The Portland daily press., 1880-06-11

and especially desired, that the chief standard
bearer in this campaign should be our distin-
guished Senator, James G. Blaine, yet 1 be-
lleve the general opinion to be that since he
could not be nominated, the nomination was a
wise one and very creditable to the party. We
have nominated as our chief standard bearer
man OF whom we may well be proud. He is
gentleman who has record and record
which does him credit. He is man fearless
yet humane; man gallant in war and able
and conscientious in counsels of peace; he is a
man, in short, worthy of the enthusiastic and
undivided support of the great party which he
represents He was nominated after tedious
contest, nominated, too, very largely through
the influence of the Senator who was Names
first choice, and in my opinion our great Sena-
tor, James Il. Blaine did no small kindness to
this country and this State, when sitting in
Washington and listening to the pulsation of
the wires as they carried to him intelligence
OF the great contest going on in Chicago, and
finding that political circumstances denied to
him the nomination which a majority of Re-
publican States thought he deserved, he threw
his influence for Garfield and thus perpetuated
the wholesome customs of the past by driving
third term rule from out the borders of our
land. With such national ticket as we have,
believe we can 60 into the campaign with
strong hands and willing hearts,
Yes, the old Pine Tree State must roll up a
majority for Garfield and Arthur. Maine is a
State accustomed to lead the van in national
elections, and she has generally done her duty
SO we'll in the past as to give her sister States
comfort and encouragement, and they have
been accustomed to look to her as reliable for
Republican majority. She has, however, dis
graced herself once. She fell from grace two
years ago when that disgraceful wedding took
place between the Greenback and Democra-
tic parties. The result of that Demo-Green-
back union was disgrace even to the two par
ties which formed it. Yes, the only Demo-
Greenback administration we have had for
twenty rTDturinU constitutions
al liberty beyond repair. Within the folds OF
that disgraceful administration were Matched
and matured practices which would have dis
graced Benedict Arnold, for he only attempted
to destroy the republic in its infancy, but the
opposition attempted to take the very essence
OF liberty from the republic already prosperous
and happy. The Democrats and Greenbackers
are welcome to whatever crumbs of comfort
they can find by revealing in the black re-
mains of the only administration they have
black loathsome remains Of that disgraceful
administration will linger with us for years to
come. The opposition may continue to make
their old apology for wrong ami cry '.let by
cones be by-gones," but I tell you the liberty
loving people of the State of Maine cannot for
get the blacklist stain ever cast upon her honor.
The remembrance of this will nerve them for
this political conflict. The thought of it will
electrify Indifference into enthusiasm and
hasten to our assistance hitherto unwilling
feet. Men grown old in service will be re-
juvinated and put their shoulders to the wheel
with us in this campaign; young men who are
entering the lists for the first time will assist
us in putting beyond possibility a repe
tltlon OF such disgraceful proceedings
Looking then on the one hand at the black
record OF our opponents, remembering the
trusts they have betrayed, the rights of the
people which they have ignored looking on
the other hand at the magnificent record of
the Republican party, observing with conf
dence and pride its cheering prospect in the fu-
ture, with our present standard bearers we can
go into the contest hopeful and enthusiastic
Remembering that the contest is difficult one
Republicans will work with will, and think
and believe elect Garfield and Arthur, thus
honoring the party which by its nominations
honored them.
At the close of Mr.. Bradstreet's eloquent
remarks the band played the Star Spangled
Banner.
Hon. j. J. Perry was the next speaker
HON. j. j. PERRY's SPEECH.
Mr.. President:-We have assembled this
evening to unfurl to the breezes of heaven the
old Republican flag and place upon its folds
the name of the distinguished chieftain who is
to lead the Republican hosts to victory in the
next Presidential campaign. In the great
National Convention recently held at Chicago,
the delegates from this state in behalf of 70 900
Republicans they. represented, presented the
name OF her distinguished statesman, James
g. Blaine. as the man whom the masses of the
whole country had already designated as emil
nently worthy of Presidential honors.
This announcement met with hearty re-
Spouse from delegates representing in part or
IN whole, 80 states and ten territories of the
Union.
During "a successive ballotings the line of
battle formed under the banner of James G.
Blaine, stood like wall of fire, and 1 here say
most emphatically that that body of distin-
gulshed men could not have conferred upon it
sell, or upon the country greater honor than
by wheeling their forces under the same flag
and BY common consent, declaring Senator
Blaine the nominee of the convention.
And it was only when that distinguished
patriot telegraphed his friends to form a new
line OF battle under the banner of James A.
Garfield, and thus successfully flank the Sena-
torial ring made up of Conkling, Cameron and
Logan, that the forces representing the peoples
candidate gave way.
think you will agree with me that if we
could not have nominated the man of our
choice, no man could be found more accepta-
BILE to the Republicans of Maine than General
Garfield. His early life foreshadowed the
man. Left dependent upon his own resources
he successfully struggled with poverty and the
opposing forces in the way of dependent
young man, and by his pluck and indomitable
energy secured to himself a finished education
The opening of the rebellion found him in the
quiet retreats of a literary institution, of which
he was the presiding genius; these he abandon
ed for the hustle and excitement of the camp
where, during long years of SERVICE upon
many battlefield, he won for himself imper-
ishable honors and lasting fame.
The Republicans of the old Ashtabula dis
trict, SO long and so ably represented for %
successive years by that old anti-slavery hero
Joshua Il. Giddings, took Gen. Garfield from
the field and sent him to Congress. In the Ma
tional House of Representatives he has stood
second to no man in fidelity to principle, his
country and his party, and when our own
gifted son was transferred from the House to
the Senate, Gen. Garfield by common consent
became leader of the Republican party in that
body. And then towering above all compet-
tors among the many talented, distinguished
men of Ohio, he was elected to the United
States Senate and his nomination was by ac-
clamation.
Amid the whirlwind of excitement attend
ing the settlement of the financial questions
which have agitated the country the past years
he has stood firm as rock against the dashing
waves of the ocean, and it was his firmness
and fidelity that at one particular period in the
history of the Republican party of Ohio saved
it from being dashed upon the breakers. His
great and eminent ability as a statesman is
conceded by his political enemies, while no
stain upon his character can be found to mar
its symmetry or soil its purity. Violent poll
tlclans and INSCRIPTIONS demagogues may fill
the air with the smoke and dust of their scan
DIAL, but they will fall harmless at his feet and
return 10 cover their authors with 1nfamy and
disgrace.
Mr.. President, on this 10th day of June we
open the Presidential campaign for 1880 with
James A. Garfield for our standard bearer
The whole country will watch the coming
contest in Maine with intense interest. Great
and vital interests are at stake. The rebel
element of the country declare they will, by
the aid of their Northern allies dash upon us
a "solid South" This issue is forced upon the
Republicans. and the only alternatives are
either submission to this imperious, sectional
demand or fighting it with ''solid North
1t is square question, who shall govern this
country, the loyal element which saved us
country or the rebels who, in a wicked rebel
lion, sent half million boys to premature
graves, filled the land with mourning widows
and orphans, sacked our cities, devastated our
fields and entailed upon us thousands of mil
lions of dollars of debt. 1t is question
whether we are to have honest elections and
honest counts after election, or the continue
ton of the shotgun policy of the South, or
stealing and counting out by wholesale after
election at the North. 1t is question
whether American citizens shall be protected
in their persons, property and political rights
or driven from the polls by violence, shot down
like dogs or driven from the country like fugi-
tives. Upon these lines the Republican party
intends to fight it out until the constitution