The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-08-04
WHOLE NO. l5l7.

legislation. If General Hancock be
elected viii he veto any repeating
measure? | doubt it. And il not,
that portion of our past Is very in
secure. There are resting upon the
files of the department rebel claims
10 the amount of S3OOO,0O0,OO0
awaiting a Democratic President If
Confederate Congress recognizes
these claims will General Hancock
veto it? / doubt it. He will not
and thus the present and past are
not secure. VIII he veto any bills
for the repeal OF legislation for the
enforcement of the constitutional
amendments? ? His party and HIM
self declared in 1865 that all these
measures were usurpations, reyolu-
tionary, unconstitutional, and void.
He dare not veto legislation which
shall give expression to that old
opinion. He will not. The past,
then is in no way secure.
Making no criticisms on General
Hancock ; career as q soldier-that
he was gallant no one is inclined
to dispue-that he Is a man of per-
sonal integrity no one Is inclined or
disposed to question. He is a pro-
fcssional soldier. | like to preserve
the eternal harmony of things. l
like the relation between the bullet
and the ballot to be harmonious,
consistent, and confidential. OBJ
icct to General Hancock that ne
shoots one way and votes another
We want a man who votes against
the idea that he fought against. | [Ap-
plause.1 We want the bullet and
the ballot to take the same direction.
We want them both to think, and
when they think TO think alike.
TCheers.1 General Hancocks bull
lets and General Hancock's ballots
have not been in harmonious accord.
lie unshcathcd his sword for a ma
ton: he votes for q league; he
pointed his cannon against the sover-
eighty of the States. He undertook
to Kill, and did kill the enthusiastic
advocate of State sovereignty, who
guarded his enthusiasm with his
gun. but hc votes for the survivor Of
the same idea. / object to this ire
pressible conflict between the ballot
and the bullet of the Union soldier.
Moreover. we are a curious people.
We wish 10 know who viii be Presi-
dent when our candidate Is elected
When General James 4. Garfield
is elected President Of the United
States. he will be President: but if
General Winfield Scott Hancock
should be elected President of the
United States. God, i'll his infinite
wisdom. knows who would be Presi
dent. General Hanc, q does not
know and cannot to-day tell. The
sober second thought OF this great,
solid, practical people stand.ug, as
it does. in the midst ol rcat pros
pcrity, with thriving c-lys aud a
vast commerce, with smiling fields
and prosperous homes, with a glorl-
Gus past. and splendid present, and
with a sublime future reaching out
before it, knowing through what
pcrils and at what mighty cost cll
these have been achieved, viii rot
venture them upon an experiment.
Applause I The sober second
thought and Judgment Of this people
know that all these we owe to the
great loyal MASSES which have been
organized into the Republican party
of the nation. It honors that party
and it honors the great names OF Its
history. 1t honors Lincoln. and
Grant and Morton and Conkling and
Logan. [Long continued applause ]
1t hOnors the great patriots living
and the great patriots dead. 1t has
blessings for the latter, and lasting
and enduring honor. for the first.
The past is very dear 10 US. As
good citizens and as good men we
cherish it. Our nation Is very dear
to Us. and we know that only
through the agencies Of this great
party of which we are members and
in whose interests | speak tonight,
can this great nation. the custodian
Of the precious treasures Of free
government for all the people, be
carried forward to those high sum
mits Of renown which providence
has designed it shall reach. The
eminence towards which it strives Is
clear above the clouds and ghttering
in the eternal sunshine Of the pur-
est fame. The old music Of the Union
fills the air. / hear it, and | keep
step to it. The blessed old banner
floats above us. l hail and salute
It. The old hosts are gathering
the old spirit animates them. The
memories of the past and glories Of
the present come together to inspire
US. The word goes out, Forward;
theresult IS victory. Hong and con-
tinued applause.l