The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-15
HARRY WHITES SPEECH,

INVESTS. TllcnOl, vi f1ke, anu NC
Kinley, of Somerset, conducted Gen.
eral White to the chair, and the con-
vention listened respectfully to the
ringing speech of the Indiana states.
man. General White spoke deliber-
ately, with great emphasis, and to the
freely expressed satisfaction of his au-
dience. His picturesque form and
earnest delivery always command at
tention, and never more so than to-
day. He spoke as follows:
This convention has assembled full
of sorrow and sympathy for the
stricken and suffering head of the Ma
tion and chosen leader of the Repub-
lican party of the country. The hope
and prayer of all the delegates, l be-
lieve, is that our loved President may
be spared the fatal consequences of the
assassin bullet and be speedily and
surely restored to health that he may
complete that administration of our
affairs so wisely and honestly begun,
to which he was so recently called by
the voice of a majority of the Ameri
can people. While our hearts are full
of sadness for our suffering leader, the
general condition of the country is
promising and prosperous, and the
good purposes of our great party make
us cheerful and hopeful for the future.
While no great excitement attends the
meeting of this convention, vet the
declaration of principles and selection
of a candidate hy the convention of a
powerful party i'm an important State
cannot fail at any time to attract the
attention of all citizens who take an
interest in the welfare of the Repub
lie. For twenty years and little
longer the policy of the party here as
sembled has controlled the Govern
ment of the Nation and State. While
no human organization is free from
fault. yet we may, upon the threshold
of our proceedings here, declare that
more has been accomplished for the
happiness and progress of mankind
during the administration of our
party than in any twenty years of
history in any Government. This in
itself might supply sufficient encour-
agement to stand faithfully and
closely together for further victory.
While some of the cardinal doctrines
of our faith are crystalized in the
American mind, yet it is not wise or
safe to trust the administration of the
great results we have secured to the
political rivals over whom we have
with so much effort and angry cOnten-
ton from time to time achieved our
telling victories While this is but a
State convention, with but one officer
to be voted for, no State convention of
can be held in Pennsyl-
vania with entire indifference to ma
tional issues. They loom up above ali
else and beckon us grandly on to pa
triotic duty. We rejoice that we have
secured a strong central system of
around which harmOni-
ously revolve thirty-eight prosperous
States in happy subordination To the
national authority. Yet other and
practical questions are con-
arising and contending for
While our record is bril-
liant and practical in all that relates
to good republican government, yet
our work is not ended, the destiny of
our party is not yet fulfilled. These
civil rights, so recently baptized with
the best blood of the Republic, are not
vet everywhere fully assured. Yet
the beneficient influences of generous
a administration is rapidly
niellowing those asperities which
have made us so long anxious about
.he future of the lately rebellious por-
ion of the country, aud trust that
full acquiescence in the logic of his
.oric events will drive away forever
rom our politics all merely sectional
1t rests with our national Represent
atives. now having Republican ma
0rity in Congress, to enact prudent
md effective provisions to secure iree
md fair elections, and homes counts
aud at all times in all the
states where national officers are to be
elected. More than once the counting
# the electoral votes of the States |
md the declaration OF the results of |
he election for President has men.
ced the existence of our system of |
Some prudent, practi-
al provision must be passed to assure
he peaceful declaration of the result |
f such election, according to the con-
titutiOnal intent. Our party is the |
My reliable and consistent advocate
{ the system of national taxation
which imposes the necessary customs
utie8. not for revenue only, but for
and encouragement to our
asst resources and domestic industries. |