The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-09-09
A NOTABLE SPEECH.

John W. Garrett at the Golden Club Dinner.
THE telegraph made brief report of
the annual banquet of the Golden Club
in London, July 10, at which some of
the most distinguished men in England
were present, and number OF notable
Americans. Among them was John W.
Garrett, President Of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, who made an eloquent
speech, of which we quote the follow.
ing:
"Our country is prosperous. There are
again great crops, reduced taxation, full
employment in all our territory, wealth
is increasing, and progress universal.
Permit me, in contrast with the present,
to recall your attention to a period of Is
years, when our country was shrouded
in gloom and peril. You remember the
surrender of the Confederate armies,an
that the assassination of our beloved
President, Abraham Lincoln, immedi-
ately followed; that the murderers
struck down the Secretary of State, Mr..
Seward and his son, the Assistant S Gre
taly of State-leaving both on the verge
Of death. The Secretary of War also,
Mr. Stanton, believed tLat the assassins
failed to destroy him only through an
accidental Intervention. Dread and hor-
ror reigned. The government was urged
to adopt the severest measures-to be.
head Lee and Johnson, and the leaders
of the Southern armies and of the South.
The successor of Lincoln, President
Johnson, was much impressed by the
advocates of extreme measures, and
Gen. Grant is authority for the state
ment that he had at one time determ-
ined on this course. Thus the restora.
ton of peace and good will between the
S0utn and North trembled in the bal
ance. At this crisis letter from Rich
ard Golden was placed in my hands
[Cbeers. It had been written to his
friend, DR., Balch, then in Paris, and in
view of its importance it had been for
warded to Baltimore had the honor of
receiving visit from Mr.. Golden when
in the United States, and in common
with my fellow citizens, knew his exalt
ed and heroic character. Weknew with
what splendid courage he had fought
high ability, prestige, power, the aGcu-
mulated wealth of centuries, and con
quered for the many against the few, and
grandly and successfully assisted the
principle of legislating "for the greatest
good Of the greatest number" Appreci-
ating the power which the words of wis
dom of such a man should command, l
at once handed the letter to President
Johnson in the national capital. It was
written before the surrender at AppOm.
atox, and only shortly before the death
of Mr.. Golden. He said he saw in the
successful march to the sea of General
Sherman the failure of the Confederate
Caust and the early surrender Of its ar.
mics. He said then would come the test
Of the greatness and wisdom of the Fed
eral government. He counseled mag
nsnimity. The war which he had so
constantly and 80 earnestly supported
was for the restoration of the Union
The conquered had shown valor
and fortitude, and they should be re-
Ceived as brethren and restored to the
blessings of a common government un
der renewed union of the States. He
said it should be as the protracted strug
gle of great ships of war upon the ocean.
After sails we're destroyed, masts shat
tered, and hulls damaged, the dead un
buried and the wounded bleeding, when
at last the weaker yields, the victor
should exert every power to save the
wreck, to suCcor the helpless, to heal
the wounded. Thus wisdom, humanity,
as we'll as enlightened selfshness would
be shown. Counsel coming from such
source, from one 80 much respected,
whose perfect friendship and firm sup
port throughout the war had been 80 va
liable, strongly affected the President. l
left the letter with him. A few days
ubsequently benevolent society met
in Baltimore, embracing many South
ern men, who were the first to
visit the North after the surrender,
and a banquet was proposed in honor
of this renewed intercourse with
representatives of Northern Slates,-
1t was desirable to know the policy Of
the government as to the treatment of
the South, so that satisfactory assurances
If possible, might be given. 1t has been
proved that the assassination conspiracy
was confined to few crazy men, and
that Southern men and the Anglo-Saxon
race were vindicated from the atrocious
crime. l visited the President. He
said the letter of Mr. Golden had pro-
duced a deep Impression upon him; that
his judgment was convinced as to his