, 1880-10-15

The imnlat,se gathering of businessmen
at Mccormick ftall last evening l,as slgn1i!.
cancc which canllot lW misunderstood. It
WAS composed of the nctiyc businessmen Of
Chicago ut various shades Of political fnft|l,
WHO assembled to hear tllo Secretary of
the Treasury discuss financial questions.
The businessmen OF Chicago say. 10
tho Nation, "'rhls country has now
fairly emerged from the depression
caused by collapse of tic wild speculation
following tile War. Personal cco,,ony.
bu,Mtifnl i,arvests. and q settled itnanc1ut
policy havo enabled us to resume spectc-pay-
,nents, alnl with n continuance OF present
conditions, there tsno cloud upon tho l0rt-
zat, of tin fttture We believe 1t Wnwtsc,
therefore, ut this 1unctlro To take tho con-
trol Of at1alrs from 4 party whose financial
policy Is known, fixed, and successful, and
commit 1t 10 one wi'ose policy Is not
only untrletl but unknown. We he-
licye tl,at tic varied busf,!css-intcr-
csts which VIC represent will h0 best
conserved mil the fstturo prosperity
Of the country best assured by continuance
Of tho financial policy OF tho Republican
party. Wo may tlltrtr about the degree
of tartT,-wo lu differ about many things
but ns merchants mud businessmen wc
aru unwilling to excl,nnEc ccrtalnty for u1t-
certainty, prosperity for possible disaster"
but tl,e meeting Inst night meant snlIlc-
thing moro tllnn selfish tleAfre Otl tho part
of tlo Eruat commercial clnRs to further their
own 1,ccultnry Interests. Tho businessmen
have watched viii, so1tcftsslc tta growth 1T
that hugo political caslecr which threatens tho
life of tho Nation. They huyc heard Of tito
Solid South, where freedom OF snccci, Is tlc-
| MED, where 1aen WHO have the right to.yoto
nre tlebarrc.l from exercising that privilege
by organized whence. They have seen the
deliberate fralltts by which men whn Mt tflo
peril nj their lives dn vote according tn their
cnnscicnccs nre practically DISTINGUISHED.
| They have seen tho Government of the pcu'
pie oscrthrnwn byn strong and wcll-orsal.-
| ixcll minority, nntl they recognize the fact
| that I'LL attack upon tho freedom
| mt! purity Of tic ballot, whether 1t bo
| IN Mississippi or III Suutll Carolina,
in 1ntllnna or in the City of Chrago, rutlan-
gers American Ibcrty everywhere, hid
threatens tho 1,ernlancnce Of tho Republic.
Tic businessmen Of Chicago feel 10 hos
tElity to tho men Of tho South. They
remember tho Rebellion, but they hnyo
forgotten Its nntmosi.ics. They rcnlent.
Der Tint every Southern stream llns beet
swollen by Northern blond, md t'!ey know
that Northern graycs still fttrrow every
Southern hillside; but they will let tint l'sss
They remember, too, TINT tho Nation tri-
| uinphed, md tho questions submitted tn tho
final arbitrA,nent Of The sword were settled
furever.
Tlcy sny, "Men Of tho South, you arc wei
come 10 every right mil privilege we enjny
rs citizens Of this Republic. You hro wei
come to share with us thu responsibilities OF
government, but woz. shall mt commit
Ia your hands tho custody OF The Nation
you slroyo. to destroy. Wo can alltl
will discuss cutul1y with yolt nil tho
living questions of to-day, but the War
issues arc .lrat!. We 1vtll nut revEvo them.
md you ,a,sst not. And whenever by ylu'
lrllco and fraud you nrray your scctfon
lgaitlst us, and demand control OF our lves
and fortunes, The mcn If Chicago will joln
tho men of Oltu md 1lAllAnn, md ngAiil
confront you will, So,ld North.n