The Portland daily press., 1884-08-20
AND, WEDNESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 20, 1884.

sueh a man hVes much in the past and nice for him
if he can turn to the same circumstances of that
history to review that, and he should with pride be-
cause he had share in them. The old guard that
stood around the cradle of the Republican party are
daily decreasing In our numbers. 1t has been hurl-
ed as taunt at the Republican party that it is but
reminiscense. No higher praise could be bestowed
upon it, 1t Is remniscense of whatever is glorious
in man. whatever is graed in statesmanshiP and
whatever is abiding in peace The bank bill with
the honor of nation back of it. The flag that in
beauty waves from the staff on land and mast at
sea, the monuments thatm from their padestals
Of stone over our patriotic dead ali mnders of
the nobest political brotherhood that has ever ex-
listed among men.
Permit me on this commemorative occasion to re-
yive recolections that are like landmarks in my
own life. Forty-hve years behind me in city on
the banks of the Mohawk river in the State of New
York, l see a lad. He goes through the kitchen of
his home before the household is awakened. He is
startled by seeing number of black men and wo-
men who are led in fear and trembling before him.
His cry or amaz9ment is heard by his mother, and
she takes him to her room, and tells him that the
persons whom he has seen are fugitive slaves
their way to Canada in search of freedom and he is
then and there prompted to serve as a young helper
in the underground railroad. He remembers from
that hour that at the family altar every prayer from
his faeher bore that plea, that his children may
they grow in years, remember those in bonds as
bound with them. Time passes. see young man
in court room in the city of Boston. black man
awaits the decision OF an official to determine
whether he belongs to himself as freeman, made
SO by Almighty God, or whether he is the property
of claimant made so by human laws The official
decides him to be a chattel of master and re-
mands him to bondage Then there is great com
motion, there is hurrying to and fro, for human
being is to go through Boston as slave. see
Faneuil Hall crowded with a tempestious multi.
tude. On the platform looking into the faces of
these earnest men stands youthful speaker. He
says We have been called "eowards and sons of
cowards. Sons of towards we are not. Cowards
we are, if poor helpless black man leaves
leaves the soil of Massachusetts as victim of op-
preston. L see that maddened force of men
rushing through the streets scurging in their anger
towards the place where Antony Burns is incareSra
ted. Ihear the crash of shots, the burning and
10 hOOn nf m mhaFC hat pGf
barred doors, the door gives way but thereis adeed
man at the threshold; the mob hesitate; another
opportunity of rescue is left see State street,
Boston, lined with soldiers and by them sulIen
savage crowd is checked from outbreak. A few
more years roll by there is war; husbands say adeu
to wives, mothers give up their sons and farewes,
long farewells said by lovers to their betrohed
see company of soldiery moving up the bayons of
louisiana but kneeling by the highway on the turf
with the swinging moss above them are the black
people, and hear in all the sOlemnity of prayer
white haired pftriarch crying "Bress de Lord Mas
sa Lnkum's men have come and we's going to be
free." All! In nine years from the time that Anto
ny Burns left Massachusetts slave there was no.
slave left under flag. The war is over, the bells
ring out their joyful peels, the guns thunder the
news of peace. / hear the tramp of returning vic
tors. The great host of the absent ones once with
us are mustered, We believe, today in that Spring
Land where there can be no more grateful words to
hear than those which come from divine lips: "In
asmuch ye did IL unto the least of these, ye did
it unto Me- met at Rumford, in this State last
Saturday. an old Republican citizen bending under
the weight of So years. With a voice trembling
with weakness and with moistened eyes he said 10
me: 81 am in the Lords hands, my time is short;
but my prayer is that may be spared to vote for
James G. Blaine as President. Could any citizen
in aught object the distinguished citizen of Maine
who believe under the providence of God is to be-
come our chief magistrate, could implore Him to
remember our still wronged and outraged fellow
citizens
Gen. SRift's thrilling speech aroused
great enthusiasm and was puuctuated with
applause.
Hon. j. G. Blaine, Hannibal, Hamlin and
Gov. Robbie arrived at2 o'clock and were
escorted to the grove with the band where
they arrived at the conclusion of Gen. Swift's
speech. The whole audience arose and
scene of wild enthusiasm occurred Three
times three cheers being given for the dis
tiDguished party.
A remarkable figure was that of Hannibal
Hamlin. He was resolved with a great de-
monstration and shouts and applause. He
stood erect as a maple sapling, in claw ham
mer coat and spoke with his old time fire.
HANNIBAL HAMLIN's SPEECH.
