, 1880-07-25

c1eape, Esq, Chicago, fu.-Mr DEAR SIR: Your
favor OF the 10th inst, communicating the re-
quest Of the Executive Committee Of the " Gar
field and Arthur Club" to me- "to be present
and address grand ratification meeting to be
held in the City of Chicago on Saturday, July
"a, under the auspices Of said Club and the
Union Veteran Club" is received. I regret to
say In reply that other engagements will pre-
vent me from complying with said request
lean but hope that the proposed meeting may
be ono Of marked and uuQuesuonable SUCCESS
The action Of the National Republican Conven-
tlon Is worthy of all commentator, and should
eurnest Republicans. That action. both as
regards the ticket nominated and the declara-
don of principles and policies promulgated,
history Of the purity. This is the fuct of
Significance and value In the absence of this
fact candidates and platforms are nothing: The
contest upon which the. two great political
parties Of this country have entered Is not one
Of candidates and platforms. It goes deeper
than this 1t goes down to the foundations Of
the two organizations. and works up through
all the strata upon which their present preten-
sions rest ~ this process 1t works out the
may surely rcpose in the respective parties. No
convention can determine the character Of the
party 1t represents. The Convention is junior
ds~crcnt from what ii has made itself. No plat
1.rn, Gun assure us Of safety in trusting party
whose whole history is had.
history bus been consistent In profession and ac-
tion and hns been true to every great a; interest
and against slavery. It was for nationality and
against the superiority of tho States. It WIS for
loyalty and aguinst treason. 1t was FOR the
Union and aEnst secession ion It vas 81; TOR fEGe
ment of efther. 1t WIS for the public credit and
against rcpudianon In every form. 1t was for
1 f for the the
freedom Of political discussion and against I'LL
things tending to suppress it; i was tor FREQ
intcrposed against it. 1t was for fair and
honest count Of free ballots and against all
fraud which would tamper with the citizens
equal chance in the efforts Of life and against
every discrimination placed In his why These
are some OF the chnractertstics OF the hepubllc-
an party, and its history discloses no antago-
nism tn them in al the long course Of Its ncrion
u nen such party noutnates candidates ana
proclams platform in harmony with its past,
Of mankind. This the Republican party hns
ana its platform arc in perfect accord. This is
! its claim upon the confidence of the people. By
this sign it will continre to CONQUER.
In the history Of the Democratic party may be
found the antipodes of nil and singular the fore
| gving characteristics Of the Republican purity,
| With one possible exception.-the personal views
the party. But, however this may be, it is q
| matter Of no moment 1t neither makes the
what it is: and 1t is with 1t, and not its cund-
dates the people have to deuL And what good
thing did it ever do? What platform pledge did
1t ever redeem except the one by which It was
harnessed to the car Of slAvery? Its past Is
hateful almost beyond comprehension It ia
yored oppression. 1t DESTROYED the public credit.
It plunged the country into a most costly and
blssouy civil wur majority of its members either
fought against the Nation in that War or gave
their svinpathIes to those who did. 1t now hon
OTIS and promotes to stations of highest trust the
men who led and constituted the armies OF trca-
son in that War, and Its tendency now ts 70 give
them absolute direction Of our public affairs. It
during the last two sessions. What single thing
has it done to promote the public welfare? What
pledge in its platform of 1915 has It ever at
tempted to redeem? What Is its record for
those two sessions other than an exemplft1ca-
tion Of cnwarlce and fncapacity2 Dy action or
ever put into Il platform Can such party sue
ccssfully hide behind candidate Of good re-
pute? IF the Democratic candidate for the
Presidency be ell that the Northern press at tho
party clntn for him. then he is an EN-
phatio rcbuke to the disloyalty and ip-
competency OF the party which nominated
big enough to hide the character Of his party,
nor to disguise the purposes of his supporters.
The people will look over his shoulders aud see
who and what are behind him. From whit they
discover there will they determine the line OF
duty to be pursued. In civil life he has rec
ord but his party has one Of great and surpnss-
Honary signal hung out by history to warn the
American people+-to warn them against again
trusting the Democratic party with the control Of
the af1airs OF this Republic The people will give
heed Il, this warming, and this will assure the
election Of Garfield and Arthur. Your: truly.