The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-09-16
Our Country Now Enjoying the Great
est Revival of Business of
Modern Times.
That Revival Natural Consequence
Of the Policy Of the Repub-
ican Party.
The MOnstrOus Evils That Would
Flow from the Election of
go, Democratic President.

about such change this fall. The Republican
party, recognizing the right of that party to
make the appeal, will hear patiently and kindly
allt has to say, and no word of insult, no act of
violence, will be offered by any Republican in
any part of the United States to deter the Dem
ocrats from the exercise of their right freely to
DISCUSS IN their own way their political conyic-
lions and opinions. We Republicans only regret
that this privilege cannot DO exercised by US
also.
The lastgreat change in the Executive branch
OF the General Government occurred in 1860. by
the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of
the United States. At that time the open advo-
cacy of his election could not be made safely to
life or Limb in thirteen States of the Union,
where the strength Of the Democratic party Law.
But, in spite of this, the people of the Northern
States firmly impressed with the necessity
Tor the change, made it and what man in this
broad land does not now feel that it was happy
change? And yet the Democratic party Of that
time resisted it: 1t not only resisted it during
.ne canvass put the controlling segment Of that
party rebelled against it by force Of arms and
undertook to disrupt the Government and to
destroy the Union.
,o Inc democratic party desired change in
1864, when, in the midst of war. the maenitnde
or which even now in the distance staggers ma
with amazement, it met in National CONVENTION
ana resolved thatthe war was failure and de-
manded peace on any terms. That was when
Grant was In the Wilderness and Sherman was
on the road to Atlanta, when our notes on de-
mand were worth only 40 cents on the dollar.
anu When 1t seemed almost as if Providence had
deserted us. If its desire for change had then
Deen gratlied, we would have now no united
country TO boast of, no land to love. The Amer
lean people, though weeping over their lost
ones and feeling heavily the burdens of war.
said there should be no change, and there was
none; Abrham Lincoln was elected again.
I'D Inc democratic party desired change in
1868. IL was encouraged by the detection of
AnureW Johnson and by many divisions in the
Republican party. The rebels had been restored
TO their lost citizenship, and had already or
ganized system of terror in several Of tho
Southern States. Tweed was in the ascendencv
Ill New York with his gigantic frauds: he
plundered the city, filled the cravings of the
army Of his dependents with the plunder of
f r contracts, issued tens of thousands of
Dallot-boXes and thus reversed the vote of the
Empire State. Yet, after all, the American
people decided that there should be no change :.
that the Republican party which saved The
country should still be trusted with it's admin
lstratlon and Grant, the soldier of the war;
was made President
SO, again. the Democratic party desired a.
change in 1876 1t had previously organized
the solid South, according to the Mississippi
plan, with terror and violence. It fondiy
thought it had made good fulcrum of 1873
electors from States lately in rebellion and had
carefully laid plans to secure enough more to
make the election sure Tilden, who, as Gov
ernor OF New York, had become popular with
the business men of that State by bis aid in the
overthrow OF Tweed, and by his opposition to
corrupt canal rings was nominated for Presi-
dent. He had a barrel full of money, which
was spent without STINT and thus introduced
Tor the first time in American politics the most
shameless corruption in Presidential election,
But, more than ALL the country was suffering
under great financial distress. The wave Of
misfortune, which came in 1878 to the whole
commercial world, had scattered it's wrecks
over our great cities: Every man who had capt.
tai to lose, or debts to pay, or wanted labor for
bread, felt discomfort for evils that he could
not explain. 1t was natural, but not Just, that
many of these clamored for change, who had
no sympathy with the principles of the Demo-
cratic party; but still the fraud that intimida-
ton attempted in three of the States failed in
It's object, and the Republican party in the
Northern States stood by its principles, and
Hayes was elected
And now, fellow-citizens, let us pause for
while and see what has been the result during
tho last four years by the election of the pres
ent Republican President. Has he given any
cause for the change from Republican to Demo-
cratic measures and men?
When President Hayes was inaugurated the
Resumption act of 1875 was an unexecuted man
date OF the Republican party. 1t had been
voted for only by Republicans, and had from
its introduction been assaled, resisted and ridi-
culed by the Democratic party. Many honest,
sincere men OF both parties, who really wished
resumption, believed it impractcable for wears
f0 there ha ho1 ID
in its passage, and I believed in it, and I was
charged with its execution. Twas supported bv
the full faith of the President. Gold was at a pre-
MUM Of nearly per cent. The national reve-
nues had been greatly impaired as the re-
suit Of the panic, sothat there was. in fact, no
surplus revenue to aid in the work of resump-
ton. The only means left was to increase the
volume of coin before the day of resumption by
the saleof bonds, to do the utmost to strengthen
the public credit, and to produce confidence in
the ability to resume. Ihis was done i'll the
eighteen months that followed the Inauguration
OF President Hayes, and at the end of that pc
Rod the credit of the country had
been greatly advanced surplus coin had been
accumulated to the amount of $780, 900, 900,
and the public mind, relieved from imaginary
terrors, had become not only reconciled to re-
SUMPTION but was anxiously and hopefully
awaiting the event. During all this time the
Democratic party excelled itself in active re-
sistance to the successful execution of this law.
They sought to repeal it; they sought by in
vestigations through committees of Congress to
discredit all the proceedings had under it and
it was boastfully said that thousands of dollars
would be given to stand on the right of the line
at the public treasury on the day of resump-
ton. The examinations made of myself alone
by committees of Congress upon this subject
amounted to over 100 printed pages and the
speeches that were made against what they de-
nounced as crazy, impracticable scheme would
fill volumes. Your ears rang with their ridi-
Guile and denuncation Of the Resumption act ;
but still, thanks to tho Republican party, re-
sumption came, and came SO certainly and so
securely that at this day specie payments are
more complete, in the true sense of the term,
than ever before in this country, and as COM
plete as in any country in the world There is
no longer any depreciation of the notes of the
United States. and, not only in this country.
but in all foreign countries, they are received al
par with gold.
The Democratic party, convicted of false
prophecy, could only shout out that it was
Providence that did it that the good CROPS
which came six months after resumption was q
complete success, did it and some Of them had
the audacity to say that the way to resumption
was prepared by the economies enforced by q
Democratic House Of Representatives, which
as Twill show you hereafter, instead Of reducing
the expenses, actually increased them largely II