He reviewed the work of the Republican party
and spoke Of the heroes Of the war which that party
fought. "Hear their voices" said he, demanding
that preserve the results of their toll and their
lives. Great applause) am rejoiced to see the
large number OF young men here. They feel the
duty that rests upon them and that duty will be
done now. L am here in somewhat new capacity
in the capacity of high private. When addressing
you before l generally have been candidate for
some kind of office, and personally interested and
my Judgment might have been influenced. To-day
nave no special interest and no sympathy beats in
my heart .that ought not to beat in yours. Now
here is my friend before me (Blaine) and he is
the anxious seat. am sovereign and am not.
daughter and applausel Now there are some
aspects in this campaign that are discouraging.
Mr.. Blaine could not get handful of votes in
England in Canada Qaughter) but if we look over
land where the ballOE does the for
freemen as well as the lightning does the work of
God, the prospect is different L have never seen
the outlooK SO iattering 1t is my sober Judgment
and opinion, aud L am right in my opinion that
when that little tick of the telegraph comes in
November you will be much surprised and Demo-
Gratis almightily surprised. We are going to sweep
the country like a vast prairie on IRE. Won't we
be happy then. If you have any tears prepare to
shed them now for your Democratic opponents.
Great laughter)
In closing Mr.. Hamlin paid tribute to the great
value of the work done in the convention of 1854
by Benjamin f. Eastman. Somebody shouted, "He
is here" "Bring him up here them said Mr..
Hamlin.
A dramatic scene then ensueG as the veuer-
abls maa came forward amid applause. The
two veterans clasped hands warmly and Mr..
Hamlin kissed Mr.. Eastman. More applause.)
Mr.. Eastman then made brief speech, saying
that he never expected to live to see this day.
"He's saint" shouted Mr.. Hamlin as Mr..
Eastman mounted the stand.
GOV. ROBES SPEECH.
Gov. Robie was the next speaker, and he
was received with cheers and applause.
He said he believed the sentiment of the Repub-
lican party was in Patrick Henry's cry "Giye me
liberty or give me DEATH Daniel Websters Bun
ker Hill speech echoed the sentiment of the Re-
publican party. For all its civilization for all its
progress this country indebted to the Republican
party. What has the Democratic party done? 1t
has opposed every great measure that has induced
Democratic party done? Il has relieved the
country from the burden of the tax on
quinine. Laughter and applanse) The
Republican partys great work is not done. Our
ship of state has moved onward. We are now called
upon 10 choose new commander; who will you
great crowd who will choose Blaine for comm ander
will please raise their hands. (The whole audi ence
apparently lifted their hands amid cheers and ap-
plausel And now, continued the Governor, will all
those in favor of anybody else raise their hands,
Zone man raised his hands amid shouts of laughter)
understand, said the Governor, that one man has
raised his hand. May God have mercy on his SOUL
tremendous laughter). At Gov. Robes CALL three
rousing cheers were given for "Our next President
Jrmes q. Blaine"
Mr. Blaine then rose to speak, standing up
on table that all might see him. The mo-
ment he arose the crowd broke into shout. A
remarkable scene ensued and the grove re-
sounded with cheers for five minutes. Men
waved their hats and the ladies their handker-
chiefs. Mr.. Blaine said:
MR.. BLAINE's SPEECH.
FeLtol0 Ctizens:-The place and the time where
the Republican party first organized will 1 pre-.
sumo, remain like the birthplace of Homer, sub
jeet of unending dispute. Seven cities claimed the
latter, and seven States may claim the former. 1t
could hardly be doubted that a great thought COM
mon to the minds of a million OF mdn would find
expression at the same time in places widely sep
arated, but think it is historically true that the
patriotic men who met in this town of Strong in
1854 were among the pioneers of the great move
ment which resulted III the organization of the Re-
publication party. The men of that day buided
better than they knew, and initiated a movement
whose grandeure and whose destiny could not then
be measured Great parties never come by where
as and resolve. Parties cannot be improvised or
extemporized. They grow; they come from an in
stinct in the masses of the people, and not the
pronuct of political leaders. Thus it was with the
Federal party, with the old Republican party with
the Democratic party, with the Whig party and
with the great party whose existence we celebrate
topay. am here to exchange congratulations with
old neighbors and old friends congratulations all
that has been accomplished already congratuls.
tions the spirit and courage of the party to con-
tinue its great work in the future.
Mr.. Blaine's speech was frequently inter-
rupted with applause, and closed amid grand
outbursts
The last speaker was Congressman Bur-
roughs of Michigan, who arraigned the DEM
ocratic party and reviewed the tariff question.