Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-26
THURMAN THUNDER.
A TALK TO HIS NEIGHBoRs.

COLUMBUSy ", april Et.-O6QaLOf I1Qf-
man arrived in this city at o'clock this
afternoon, and wes met at the depot by Su-
preme Judge O'Key, Hons. NJ. A. Dougherty
and George w. Moneypenny and escorted to
the Neil house. The Senator was serenaded
at $50. BE was introduced by D. G. Jones,
and responded in half-hour's speech, to a
large crowd, of which the following is an
abstract:
My Friends and Fellow -Townsmen-If
you should receiVe a warm and cordial vel
coma from strangers whom you had never
seen, you would feel deeply, profoundly
grateful for that kind attention. But, CRATE
ful as ont may feel for the welcome of stran-
gers, there is something much nearer the
heart in the welcome to his home by ones
friends and neighbors. We may be grateful
for politeness from those we have never
seen, bat when we are welcomed
home by those with whom we
have dwelt, whom we recognize as our own
townsman, and with whom we expect to live
as long as life shall be spared, there is a
feeling moro deep than gratitude, more pow
erful than respect. So feel tonight at this
welcome which you have been so kind as to
give me, and but feebly express my emo
tions when 1 thank you for it with all my
heart, aud when | also return to the orator
who has spoken for you tonight my sincere
appreciation of his too fsttering remarks.
My friends, as l passed through Newark
to-day purchased a Columbus paper and
read that [ was expec ed to make speech
here tonight. speak in all sincerity and
truth when | say that that surprised ma for
it was only yesterday morning that l knew l
could come and visit my home, and l had no
certainty at all that you would know that 1
was coming and if you did know it had no
idea it would be expected of me to make
speech, and this being the case, my friends,
have not prepared speech to delivsr to
you. / did not come to Ohio charged with
a speech. Laughter I did not think
speech from me was at all necessary.
came to get a little rest
after five months of intense labor without
any recreation at all. Although enjoying fine
health | needed some rest, some reDose, and
l came to get it among my friends in Colum-
bus. Applause. But since you have been
told that would speak tonight and have
been kind enough to come and hear me, it
would be unjust in me not to say something
at least upon the political questions or some
W
permit me, however, my friends, to be very
brief. At no time am l long speaker, and
therefore, it is but seldom that I am
tedious. l shall speak to you, therefore,
briefly indeed, but what do say | commend
to your careful and thoughtful consideration.
My friends, it has been said that every
Presidential election is crisis in this repub-
lie, and, though it might be doubted whether
IN the oat Int raroorlr ic CO OH 4-,o
that there was no exception to it, yet it must
be admitted that in latter years every Presi.
Dental election has in fact been q crisis in
our affairs and that no one can tell how long
it may thus continue, but of
one thing 1 think we may be
absolutely certain, and that is that the
Presidential election of 1880 will be regard
ed as long as the history of this country
shall be read, and studied as a crisis in the
affairs of the republic. Why do | say this?
l am not accustomed-it is not my wont-to
magnify things. Why then do l say that
this is a crisis in public affairs? Because,
my friends, my serious judgment is that the
election this year will go far to determine
whether substantial liberty, substantial free
institutions, shall longer continue in
America.
Utes upon the phrase so often repeated by
the opponents of the Democratic party, that
we need "strong government" The mean
ing of this was that we should have stronger
national government to rule over the whole
people of this country. The people should
be content with the government as it has ex-
listed for three quarters of century-under
which We have flourished as no other people
hou cd INy1b
of giving strength to a government. One
to the people and safety,
security and prosperity to the State. The
other mode means despotism over the people
and means ruin and ultimate destruction to
the States. The first is to SO constitute your
government and so administer it that it will
challenge and receive the affection of the
people who dwell under it, that they shall
not merely obey but that they shall revere.
esteem and love it. A government thus
supported by its people, whatever may be its
form, however few may be upon its army rolls,
Is one of the strongest governments upon the
earth, II not the very strongest. Such
government our forefathers thought
they had ordained for the people of the
United States, and such government the
OSA4SSANNAO BoAbg Las Always hQVOC2I6Q.
The other mode OF Strengthening a govern
ment is to strengthen it merely by force, by
great standing armies. This point was
dwelt on at some length and illustrations of
the results of such kinds of governments
were given by reference to the rule of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Empire of Russia,
etc. The application made of the principles
underlying the two forms of government
was that the former mode was that by which
tine Democratic party sought to ad-
minister the government while the Republi-
can party resorted to the latter mode.
Judge Thurman concluded as follows:
"Now, my friends, in my judgement, the
great question which is to be solved is
whether or not the strength of our govern
ment in the future shall come from the
affection of the people, or whether it shall
be that strength that despots, and despots
alone, employ. There is much more that 1
might speak to you of-about the necessity
of reform, of the necessity of lowering
taxes and all those subjects with which you
are more or less familiar, but I promised