The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1880-02-05

in the service in high rank, and nobly
served their constituency and hOnorec
themselves.
1--WE now come to this place, while SC
many are gone; but We meet here tonight
with the war so far back in the distance
that it is an almost hali-forgotten memory
We meet here tonight with a nation re-
deemed. We meet here tonight under the
flag we fought for. We meet, with a glori-
Gus, a great and growing Republic, made
greater and more glorious by the sacrifices
through which the country has passed
And coming here as do tonight. brings
the two ends Of twenty years together,
with all the visions Of the terrible and glo-
rious, the touching and cheerful, that have
occurred during that time
u came here, fellOW-citizens, to thank
this General Assembly for their great act
Of confidence and com mpliment to me. I do
not under-value the great Office that you
have rendered to me yesterday and to-day;
bat j say, without, I think, any mental
reservation, that the manner in which it
was rendered to me, Is far higher to me,
far more admirable, than the thing itself.
That 1t has been a voluntary gift Of the
General Assembly of Ohio, without sOlic-
itation, rendered to me because Of their
confidence, is as touching and high a trib-
ute as one man can receive from his fel-
lOw-citizens, and in the name Of ali my
friends, Tor myself, l give you my thanks.
u recognize the Importance Of the place
to which you have elected me; and I should
be base if / did not also recognize the grea
man whom you have elected me to sue
ceed. l say for him, Ohio has had few
larger-minded, Predetermined men in
the records Of our history, than Allen
g. Thurman. [Applause.] Differing
widely from him, as I have done in poll
tics and do, I recognize him as a man high
in character and great in intellect; and I
take this occasion to refer to what I have
never before referred to in public-that
many years ago, in the storm of party
fighting, when the air was filed with all
sorts Of missiles aimed at the character
and reputation Of public men, when it was
even for his party interest to join the gen
eral clamOr against me and my associate,
Senator Thurman said in public, in the
campaign, on the stump-When men are as
likely to say Unkind things as at any place
in the WOrld-a most generous and earnest
word Of defense and kindness for me,
which I shall never forget so long as live.
[Applause.] I say, moreover, that the
flowers that bloom over the garden wall Of
party politics, are the sweetest and most
fragrant that bloom in the gardens Of this
world [applausel; and where we can fairly
pluck them and enjoy their fragrance, it Is
manly and delightful to do so.
''And now, gentlemen Of the General As
sembly, without distinction Of party, L rec
ognize this tribute and compliment made
to me. Whatever my own course may be
in the future, large share Of the inspira-
ton Of my future public life viii edraWn
from this occasion and these surroundings,
and I shall feel anew the sense Of obliga-
tiOn that feel to the State Of Ohio. Let
me venture to point a single sentence IN
regard to that work. During the twenty
years that 1 have been In public life, al
most eighteen Of It in the Congress Of the
United States, have tried to do one thing.
Whether was mistaken or otherwise, 1t
has been the plan of my life to follow my
convictions, at whatever personal cost to
myself. I have represented, for many
years, district in Congress whose apprO-
baton I greatly desired; but though 1t
may seem, perhaps, little egOtistical to
sag it, yet-desired still more the apprO-
baton of one person, and his name was
Garfield. Laughter and applause He
is the only man I am compelled to sleep
with, Qaughter), and eat with, and live
with, and die with; and if could not have
his appreciation, should have bad COM
panionship. [Renewed laughter and ap-
plause. And in this larger constituency
which has called me to represent then
now, I can only do what is true to my bes
self, applying the same rule. And II
should be so unfortunate as to lose the con
fdenee Of this larger constituency, 1 mus
do what every other fair-minded mar
has to do-carry his political life in hl
hand and take the consequences But
must follow what seems to me to be the
only safe rule Of my life; and with tha
view Of the case, and with that much per
sonaI reference, L leave the subject.
Thanking you again, fellow citizens
members of the General Assembly, Re
publicans aud Democrats-all, party mar
as I am-thanking you both for what you
have done, and for this cordial and manly
greeting, bid you good night" Long
continued applause.