Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-08-20
An Excellent Address by a New York
Soldier.

soldiers at Utica, N. L, colonel AnSOn
S. Wood delivered an excellent address
from which the following is extracted.
Better speeches are not often made:
want to congratulate you, Mr.. President,
and you my friends and fellow citizens, and
especially you my Democratic friends, upon
the great good likely to come to the country
by the remarkable changes wrought by re-
peated defeat in the minds of the Democratic
party. In this good year of grace, 1880, "the
man on horseback" no longer brings to the
peaceful slumber of the Democratic states
men horrid visions of ruined country and
an enslaved people. The nomination OF |
professional soldier, unused to the ways of |
civil and political life, suggests to their be
calmed imagination no danger to the Consti- |
tuition, and bodies no evil to the country
For many years the statesmen of the Demo- |
cratic party have been mere prophets of evil |
--croafSng from press and forum the speedy |
downfall of the republic-because the party in
power put mere military heroes-nOt strtes- |
men-in the highest offices of the land.
These doleful knights of the dismal counte-
nance, tired of defeat and hungry for office,
tainted with treason and allied to rebels, have
suddenly taken a new departure. Having
thrown overheard their old leaders, they cum
ningly bring to the front an old soldier of the
regular army, in the vain hope that his blue
coat will prove veritable lions skin TO hide
the political donkeys beneath. Assuming that
the people are wlfuly ignorant of their true
character, they hope to win under borrowed
flag what they have repeatedly lost when sail
ing under their own true oolors. 9, -.
Their pet ghost "CBsarism," no longer
needed to frighten independent voters with,
has been allowed to gather his white sheet
| about him and steal off to the graveyard of
buried Democratic humbugs. Even the 'hard
| times" for so many elections their chief at
| traction, has ceased to draw and no longer APP
| pears upon the bills. This favored year DEM
| ocTatc editors and orators have graciously
| consented not to hold the Republican party
responsible for the famine in Ireland, the pes
| thence in the Orient, and the earthquake IN
| Peru. All their old battle cries have lost their
ralying power and been abandoned:
| This blessed year their whole political capl-
| appears invested
| of love and affection for the solnier The sim
| lister character Of this suddenly inspired pas,
| sion can be readily discovered by the way ana
manner it displays itself
From this time forward no Republican tiend
| intent upon gore can wave the bloody shirt in
our blanched faces Is not our candidate
soldier2 Henceforth no narrowing memories
of the past, when we sneered and scored at
| " "Lincolns hirelings," and prayed Tor rebel
| victories, can come back to mar our happl-
| ness or disturb our feastsl Our candidate is
a soldier and beneath the ample folds of his
| military cloak we intend to hide all our sins
| from the public gaze. Before this campaign
is over hope some cunning artist VIII una
| canvas large enough whereon he can paint the
big soldier in such immense proportions that
below and underneath him-through the trans
parent thinness OF this pretended love for the
| Union soldier-may be faithfully portrayed
| the past and present of the Democratic
party. If the painting prove true to
in the far BACKGROUND will be seen the
authors of the foul plot to plant slavery upon
the free soil of the West, and chief among
tial candidate, whose barrel awaits the tap
ping. In front of these will stand the worthless
who stood upon street corners, in front OF
botel bars and semi-public places during the
dark and doubtful days of the war, and boast
ed of rebel prowess and rejoiced at rebel vic
tories Still in front of these will be grouped
the patriots who gathered at Chicago in 1854,
and while their candidate of to-day was trying
to whip rebels at the front. treacherously at
tackled him on the flank and in the rear; that
famous body of men who counseled together
how best to betray the, country, and hit upon
the plan OF declaring the war Ior the Qnion Fli a
crate flag, which solid South few years ago
followed just as zealously as it now follows
the Democratic banner, and rallying around it
will be seen the whole band of martyrs who
for four years have besieged the National
Capitol and crept into places of trust and
profit once held by Union soldiers. Way up
in front in solid column will stand the rebel
brigadiers whose votes control Democratic
Congress and whose ranks will furnish Cabinet
officers for the next Democratic President II
one should ever be elected. The painting will
not be complete If the artist stops here A
place must be found for sketches OF Outrages
which make the blood run cold-ontrages
which have driven loyal men from their homes
and made South solid for the Democracy. 1t
must show-cleary and plainly show-twenty
years of steady and persistent effort on the
part of the Democratic party TO ruin the cred
II, hinder and impede the prosperity of the
country, and prove TO the world that revolu
tions do not go backward.
