The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-08-05
HANCOCK AND ENGLISH
Grand Ratification Meeting
At CLEVELAND ON THURSDAY EVEN
ING, JULY 22ND,
Speeches by Judge Ranney,
Senator PendletOn
and Others.

lHE IuUllC DQuhIo ~ SIO'
thronged by thousands on the evening
of the 22nd ult., to participate in the
grand demonstration, ratifying the nomi'
nations of Hancock and English. Can
mons were laundering, bands were play
ing, and banners displayed. About s
O'Clock, W. W. Armstrong announced
Judge Ranney as chairman:
JUDGE RANNRY's SPEECH.
FELLOW CITIzENs:-It is an impossible
ity for me to talk we these fences to
any extent. After returning my heart
felt gratitude for being called upon to
preside over this grand meeting l think
l shall best serve the cause and subserve
your interests also as well as enjoyment
by leaving the time this evening entirely
to the distinguished gentlemen who will
be called upon to address you. l simply
desire to say hat in this contest to re-
store constitutional and honest govern
ment to this country again, my whole
effort is embarked [%applausel. l intend
to do anything and everything that lies
within my power to bring to a successful
result this contest. The arrogant as
sumption of our opponents who are in a
minority of more than three hundred
thousand votes, as tested by the last
election, that they are entitled after
twenty years of endurance, to govern
the country indefinitely in the future,
must be put down. The genius Of our
institutions requires a frequent rotation
in public servants. Two great parties
dividing a country and frequently inter-
changing places, 80 that each may ex'
anime into and carefully watch the
operations of the other, is indispensable
to any purity in the administration of
popular government. Now we propose
to take a hand in the executive govern
ment of this country. They have had
it for twenty years, actually, not right
fully during the last part Of that period
And now, fellow citizens, it appears to
me that very little argument ought to be
needed to convince any man that we
occupy the vantage ground upon princi'
pies and men. We present to the
country a platform of principles that is
completely calculated to secure a sound
currency, the honor of the country, the
faith of all its engagements and unity
between all its parts. If they present
you anything else than the proffer to be.
little and degrade the states and to keep
up sectional hostility between the diff
ferent parts Of the country, | don't
know what it is. They talk a great deal
about reforming the civil administration.
They illustrate it by sending out now, l
see, the Secretary of the Interior to
stump the country. He is employed this
year on their side. He is always EN-.
ployed every year but he is giving a
splendid illustration of the Office holders
in election-the coming out himself at
this time.
Now, fellow citizens, we shall succeed,
mark that, because we ought to succeed
ICheers We shall not only succeed in
carrying enough of the country to elect
General Hancock but we shall succeed
in carrying the goodly state of Ohio, in
which all my affections are centered;
and leaving other people to take care of
themselves we will address ourselves to
her during this campaign [applause].
We intend to carry it. Upon what
ground? you may ask. Upon the ground
of the Of justice that pervades the
people of this state. Whoever we pre-.
sent for the candidate, they say, has no
record. We'll, he has got a record on his
body that these fellows that write it
down will never get on theirs. He is a
military man; but l will tell you, my
friends, the man that is able to manage
great armies and above all to administer
great departments requiring civil
knowledge and conduct has got the very
first elements Of a good executive in
him. The man that you elect and put at
the head of the army and navy, is it any
disqualification tbat he should have
some knowledge Of an army aud navy
l remember the same thing was said of
General Jackson-he ia only a soldier,
he is not a civilian. My friends, there is
one reason above all others why the peo.
pie of this state and this country must
VindiCate the great popular principles of
popular will, draggled in the dust and al.
most destroyed four years ago. Mr..
Jefferson declared three.quarters of a
century ago that the vital principles of a
republic wasaCquiesCenCe in the decision
of a majority and he said that the vital
principle of despouism was in disregard.
ing this majority. Now, my friends, let
us go back to the vital principle Of re.
publicanism again and let US vindicate
the country from the foul aspersion of
four years ago through acrimo.
Of lying and fraud seated an lille.
gally elected executive in Office and held
the government for four vars. We
must vindiCate the country in another
direction from the asperrion that hangs
over 1t. tits TO- known pretty we'll and
demonstrated that the miserable in.
struments that we're employed to steal
the electoral votes of states have every
one Of them without exception been
saddled on the national treasury by the
executive government during the whole
period since that time. Was there a bar.
gain that they should have offices as the
condition of their treachery? It is not
probable that any accident should have
brought into the Office holding list any
such set of scamps as occupy that Office
a previous arrangement. And
now, fellow citizens, without OBTAINING
you any longer permit me to thank you
Tor the vast assembly that has collected
here this evening and to assure you that
you will be well repaid for all the
you have taken when Won come