that he is soldier and nothing
more; that he il ignorant of the princi-
pies and methods of civil administration,
and. that, by the temper of his mind and
the habits of his education, he subordi-
mated the rule Of the law to the sway of
the sword, Now, from this charge of
incivism Hancock, of all men, is the most
exempt; for his solicitude for the suprem-
acy Of the civil over the military and his
mastery Of the principles Of free govern
ment, are attested by conduct - memor-
able as his martial achievements. You
will recollect that when the Republican
party, ascendent in all the departments
of the government, had relegated the
Southern States to condition of subju- |
cation, and, modelling after the military |
policy of Cromwell, parcelled them outin
military districts over which Major Gen.
erals were set TO rule with pro-consul |
power, you will remember that in one of |
these satrapies Hancock was aasigned TO |
command. He was invested with abso-
lutte, arbitrary and irresponsible power,
and that power he was 70 exert for che |
oppression and spoliation Of his recent
enemies enemies who had pierced his |
body with thar bnllets. The Dominant
party in the o0untry, his superiors at
Washington, .all hounded him on 70 she
employment Oh chat power for the extihC-
ton of thS LIT wedge Of liberty IN tle |
proetrate 'DoutA.0al The opportunity wamNl
inviina, the reward tempting huts pEpQ9
,agaipsf tie solicit fatiops pf iqfereeb deef
% ~ yoice AZ anbisioA aebll anpAllok
e ths prcnp !lns q !. ~ y !. I. = lassopez !.
49, 81 & - - - G4 !