Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-09-16
BUTLER FOR HANCOCK.
Points from Ills Great Speech at Fan
ueil Hall.
LEADING MASSACHUSETTS REPUBLICANS JOIN
BUTLER.

LEADING MASSACHUSETTS, REPUBLICANS JOIN
BUTLER.
By Telegraph to the New York Herald.
BosToN, August %, 1880.
General Butler has placed himself
squarely on the Hancock platform,
and announced his intention to take
the stump in favor of the election of
the hero of Gettysburg. He has also
officially stated that he is not u candi-
date for any office, elective or appoint
i've this year. The meeting in Fanueil
Hall, at which these declarations were
made, was large and enthusiastic, and
was composed of men representing all
shades of political opinion. There
were Democrats, Greenbackers, Inde-
pendent Republicans, straight Repub-
licans, and men on the political fence.
On the platform were such men as
Isaac Hull Wright, representing the
Fanueil Hall wing General A. 7.
Martin and A. A. Haggerty, repre-
senting the Butler Democracy AL
bert Palmer, John l. Baker and An
drew j. Hall, representing the Butler
Republicans. Palmer presided, and
made ringing speech, in which he
declared squarely for Hancock. His
arraignment of the party with which
he has acted for twenty years, was one
of the most scathing invectives in the
history of politics in this State for a
quarter of century.
GENERAL BUTLER's ADDRESS.
"By wise provision of the Consti-
tuition the people are called upon at
every recurring period of four years
to pass solemn judgment upon the pol
icy. integrity and efficiency of the adj
ministration of the government in the
past and to choose and appoint those
who shall administer. their govern
ment in the coming like period. If
change of policy or administration of
government is needed it can only be
attained at Presidential election.
Under our system of elections, prac-
tically, the people must confer their
power upon one or two men only, as
the supreme executive head of the
nation. No third person can be sup
ported for President with any result
save in the nature of protest against
the nominee of the conventions of the
two great political parties. There is,
therefore, no more solemn duty i'm
posed upon any patriot than to deter
mine which one of the two candidates
represents more nearly his convictions
upon the greatest number Of the meas
ures and principles of government.
All history teaches that long contin-
uance in power breeds corruption in
the administration of governmental
affairs; that corruption always seeks
perpetuation, and fears change of adj
ministration lest its wickedness may
be detected even if not punished.
When any one of my Republican
friends desire to put to me a political
question which he deems unanswer-
able, he asks, "How can you act with
the Democratic party which UNDER
took to break up the Union which
you fought to sustain?" The trouble
with your question, my friends, is that
you have have forgotten the history OF
your country. A portion of the Dem
ocratic party undertook to secede
from the Union, and thereby broke up
the Democratic party. If the Demo-
cratic party had undertaken to break
up the Union the Union would surely
have been broken up. Does any sane
man not blinded by partisan prejudice
doubt that without prompt, vigorous,
loyal, courageous and patriotic action
of the masses Of the Democratic party
that it would have been possible for
the Republican party to have preserv-
ed the Unionf Look at the rank and
file of our armies They were as
largely recruited from the Democratic
as from the Republican party. For
the correctness of this assertion let me
speak Of my own knowledge. |
marched TO the Gulf with New Eng
land division containing 5000 men,
and there could not have been found
900 men in that division Who had ever
voted any other than the Democratic
ticket. They came back voting for
the Union for which they fought, and
they bave been voting in the same di-
rection since, and will continue so TO
vote when they vote with the Dem
ocracy for Hancock, by whose side
they fought.
THE COLOR LINE.
Can the Republican administration