Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-10-21
Extracts from a speech by Richard
O'Gorman, of New York.

We want to elect President that shall not
be the President of a section, not the Presi-
dent of a class, not the President of party,
but President of all parties, of all classes, all
races, black men as well as white men, native
and West-a President of all the people, a
President of all this great Nation, the latest
and greatest republic of this earth.
Four years and no more was the term that
the Constitution designated for the govern
ment by any one man or any one party in the
United States. Consider for a moment what
something in the life of every one Events
change in four years; public opinion changes
in four years. A party that may be useful and
powerful for good now. may four years hence,
be mischievous and dangerous. Thus, par
ty that could, at it's own will and pleasure,
hold power in the United States more than
four years, not to speak of a party that could
so hold power for twenty years, may check
progress and expansion, and become a
standing menace to the liberties of this peo-
pie.
Fellow citizens, let us look at this question
from the high position of American citizens
American patriOts-and not from the position
of Democrats cOntending with Republicans.
Don't you see that when any one party contin-
ues to hold power tor twenty years, the length
means, to fortify itself more and more in
place and power, and makes it easier for it to
power and life of ali other parties,
and introduces an imperial or aristo:
party t that can continue itself In Office for
more than the term allotted by the Constitu-
ton and by the traditions of the people is a
party that win strive to continue itself in office
forever. There is no instance in all the his
tory of mankind of any party that has once
a firm hand until it had crushed in its grip the
liberties of the people and erected itself into
imperial dominion. The first duty, therefore,
of the American people now is to take care
that no party be allowed to grow into a
dynasty, and perpetuate its power.
Now, citizens, let US see where we stand as
IN hn wi EIIlf
we be sure that we are to have fair election?
Until 1876 that question need never to have
been asked. But. in 1876, there happened an
event most disastrous and disgraceful, not
only to the Republican party, but reproach
and disgrace to the whole republic. You, the
dent. You elected him by a popular majority
of a quarter of a million. He was elected by a
majority of the electoral vote. You. the peo-
manner prescribed by the Constitution.
\ party-nO, not a party, but cabal,
Il Clique, conspiracy in the Republican
pie, and prevented its execution, and the man
whom You elected was cheated out of his cleo
ton. That man was Samuel j. Tiden. You
saw him denied the Office to which your voices
would have borne him. And the man You did
not elect, the man that has no more right to
before me, that man, for nearly four years,
by trick and device, fraud and conspir-
acy. sits in the seat once held by WASH
ington, and performs the duties of
an office to which he was not chosen.
Therefore / say to you, citizens. it is by no
means certain that we shall now have fair
count and free election, or that we shall ever
have a fair election again. All depends on
the course the people of the United States
seal of their eternal condemnation the fraud
by which their sovereign will was thwarted
and their sovereign power insulted and set at
naught, then they need never expect another
fair election in the United States, and this
thing that we call the ballot will be only an
amusing toy, and not the potent weapon of