The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-10-22
GARFIELlb'S SPEECH.
70 the Young We u About 10 Cast Their
EIrst BnllOl-- .EN ceIlenl ADVICE.


CLEVELAND, October S.-The First
Voters Garfield and Arthur battalion OF
Cleveland went to Mentor this afternoon
by special ira in of six cars, and called
on Gen. CARTEL 81 ut his Lawnfield home.
The train stoI ped ut the farm and the
battalion, headed by u band, marched to
the residence, where Herman w. Gram
mis-, president. of the organization, made
brief eulog stic address, to which Gen.
Garfield RESI- Dnded thus:
Mn. CHAIRMAN AND YOUNG GENTLEMEN
Ii no ordinary event in the history of any man
indeed, IN the history OF any people--whel,
M am told, there are 400 young men here who
purposu, Int to express that great, general,
earnest purpose that arises in the hearts OF
active, Intelligent young men when they first
graphic the questions OF their country. know
OF nothing quite like this in our history. With
ah I've Pleasure 1t brings me, am bound to say
u brings little disenchantment to me-in this:
always 10 this time have been accustomed to
consider myself young man. Laughter and
APPLAUSE II before your arrival anybody had
raised the question, ! should have asserted
with good deal Of indignation, IL anybody had
denied It, that myself was u young man. But
they tell mo yen arc TO cast your first ma
tional vote Mt Il presidential election. il that
In no, young man as an, was u voter before
any Of you were born. IAppause.l Now, If
You are young men AID VOTERS, borrowing the
language Of Rip Van Wrinkle when he awoke
from that long sleep, "Who in the world am
II Laughter and apnlause,l must have
passed the very flush ut youth, ut least; but,
young gentlemen, have not so far left the
coast of youth to travel inland but that can
very well remember the state Of young manhood
from an experience in NJ of some years, and
there IL nothing to me in this world 30 inspiring
az the possibilities that lie lacked up in the head
nd breast east Of Of , young man; lApplIlse The
MT> him, the great aspirations above him,
r(ntssa. hings, with the nntrod pa thway ~
II those 1. ~ its difficulties and dangers, in
lfc openiRgl. "age and force and work. II il
pire linn to con-. very gods would 10 ok down
spectacle that N. t Roman days. with more
Ian ordinary interest. Word or two in an.
Now, let me say q sinel, I'd complime ut in
wcr to the great Kindness =. ut some Oh the
'our coming tn my house, sb> ne hearts Of
thoughts that know get into :. nc of IN @
young men 10 inspire them, ana So minds.
lelusions that Are likely 10 ge' mtG led hat I
Let me speak Of one Of tine delhsiohs = ron
hink from the remarks OF your chsDhah :.
nc not likely TO have. II IL deltis.cHt that
Affects all men more Or lcss-particnisrg hn
Goung men-the deusion that good things aga
great things are some way of yonder, away,
abroad. That il one OF tho delusions that l
nope You are not living TO illustrate. hiSht
over here, fifteen miles, where spent my child
hood, there il Il lovely little brook--a gorge
where We used to 80 down and find slate stones
md white them out into pencils for ourselves
hat were better than all the pencils brought
rom abroad; but If anybody ever brought into
,ur school what il not in any English dictionary
but in the schoolboys dictionary, "bOughten
pencil he could get whole handful OF our
home made pencils for 1t, and yet every one OF
DurS was better than the best that he
brought from abroad. There was u delusion
imong III that outside Of Us, away from us, was
glory, was greatness. Now, ~ To our country,
lot liz not get any such delusion INTO our heads.
know that il IL good thing for III to know all
about abroad, to know what II II to en-
large our minds by il. but want You Ia feel in
the depths of y0ur heart that there il no abroad
IN all this world that Ii half equal to the glory
Df being IN American here ut home and to-day.
lGreat appause.l Right here in this yard is
r splendid specimen OF American sovereignty,
the warp, the roof aud croaa 81 TINS world OF |
sovereignty. Enlarge il into the millions Of ,
men who vote, and you have grand, august |
sovereign of the last and best born OF time. the
American republic. lApp;ause.l Now that that
sovereign shall be unshackled forever; that that
sovereign be unpurchaseable when il stands at !
the ballot box to order the supreme will Of the |
nation; that that sovereign shall be upntiRi-
dated by mortal man when it utters that final /
Omniiic word that commands the continent !
that is the great purpose that oil true Americans
should keep III their minds. tGreat applause.l !
When 300 nuoh band of eranest yonng men |
as meet me here to-day. feel certain that il |
they would deploy themselves AZ n ballot box |
guard TO defend the purity of the American !
ballot box lappausel-to stand around II ~
around the cradle Of our heir apparent Of |
American soyereignty-such guardians, such |
defenders, will keep the republic pure and keep !
il free.
Young gentlemen, your visit to me gives me
q compliment of the highest sort, and while il |
me. a. l SAID little while ago, it |
still reaches the hand Of youth ont to me,
which take with all cordiality and earnestness,
and for your rendered support to me, which il
not for my sake. but for the sake Of the cause
Of which l am now the representative, l give
,ou all the thanks Of which my heart il capa-
H.. IApplause.l The house is small, the farm
8 small, the township il small, the county IL u
ma II one-but all there il on 1t to give of gen.
rosity and hospitality and welcome that IL in
ny ands to give IL yours while y0n stay.
Appla use and cheers.l bid You welcome to
IL There is of us, gentlemen.