The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-11-28
srEEcH BY HENRY wATTERsON.

lOieuO. lIOlu W uiCl t1C lOlOWAts VA
tracts are taken:
FELLow-CITrzENs: The present situation OF
public affairs in the United States Is something
more than anomalous. 1t is in the highest de-
gree whimsical and picturesque. l should In
suit your intelligence and discredlt my own IL
should perpetrate the conceit OF attempting
to overreach your credulity with the pretense
that there is crisis. There Is no crisis
Dangers there are, indeed, as always; for amid
the prevailing incertitude and indifference the
absence of organized conviction indicates
rank, unwhoesome growth. which, whilst CIV.
ing show of current prosp erfty, Is caicuiated
to deceive the short-sighted, superficial OBJ
server Our body polite, however, is not going
to the dogs. 1t has at least escaped the dogs OF
war. Our National unity is stronger than ever
longer any irrepressible conflicts. Peace
pervades the States and the sections which
compose our Federal fabric. The war is over,
ocably and forever. Slavery Is no more
thought of or regretted in the South than in
the North, and secession raises smile even
I'm its very hauDts. The frictions and coils
ions growing out of the war have passed into
history. Our Government has survived the
deluge. mistaken and untarnished, our con-
miscbievous theory, which, beginning with
false notions of reconstruction to end with
illusory notions of finance, for long time
threatened it. All the while the people have
got ON, somehow, in spite of their demagogues.
And now, with General Butler as the Demo-
cratic standard-bearer in Massachusetts,, and
Gtnf rdl OnalfntrS as the hepuDuctu stdnudru-
bearer in Mississippi, surely the country is
safe: 1t is more than safe, because what those
great warriors and statesmen lack of making
1t so we may confidently look to see supplied
/ congratulate you, fellow-citizens, upon
this consummation so devoutly to be wished,
and shall not mar it by any forebodings that
do not spring from the most ordinary sugges-
tons of a prudent sagacity. rejoice in being
able to feel and to say that we are fellow
citizens, that we have a rich, prosperous and
That xrIl
the future of the Republic is full of a SPLEEN
did promise. But we have not reached the
millennium; not even here in Ohio, albeit the
home of the Truly Good. We possess a great
property. and to the wise and just and fruit
ful administration of this belong certain obi
cations and duties 1t is these which bring us
together on this occasion.
In the report of a speech delivered the other
evening by Senator John Sherman, for whom,
let me say, have very great respect, lind the
following passage, which, as can well remenl-
Der the Senator's first appearance in the Ma
tonal Capitol as Representative in Congress,
is to me not without touch of pathos. Sena-
tor Sherman said: II am already getting old
and my hair is turning gray, but my attach
ment to the Republican party is all the
stronger, and il is so because / believe that
party is the bulwark of our country's liberties
and progress. Ii l could believe that the
Democratic party was fitted to be intrusted
with the power of this great Nation, L would
not be here making speeches to you. ! am
here because | b .lieve the Democratic party
cannot manage this country of ours" l have
no doubt the Senator is sincere. He declared
a little while ago that, in his opinion, any
out of power. T5s is precis sly the
spirit which brought on the war between the
States II is the spirit which sees nothing
wrong within, everything wrong without, the
party lines. Yet there is scarcely criticism
which might pass upon the present Admins
tration with which Senator Sherman would not
concur. Does he indorse the alliance with Ma
hone in Virginia? Does he indorse the alliance
with Chalmers in Mississippi? Does he indorse
the course of the President in forcing his
Secretary of tn the Treasury upon the Republi-
ures at least in the last Congress he voted
against the Administration, and he is every
where saying: II will stand by and defend
dent vetoed. Now, feilow-citizens, am not
growing old and my hair is not turning gray,
but will love no party better than love my
seen the Republic IN party violate its obi
cations to each of those cardinal virtues, and
because it did so have seen one after another
OF its fathers end founders leave II. Seward,
Chase. Blair Summer, Greeley, all died out
side the party fold. Fessenden and Trumbull
were on the eve of quitting it when the one
went to his grave and the other went into re-
tirement. just as the Democratic party did
b FORE It, the Republican party has being do
Ing the last few years. The work appointed
to do it did thoroughly. 1t gave freedom to
the slave. 1t united the people in defense of
the Union. Somebody had to save the Nation
o. credit, and, being in power and having the
icc3l responsibility OF Tne government on
fits hands, by sort of Gods mercy, it did not
take the wrong shoot though many of its
foremost leaders, notably Senator Sherman
and the late Senator Morton started out orig
they afterwards denounced And what has
It been doing since? Disregarding ali
It's traditions, Il has been conspiring and re
spring to keep itself in power BY stretch
OF State rights. which would make the ghost of
John c. Calhoun open its eyes. II has counted
aud Refused to count Electoral votes Pro-
q
honor, 1t has league itself with Reputation
lists, aud become vehicle of reputation, in
the States. Up to very recent date Mr.. Jay
A. Hubbeli was its one official Civilservice Re
former, and likely specimen be was, / do adj
NIT. But, as If jealous of Mr.. HubbelPs name
and fame. the Republican President of the
had won some Civil-servce -laurels at Albany
and elsewhere-resolved to submit his claims
to competitive examination With the
Treasury ut his heels he appeared. in
the person of Judge FoIger at Saratoga.
where, by the aid of Goulds millions,
and the opportune and undetected i'm
terpos ION of forgery and fraud, he was able
to 8 ,cure the last and greatest triumph of
Civil-service Reform, the defeat of a Gov
ernor who had male himself obnoxious to cor
porat ons, and the nomination of a Governor
dictated by the Administration. These are
rough words, fellow-citizens, but they are true
ones, and they expose the Republican ten
dency, which, IL it be not checked, will ulti-
mately wreck our admirable system of checks
and balances.
That tendency is undoubtedly the consolida-
ton of interests designed exclusively for
the many in the hands of the few: the con-
centration at Washington of powers hitherto
divided among the States, and an elevation
of the Stock Exchange into department OF
the Government do not mean that
there is any present purpose to create
new place in the Cabinet for Mr.. Gould or
MIR. Vanderbilt under the title of Sec
rotary of the Loaves and Fishes and Keeper
of the Presidents Pocket-book. In politics.
as in private business, there may be such a
thing as a silent partnership. which. as we
have just seen in New York, can be relied on
to work with effect. But do mean to say
that the policy of the Republican party has
steadily courted the money power, that IL is
shaped to produce aggregations of vast
wealth, and that it looks for its perpetuation
to the union. it has achieved between the
politicians End the capitalists. There are two
railways from Washington to New York
which are known to the public. But there is
q third which has not yet appeared on any of
the maps or in any of the gude-books, al
though 1t is the most important of all. 1t is a
narrow-gauge airline, connecting the White
House with Wall street.
This is not mere figure of speech. Just