Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-07-30
ISSUES OF THE CAMPAIGN.
THE MASTERLY SPEECH or
HON. CARL SCHURZ,
Delivered at indianapolis. Ind, Tues
day Evening, July 20, 1850.

Lest some Of our readers should hav
missed the opportunity of reading secretar
Schurz's admirable statement of the issues O
the present political campaign, as publishe
IN the city papers, we give below liberia
extracts from his speech at indianapolis:
WHAT THE HAYES ADMINISTRATIONS HAS DONE
As member of the present administration
now ON the point of yielding its power int
the hands of new set of public servants,
may DO permitted to appeal to the candi,
judgment OF the American people as to th
manner in which the public business has bee,
conducted during these last years. While /
might be natural that, bearing a part of tb,
responsibility myself, l should be inclined L
take favorable view of its performances
still feel that my ways of thinking are indie
pendent enough not to betfay me into mer,
partisan eulogy, and that we may confidentl,
rely upon the judgment frequently expressed
not only by our friends but also by very many
candid men among our opponents. As a mat
Ter OF course, l do not expect Democratic
politiclans and orators to give us that fairness
OF Judgment in the heat of an election con.
test which they could not deny us during the
repose OF previous period, and which they
will not deny us when this contest is over
Tor II Is a common experience that partisan
spirit WILL under the excitement of the cam
palgn, call man villain to-day whose worth
was recognized yesterday, and whose merit
VIII again be admitted tomorrow [ think 7
am not exaggerating when / say that the fair.
minded men of this country will admit, and
do admit in their hearts to-day, that on the
whole the public business has been conducted
by this administration, as far as it was iu its
control, intelligently and successfully.
should be the last man to claim perfection for
1t; for, as one of those who had an opportu-
NIFTY to watch affairs in detail, / am well aware
OF errors committed and of failures suffered
IN this and that respect. No administration
OF government ever has been or ever will be
Tree from them and with respect to them
claim no larger measure of charity than would
be claimed by any member of a government
acting upon correct motives of duty. and will
ing to have the acts and the general success
OF the administration impartially judged as a
whole. 1t has maintained the public faith.
and raised the credit of the United States TO
point never reached before. 1t has with
constant energy followed a policy relieving
the country of the evils of an irrational and
dangerous money system, and greatly pronot
ed the prosperity of the people by the resto-
ration OF specie payments. It has funded
enormous masses of the national indebtedness
at lower interest, and thus saved many mil.
- ~ VIZ eAA Bu1tEs IL uuh IultlIul-
ly executed the laws with a conscientious OBJ
servance of sound constitutional principles.
By Its fidelity TO these constitutional princi-
pies, 1t has removed many obstacles which
stood In the way of a friendly understanding
between the different sections of the country
and different classes of people 1t has, under
trying circumstances, when the public peace
was disturbed by riot and violence on the mart
oi numerous class Of citizens, greatly aided
the restoration of order and security by a
calm and moderate employment of the limited
power at It's command, without in any case
resortlng to n doubtful stretch of authority
1t has reformed many abuses in the public
service, infused higher sense of duty into
It's different branches, raised its moral tone
increased It's efficiency, punished dishonesty,
ana Kept the service unsullied by the scandals
arising from lax notions of official integrity.
In saying this / am not unmindful of the fact
that the reform of the public service has not
overcome, in SO high degree as was intended
ana as was desirable the obstacles opposing
IL IN the shape of inveterate political habit |
ana antagonlstic interest that therefore. the |
highest standard has not been reached; that |
some mistakes have been made in the selec- |
ton of persons for public position-points of |
winch shall say more in the course OF these |
remarks but 1t is certainly true that the ser |
wee Is now showing greater degree of eff |
cheney, higher moral spirit, and a stronger |
sense of duty, than has prevailed, perhaps, at |
any time since the period when the admins
tratlvc machinery was demoralized by the in
PRODUCTION OF the spoils system. II has in
many OF its branches introduced rules and
methods which haye borne excellent fruit and
are capable Of the most benefcent deyelop-
nent, if further carried on by coming admin
STATIONS in sympathy with them. think l
'an say without exaggeration that these
achievements will stand unquestioned in his
ory by all fair-minded men.
rHE RECORD OF DEMOCRATIC SHORTCOMINGS.
1t is not my habit to rake up the embers of
past discords, and to substitute for the living
luestlons OF the present, issues which lie be-
llnd us : but If we want to ascertain the pre-
'alhng tendencies and the present capability
or good government of the Democratic partv |
n accordance with the spirit and requirements
u the present day, it is not unfair to review
ome striking experiences as illustrations.
looking back to the year lSG4-the fourth
ear OF the civil war, when the southern con-
ederacy was near the total exhaustion of its
esources-we find the Democratic party in
ational convention solemnly declaring that
he war was failure and must be abandoned.
lew months afterward the triumph of our
rms was decided, the confederacy collapsed,
ne restoration of our Union was assured and |
he democracy was forced to acknowledge
hat the war had been a success. The dem
cracy had proclaimed its despair of the re-
ublic Just at the time when the triumph of
he republic was ripe. 1t became evident to
very one, that had the Democratic policy
cen then adopted, the war would have in
eed become failure, and the Union have
one to wreck and ruin. When slavery
reathed its last, and its abolition had become
evident logical necessity, requiring nothing
lore than the form of law, the Democratic
arty declared that the abolition of slavery
ould be the ruin of the country and must by
] means be averted. Who is there to DENY
ow that the abolition of slavery was an ab-
1lute necessity, and has turned out a bless
lgE The Democrats are compelled to admit
themselves. When,' as measures of settle
tent, the 18th, nth and 18th amendments
ere passed. the Democratic party declared :
lem VOID and entitled to no respect, and al
ost Immediately afterward found itself COM
elled to admit that, for the peace of the G
'untry and as basis for future development. !
lese constitutional amendments had 10 be l.
aiptained. Coming down to more recent l
story, when the Republicans in Congress
ld passed the resumption act in 1875, and =
e fruit of the restoration of specie pay
ents was almost ripe to be plucked, the J.
emocratic party in its national convention
lolO thought 1t smart thing to declare A
at the very act passed for bringing specie !,
was an impediment in its way and =
ust be repealed. And who is there TO deny y
w, that, had the act been repealed under "
6 pressure of all the imitation elements in v
Q country, the confusion of our financial r
'hcy necessarily ensuing would have pro- u
nged the evils of an irredeemable paper u
rrency under which we were then suffering? !,
need not accumulate further examples to u y
ow how incapable the Democratic party u
owed itself to understand and appreciate, "
t only the immediate requirements of the d
mes, but facts that had been virtually ao-
mplished, and how its greatest efforts were
'ected TO the end of obstructing things that
d become inevitable and which it afterward e,
md itself compelled 10 admit as good m
I'd now, in this year of 1880, when the war Ii
ues are fairly behind US when, by its con in
latory spirit and its strict observance of Ill
al