The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-07-09
Bayard's Speech.
THE sTATEsMANsHlp OF HANCOCK.

FELLOW CITIZENS; / do not know that my voice can
reach the OF all In this vast crowd, and there
fore ask you to preserve order There is a time for
all things-a. time for laughter and time for idle
amusement; but when the time comes for American
citizens TO take counsel together 10 respect OF choos
ing their rulers, then, II seems TO me, there should
be gravity, manly carnestness taking the place OF
Idle nmusements.
My fellow citizens, 1t is at all times to me great
pleasure to stand In an assemblagc Of Delaware
men, for here was born among them have lived
and worked, and have represen ed them In the
public councils and have received from them from
the nour OF my entry into public life untll now
nearly the close Of my second Senatorial term-an
unswerylng support that would have sustained me
ever had been disposed to doubt.
This Is an occasion OF great interest and import
ance. The national Democracy--th party that new
er had second object or a second iptent the party
that always stood by the banners Of the delegates,
the representatives and the Interests Of every state
in the Unlon-this great party, animated by the
greatest patriotism, sent fortnight ago. delegates
from every state aud every Territory TO Cincinnati
to take counsel together to choose stanaard-bear-
er of the faith and principles OF that party In the
coming campaign for the choice OF n resident and
vice President. Men Of high character and ntelll-
gence sincerely deslrous OF doing what was best for
tho whole country, ,ie that choice, and am here
your friend your political brother, boun1 with
every interest Of your own, 10 say that warmly
lndorse the action OF that convention. They have not
selected unknown men; not men OF obscurty; not
men who would be called In slang OF the times dark
horses No, they have chosen men on whom the
bright light of public investigation has been Shin
ing for years. For the lifetime OF generation have
they been known. There is no man in America and
few 10 any part Of the world where the English Ian
guage is spoken who did not know and honor VIE
field Scott Hancock long before the Cincinnati Con-
vention was thought of IApplause and cries OF
Fright and "Bravo."
AS TO ENGLISH.
And so of his worthy associate. Years ago Indiana
sent william II. English to represent her tn the
councils of the nation, and there he gave proof OF
that sterling worth, high intelligence and uniIn-
peachable character that makes him to-day Il man
to take the chair of Vice President OF the United
States.
The Democratic candidate for President is no un-
tried man. on the contrary, shall show that he
has been tried thoroughly tried, and that he can
lay claim to record that has not fallen TO the lot
OF any other public man OF his time. tApplausel In
1868 he was named by many as the favorite candl-
date for President and the delegates from Delaware
at that Convention, held In New York. balloted for
him. II recollect right. lie was also voted for In
1876, and for the third time he stands conspcu-
ously before the nation, with his every act subject
ed to the vigor OF partisan examination. And how
does he stand? Spotess and without reproach ia
vored by the unanimous voice of the repre- senta
tives of the party.
THE FIERY TEST.
No y. gentlemen, let me ask you one thing. Hav-
ing passed through this fire of examination let me
ask the crowd whether there has been the first
breath OF suspicion to the honor, intelligence f.
deity patriotism OF that renowned and great sol
der?
hnl1 nixfl nf
flee. True He has a military record as brilliant
as unsullied, as glorious as that OF any man in
America. Why did the Democratic party nominate
a military man? / will tell you why Because this
man has proved that God gave him the same charac
terstics OF conscience and self-conrol which lie
gave TO the great George Washington. My friends,
this is not the extreme utterance Of stump speech
1t is the deliberate utterance OF struggling TO
| see the right and to follow It,.
Since this world was there has been no influence
so dangerous and corrupting to mems hearts as the
love OF power. What was free government designed
| for but for the protection OF the minority
against the majority The great .dificult-
les and dangers to liberty have arisen whereVer
| intrusted with power have used 1t to perpetuate
their sway and bring about tyranny instead OF
| limited government. We know what made Wash
| ington SO conspicuous when he laid down his power
and retired to the privacy OF his home. There are
many men, as great as he in military knowledge
and in the abilities Of craftsmanship, but how many
other men would have voluntarily laid down their
power when they could have used 1t for their own
selfish, tyrannical purposes? wish you to compre.
hend this, because 1t is the keynote of the nOmina
| tion OF Winfield Scott Hancock: He held great pow
| er He was Military Governor OF large extent Of
country. His will could have been as law. At his
pleasure stood the liberty of every man What was
his course-his course alone OF all the Military Gov
ernors in this country ior the last fifteen years.
When asked In Louisiana and Texas TO arrest per-
| sons he inquired where was the judicial process
| When asked to try persons by military commissions
| he pointed to the court house and TO the Jury OF
twelve. When asked TO take from them their prop
erty he demanded to know by what right under civ
il law he could do these things. tCries OF "Bravo.1
| NO PARALLEL FOR HANCOCK.
There have been soldiers perhaps as able, perhaps
as courageous, and that is saying great deal; but
| name me one who has refused over and over again
| to exercise arbitrary power when he could have
| don ESQ., "a voice, 'None."l No, you cant name
| one. I have seen distinguished men, educated
wholly in the Republican party giving advice OF the
most arbitrary character that can be conceived but
where can you ind man who has had the chal
ice brought to his lips that he might drink full of
control over his fellow creatures and who you have
seen put 1t aside and say: 81 am military man;
am an American soldier but am a citizen with re-
spect TO the law which Is the constitution swore to
| support"
We saw the Leg stature OF South Carolina organi-
zed at at the Will OF corporal without any guard.
You all know what was seen in Louisiana. do not
propose go over these recollections IN detail nor
to cite the unlawful exercise Of military power, but
desire to show what was the character OF the dis
tinguished man whom the Democrats have nomina-
ted during the time OF the current of tyranny The
great lesson to be derived from the resistance
made to the tyranny Of King George is the lesson
would hold up to you now. one OF the charges
| against that potentate was that he attempted to
| subordinate the civil to the military power Any
man who attempts that is not tit TO be ruler of
men. The man OF our choice echoes the same spirit
that made our people free In 70 and which VIII only
restore and consolidate that freedom in 1850. Do
you not remember that his power was ample that
he had the same organization, administration, or
whatever you choose to Call It that other generals
had? Compare him with the New Orleans general
who besought the President TO issue proclamation
OF eutawry-the proclamation declaring that the
white men OF Lolisana. Alabama, Mississippi, Texas
and Georgia shall be outlawSand leave the rest to
me-" Such was the dispatch l shame 10 say OF a
major general-aye, a lieutenant general OF the ar
my OF the United States. And from the Cabinet a I
Washington was sent the response: We all ap-
prove OF your action" These knayes have passed into
history covered with lasting reproach for Belknap,
who wrote that dispatch, proved a base rogue, as
treacherous TO the money OF America as to the pIn
cples OF liberty This was the principle-ths is to-
day the great underlying principle OF the two great
parties. During the struggle from 81 TO '65 there
was little law and could be no law but force; but
the difficulty has been that power obtained by force
has been sought to be retained by force.
THE ATTEMPT AT CHICAGO.
It was attempted at Chicago to torenominate a man
who typided nothing but brute force and arbitrary