Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-09-07
ADDRESS OF HON. ]. 7. UPDEGRAFF
Before the Republican Congress
sional Convention at Barnes
vile, Tuesday, Aug. 29th.

accent the nomination you have made with
profound and grateful sense not only OF the
honor, but of the obligation it implies, 1t
would be most unpardOnable lngratltude IN
me to affect indifference 10 this renewed proof
of your confidence and approval, which L re-
eeiye with no common measure OF apprecla-
lion and gratitude. Ii is the more welcome
us it sanctions in some degree my past service,
and | pray you to accept for yourselves and
bear to those you represent the assurance or
nv grateful acknowledgements, for recog.
nize this nomination as coming from the peo-
pie. Applause.l
To the host of noble friends who through
out this long contest, stood by me, steadfast
and immovable, with the vOuntarySupporta AID
influence, which neither falsehOod nor calum-
nv could change, tender my heart>felt gratl-
tude and obligation. In no way have knows
ingly done anything to betray your generous
and grateful confidence. | have neither
bought nor sought TO buy any mans vote.
have neither paid or promised any man pen
ny for his influence, or pledged for it
Office or place or prefe-ment. Applause.
In justice to you and myself, say ID the
presence of this great representative body,
that as far as know have said no word and
done no act through this contest which any
man may hot honorably do, or which every
man, woman and child in this district might
not freely know. And you will all realize
that this broad statement, which believe to
be the exact truth, will be most doubted and
most questioned by those who themselves are
not the most averse to doubtful methods.
To represent in any degree satisfactorily
this seventeenth district with its vast interests.
its great and diverse industries, its high aver
age of intelligence and its large population OF
patriotic people, is indeed an exalted trust.
Such constituency and such district has
high and Just claim to the best and utmost
endeavor of any representative, and say to
you frankly that have spared no work and
no effort to meet our just demands, and to
the utmost of my ability l shall strive to justi-
fy your generous confidence.
Gentlemen of the convention, though in all
my life | was never so earnestly Republi-
can as in late years, yet | cannot let this oc>
casion pass without saying that during my
service as your representative have received
from my Democratic friends and from the
better part of that press 80 many courtesies
and so many evidences of consideration or ap'
proval in non-partisan matters, that l desire
to recognize and acknowledge them here to-
day. And aiming as l have to be the repre-
sentative of the whole people of the district,
l yield no iota of party fealty when say that
! highly prize these proofs of regard from
political opponents, for the duty of fair
representative cannot be bounded by party
lines. Applause. ---.,s
But, feliow>Republicans, our party still
merits as it still holds the confidence and love
of his adherents, and fortunately for all they
are q majority of the people of this
country. Each year adds new achieve
ments, new victories and fresh benefits to its
already glorious record. II it makes mis-
take-which it sometimes does-the Democ-
racy is sure to come TO the rescue with some
startling blunder or fragrant outrage.
Circumstances again give to Ohio and its
election not only commanding influence but
National importance. 1t is now the only Oc>
tOber State. and the eyes and hearts Of the
Nation from the Madawaska to the Pacific
are turned hither and await the guiding voice
of this mighty Commonwealth. Often before
Ohio has stood in the breach and its gallant
Republican hosts have led the way TO victory,
and the country has gladly recognized their
supreme service.
A Democratic victory in Ohio this year
would not only be a State dishonor, but Ma
tional misfortune. But, my friends, no such
calamity will come to pass. We shall lave
full discussion, full vote, and q fair CONT,
and in Ohio that always means Republican
victory. The influence of our great prosperi-
ty, the roar of our industries, the unseen but
irrepressble forces of our development and
power-of our great future-the shaping ele>
ments of our progress, moving with resistless
might, we are all marshalled in our support
and are all working for our triumph.
The Republican party has bravely met the
great questions of the past and so settled
them that all parties accept the solution.
With equal courage it now faces the new is
sues of our progress and dares to stake all its
power and anchor all its legislation on what
the great Burke declared was the only
safe foundation of any egislation-''the basis
of eternal right" (Applause).
In Ohio the Republican party now grandly
confronts the giant evil of our day. lntemper-
ance is not only the curse of our National
moral life, but the heaviest financial burden
of our people. 1t is the great source of crime.
Crime is the great source of taxation. 1t
crowds jails, prisons, asyluns and aims
houses, and yet this immense liquor traffic
bears no part of the burdens it brings upon
the industrial and productive classes-the
farmers, the mechanics and the business men
of the country. For thirty years the consti>
tuition of the State has stood a barrier in the
way of legislation, which might at least lay
upon this traffic its share of the public bur-
dens and give to the law its practical control.
1t has now become monopoly of public spo.
liation and the remedy must come from the
people (Great applause.
In the present Congress, the Republican
party, although without a clear majority in
either House, has enacted many wise and be-
neficent laws. 1t has taken the first effective
legislative step towards the suppression of
POlygrmy in the territories. 1t gave much
time and legislation on the vital questions of
the refunding at low interest of our vast
bonded debt, to the extension of the charters
of National Banks, to the reduction of inter-
nal revenue, to the problem of Chinese immi>
grafton, and tO therevision of tariff laws. In
the interest of the agriculture of the country,
and in Just recognition of that great industry,
the House of Representatives passed bill,
| which still awaits the action of the Seuate,
elevating the Bureau of Agriculture into a
| full Executive Department, with its head d
member of the Cabinet. In further recogni-
ton of that industry in which $4,000, 900 of
our people are engaged and which is the basis
of all our wealth and prosperity, it made a
new and liberal appropriation of $4,000 for
s.crop reports, which had been of such value
to Ohio and other States, which adopted this
wise measure to secure to the farmer the just
rewards of his labor.
There has been much said as 10 the river
and harbor bill, but on this the two parties
stood almost exactly equal. In the House the
vote to pass it over the Presidents veto was
122 or this number GA were Republicans, or
66 per cent. of the whole Republican vote,
and So were Democrats, or 66 per cent. of the
whole Democratic vote. Oaughter).
To sustain the veto voted with 30 othel
Republicans and 2S Democrats a.,
In the Senate 18 Republicans and 90 Demo-
Gratis voted to pass it over the veto, and Il
Republicans and Democrats voted to sus-
Tain the veto.
SO that it will not do for our Democratic
friends to claim any advantage in this meas
ure, weether it was good or bad, for as Sena
tor Thurman said the other day, the parties
united on this on the broad platform Of th,
old flag and large appropriations.
One of the most important measures tina
will claim the attention of the next Congress
is the protection of American industry. Cal
you trust with power that party which i
pledged both in Congress and in convention