Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-06-11


Mr., President: / have witnessed the ex.
troordinary scenes of this convention with
deep concern. No emotion touches my
heart more deeply than sentences in honor
OF great and noble characters; but as | sat
on these seats and witnessed these demon
! strations, it seemed to me you were a hui
man ocean in a tempest. | have seen the
| sea lashcd into fury and tossed into spray
and its grandeur moves the soul of the
dullest man, but | remember that it is not
but the calm level of the sea from which
all heights and depths are measured,
Applause. Gentleman oft convention
your present temper may not mark the
beautiful pulse Of our people When our
enthusiasm has passed, when the emotions
of this hour have subsidized, we shall find
that calm level Of public opinion below
the store by which the thoughts Of
mighty people are tJ be measured and hy
which their final action will be determined.
Applause. Not here in this brilliant cir
Gle, where $4,000 men and women are
assembled, is the destiny Of the Republican
party to he decreed cries that is SOL not
where ! see the enthusiastic faces of 75B
delegates waiting to cast their votes into
The urn and determine the choice of the
Republic [applausel but by four millions
OF Republican tireSdeS, where the thought
full voters, with wives and children about
them, with the calm thoughts inspired by
love OF home and love of country, with the
history Of the past, the hopes of the future
and knowledge Of the great men who have
adorned and blessed our nation in days
gone by. There God prepares the verdict
that shall determine the wisdom Of our
work to night. applause. Not here in
Chicago, in the heat of June, but in the
sober quiet that comes to them now and in
November, in the silence of deliberate
judgment will this great question be set
tied [Cries Of Good" Let us aid them
to night. Applause, but now gentlemen
Of the convention, what do we wantf IA
voice, "Garield,"l Bear with me a mo-
ment, hear me for this cause, and for
moment be silent that you may hear.
Cries of "Good."
Twenty five years ago this Republic was
nearing triple chain Of bondage. Long
familiarity with traffic in the bodies and
souls Of men had paraized the concience
OF majority of our people. The baleful
sovereignty had shook and weakened the
noblest and most benilicient powers Of the
National Government, and the graspng
power of slavery was sCizing the virgin
territories Of the West and dragging them
into den Of external bondage. At that
crises the Republican party was born.
1t drew the first inspiration from thai
fire Of liberty which God has lighted in
every human heart and which all the
powers of Ignorance and tyranny can never
wholly extiuguish. Applause The
Republican party came to deliver and save
the Republic Ientered the arena where
the beleagured and assailed territories
were struggling for freedom, and drew
around the sacred circle of liberty, which
the demon of slavery has never dared to
cross. 1t made them free forever. loud
applause and cries Of good. Strengthened
by its victory on the frontier the young
party under the leadership Of that great
man who on this spot twenty years ago was
made the leader, it entered the National
Capitol and assumed the high duties of the
Government [Applause. The light that
shOne from its banner dispelled the dark
ness in which slavery had enshrouded the
captiyes and melted the shackles of every
slave pen within the shadow of the Capitol
Our great National Industries, by an un-
protected policy, were themselves prostrat-
ed, and the streams Of revenue flowed in
such feeble currents that the Treasury
itself was well nigh empty. The money
Of the people was the wretched notes of
two thousand uncontrolled and irrcsponsi-
BILE State banking corporations which were
filling the country with n circulation that
poisoned rather than'sustained the life of
business. >
The Republican party changed all this,
it abolished the babel of confusion and
gave the country acurrency as National as
its flag, based upon the sacred faith of the
people. 1t threw its protecting ann
around our great industries, and they stood
erect rs with new life. 1t filled with the
spirit Of true nationality, all the great
functions of Government. 1t confronted
a rebellion of unexampled magnitude, with
slavery behind and under God fought the
final battle of liberty, until liberty was
won. Then after the storms of battle, |
were heard the sweet calm words Of peace
shaken by the conquering nation and say
ing to the conquered foe that lay PROSTATE |
at bis feet: This is our only revenge, that
you join us in lifting into the serene firma-
ment Of the constitution, to shine like |
stars forever and ever, the immortal princi- |
pies Of truth and justice; that all men, |
white or black, shall be free and stand |
equal before the law.