Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-06-25
Henry Ward Beecher at a Brooklyn
Ratification Meeting.

At Republican ratification meeting
held in Brooklyn, N. Y, on the evening
of the 14th, Henry Ward Beecher spoke
for an hour. Among other things he said:
1t gives me great pleasure tonight to appear
before you and to advocate the claims of the
Republican party to tho administration of the
Government for the next four years after the
ensuing March. We ought to enter into this
conflict which impends not tamely, with ex-
element, II you please, and enthusiasm, but
without bitterness. We should not be msled
by all the cries and abuse that win be hurled
backward and forth from one to another. As
we go into the conflict let us remember that
a man is not any the less because he is tra-
duced, and make large allowance for that heat
of party, and not be misled by clamOr misrep-
resentatiOns and abuse
Mud is not argument There Is always a
contest going ON in every great Government
that is free between the two parties that gen
orally are arrayed. third party is an imper-
tncnce. Within nny dominant party, if long
continued in power, there will always rise up
what may be called u second form of "ins and
outs" Aftera time there will be multitude
OF men IN that same party that think they
could manage 1t just as well as the leaders,
and there grow up, therefore, conflicts in the
bosnms of parties MS there has i'm the bosom
OF the Republican party. Now every party Is
an organization, and wO be to the party that
has II dozen heads, and therefore II dozen
plans, split up and In confusion. Happy is
the party that has Cleal-hCaded lender in
every State and I'm the Nation. Yet men
long used to govern forget oftentimes the
amenities and cancellations required, and come
TO have too firm grip, and II is emincntly
proper there should be sometimes, therefore,
rehuke to the party, that they should gov
ern with loss vigOr. | look upon the abOli-
tion of the unit rule In the great Convention
as an event that will be historic and glorious
IN the time TO come. Believing there must be
a machine and engineer, yet l think 1t the
duty of every citizen to watch the machine
and engineer and therefore / am very happy
TO see the Chicago Convention so far hold back
the rigOr of the machinery as to give the voice
of tho peDDlp mora directly an influence In the
selection of the Mngstmoy and the determine
ton of policies IN other respects the great
Convention pleased me, because | could not
help myself. l for one desired that Grant
should have been nominated, but since he was
set aside shall go to my tent and sulk2 God
forbid! and all the more when the second
choice gave to us II man In many respects adj
mirable, u man that for some functions seems
expressly adapted by the providence of God
for the emergencies of our day. The end of
this great canvass upon which we are now
entering is not simply the election of Presi-
dent. We are not fighting for man, but for
ciples of that party. II is the party you are to
think of, and to think of In respect TO the great
measures they propose to inaugurate or CON
sunmate. Now looking over our candidates,
have already briefly expressed my admira-
tion for and confidence in General Garfield.
Mr. Beecher considered at length the
history of the two parties, and said:
Through the long struggle of reconstruo-
tion the Democratic party has not helped but
nus hindered, and the reconstruction of this
Union atter us great war and disruption has
been wholly the work of the Republican par
~, not the Democratic party. For a whole
Congress Il has now had the Government in
It's power, comparatively speaking. What
single measure has II proposed or rendered
success sfuly What single step LIS It taken to
consolidate, to helpl Did Il lead us back TO
specie paymentsY Did Il change the fraudu-
lent vote OF state after Slater Did IL build
high the barriers around about the ballOt-boX2
Did It not tread them down, or seek tor He
said I'm 0lDqinp thnf f4nnnrnl alN a
Christian gentleman, A man who has known
every stage of American citizenship, from the
day when he went baretooted on the farm or
along the track of the canal; a man whose
hands have handled tools as his masters did
before him; a man who has not been brought
up with golden spoon In his mouth nor PAM
pered, but who has steadily built up his for
tune and steadily advanced I'm his path not by
quirks and dubious policies, but by straight-
forward manliness, until he stood In over
whelming majortles In the councils of the
Nation, and has stood there for fifteen or
twenty years, and again and again been sent
back there with the utmost trust by those who
knew him most perfectly, and he has there
shown great hrmness Of conviction with
great kindness In urging his convictions. He
has struck overwhelming blows for the right
without making enemies OF those whom he
smOte. He has friends as warm among his
antagonists as among his own party men, and
II ne shall come 70 the administration Of that
grent trust of Government with the full SYM
pathy of his party,I believe his Administrn-
ton viii be as dispassonate, as impartial, an
D
been given TO US by any President I'm the long
and honorable line Of Presidents that we have
had. II is the best compliment / can pay to
his partner who will need preside at the White
House, that her voice has not been heard in
the streets, and that she has dwelt In the sweet
ness and Obscurity of her own home Those
who know her know only to praise, and no
! greater praise can be given TO any woman than
TO say she is tit to succeed Mrs Hayes IN the
| conduct OF the cvilitos at the White House.
| Now, let mo urge every man not to allow him
| SELF 70 be carried away by mere party heats,
| and not TO allow himself TO be unncrved by
| disappointments within his own party. Let
| every faction lower its banner; let all sopara-
/ tions pass away for the sake Of the Nation and
! for the sake of humanity; let us lift again
| that banner of the Republican party which
| took the country through disruption and war,
/ and through Intestine turmoil, aud through all
! commercial disturbances, and has held stead
tastly In its course until the fair haven OF peace
! and prosperity lies In full sight. Let us not
| pull down its banner just onthe eve OF the ut
/ ter contamination and accomplishment of its
] noble career, but, with hearts inspired with a
noble patriotism, let us lift up the Republican
banner again, aud put Gariiell aud Arthur In
] the chair of Washington,