Fifteen years after the great struggle fol-
the life of the Nation is an excellent time fol
Democratic politicians to turn patriots and
soldier worshipers. In 1854 the Republican:
renominated Abraham Lincoln, the great
statesman and Commander~ln-Chief of the ar
my, and the loyal Democracy Immediately raj
lied around the standard of General Failure
mounted upon a platform of submission tC
traitors in arms.
In 1868 the Republicans nominated the great
chieftain of the war, and our soldier-loving
, friends rushed to the support of that most eX
, cellent gentleman and statesman, who, a few
weeks ago, solemnly assured us all that were
he compelled to choose between the Democrat
1aWaff nj afnaff fffNEan hE
, would promptly order the hearse.
Don't you remember, my worthy Democratic
soldier-ovng friend, how, in that memorable
= contest, you besought the dear people not t(
risk their liberties by voting for soldieri
Don't you recall the eloquent words in which
you prayed for the soldiers defeat? Some
} of you were not content to pray with YOU
lips only, but made your hands do service, a!
stuffed ballot boxes and fraudulent counts
r S SSE as YoTF HFe was ko
cerned, quite as effectual Pete had been
: slave, and after the war times got hard anC
provisions became mighty scarce. Pete wa
= u good man, and in his poverty prayed thu
good Lord to send him one of Massa Peyton'
5 turkeys for self and pickaninnies, but no tur
key came. In hunger and despair Pet
. changed the form of his humble petition, an'
asked the good Lord TO send old Pete afte
the turkey. The thing proved a success, ant
I the old man said DE turkey was on hand mex
: morning before sun up"
Y In 1872 you tried a new dodge. Genera
r. Grant, superior to General Hancock ever.
way was renominated by the Republicans
: and in order TO compass his defeat you pocket
1 ed your, principles, buttoned up your vest
. and said " Anything to beat Grant" Yoi
; nominated Horace Greeley, whose creates
e merit consisted in his thorough hatred 70
your party and its creed; but you hurrahe
for him, you voted for him. and when remind
= ed that he was not Democrat, you said agai
: Anything to beat Grant" You failed; tn
disguise was too thin; honest men in you
party said the whole thing was fraud and
cheat, and hundreds of them in this count
q voted for the soldier. You stood condemne
! 81
and possibly without brains
In 1876 you changed front. The order mus
: have been fright inward face You starte
q out as reformers. The Republican part
= placed in nomination brave soldier, faitl
u ful Congressman, an efficient and successfl
y name. You nominated "Tiiden and reform.
} is there Kelly Democrat here tonight? Ho'
l. often since has he prayed the blessed virgil
a with penitential tear moistening his cheel
e for forgiveness for the awful wickedness {
u that awful fraud and lie2 How many time
y since he has faithfully promised that If fo
n given for the sin of voting for Iilden he woul
- neyer-no, never-wel, hardly eYer-do s
It again
V The great farce failed, as all such fraud
c And now comes another contest. No cario
e call for reform starts into life the statesma
of Cypher Alley, No attempt Is made TO rigf
the alleged great wrong so much cOmplaine
= of and so hercely denounced. No eloqueI
a | plea for Justice 10 the Great Defrauded. N
- earnest demand for higher political standard
~ and better administration. You come wit
2 no lifelong Democrat, with honored name an
% experienced craftsmanship, whose service I
!. your party and to the country in civil lii
i entities him TO the support of the party an
8. commends him to the people. You come wit
/, a professional soldier-"a man on horseback
y without experience in civil affairs, and 4
% political record fixing his position on the liN
a questions of the day, and you ask the citize
= and the soldier to leave their party and su
II port this man in preference 10 the yolunte'
If soldier, the tried Senator, the able Congress
,f man and experienced statesman whom Il
"a Republican party has placed in nomination.
s, We lDOnt do ~ The supreme impudence
n the campaign of 1876 has been matched by Il
s. sublime audacity OF the campaign of 1890. A
d. old, willy, cunning, tricky politician playir
le the role of refOrmer was simply impuden,
ia personified. A whole Democratic party, rebe
10 and all, masquerading in blue uniform vii
,. an old soldier for n figure head, is audaci
,s intensified. And yet 1t was a great thing Il
= Democratic party sought to accomplish
a Cincinnati, and in part succeeded. Tn,
d managed in hot haste 20 bury Iilden. and thu
q thought they had put down the ghost of Il
- bloody shirt. IL is much too early yet to d
a ternine which gave them the greater joy,