The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-08-14
GEN. A. M. WEST.
An Able Speech by tho Green
back Candidate for Vice
President.

TO large meeting Of his fellow towns
men, who turned ont To congratulate Gen.
West upon his nomination by tho Indian
apolis convention, the General made the
following speech:
Friends, Neighbora. and Fellow Citizons:
have heard with profound alatiicatitI
the friend, aud complimentary remarks Of
your chosen speaker, my friend, Gen. Will
hanson, and shall ever cherish a memory of
the same as the utterance of true aud faith
fa friend and loyal exponent Of your sen
timents.
So large presence Of my neighbors and
fellow-citizens in demanatmtian vt their
personrl tes'rA, co"iidentc. and friendship
awakcns in my heart emotions Of gr.tituds
which find no appropiiat, language for ut
tcance, especially Us most Of you are men,
beers of different political pariy from my
self. II IL but NATURAL Tint men OF my own
party should manifest their approval of my
nomination 10 the second highest Office Ia
the gift of the American people. n nomina-
ton, as your speaker has said, that was III
solicited by me, aud which was made by
reclamation Ky delegates fr'ina every Stats
in the Union, except Delaware and Missis-
sippi.
Whatever the future may hold In reserve
for IFS. pray that Your generous example
on this occasion will lead us to meet the
same with spirit Of sympathy in suffering
and u spirit of union IN resistance, and ~
brethren and component parts of u eonsti-
tutional union, made and perfected by q
common ancestry, cementea by their blood
and dedicated IL liberty, law, dnd order
j shall not comment on the platform Of
principles Of the party that has 90 ( nar-
ously honored me with its confidence, IL to
do SO would be doing violence to tn oc-
casion nor will discuss the distinguished
gentleman who has beer recpd ut the had
Of the ticket, since the object Of your as
semblage il to show your personal! regard
for me as your neishhor and friend nor
shall l indicate what shall he my action
when officially notified Of my nomination,
but be assured Of this ono thing, that what
ever TINT action may he. il will he prompted
hv PATRIOTISM. ! 10 nat however. think
il aniiss TO say that in 30 far as the
nomination Of Gov. Butler and myself
is intended Us the beginning Of the means
10 be employed as curing sectionalisn, heal
ing The wounds inflicted by the late cisil
war, bnrying the hatreds and prcjudices en-
gendered by the conflict of arms and restor-
ing fmternnl relations between thu North
and the South. upon the durable basis Of
tho union aud the Constitution and the ami
form enforcement of law and justice, 1t
should, and doubtless will, receive the con-
gratulations Of all thoughtful patriots. how
ever feeble the effort of Cancellation may
appear, since oil things in vegetable and
animal lifo have feeble beginnings, ana
must not be despised on that account.
The presence of SO many of my old
friends and CO. workers in the times Of dark
ness and almost despair, brings up remem-
bmnces that make il painful to be separated
from them in the heated political contest
that Is lust ahead IF ms, which may he
fraught with momeutons Consequences, and
npoh tile determination Of which may depend
the perpetuity Of our free institutions. We.
however, have witnessed the remarkable
spectacle of the separation of political
power and influence from intelh-
gence, enterprise. and patriotism, hut iii
the march of events this separation is pass
ing away, and society Is being gradually
restored to its proper equipoise, We have
seen the descendants of revolutionary sires
deprived of their political birthrights by
party violence, and in the march of events
these rights have been restored. We have
seen ignorance and vice invested with
political power. and i'll the march Of events
this great crime against religion and good
government is being condemned 10y the
yirtuous intelligence of the whole country.
And in the continued march of events, il
we and our patriot co-workers throughout
the country shall be moved by the high
resolves that animated our fathers in past
times, we will yet witness reformation all
glorious with the achievements of our
united efforts, reuniting political power
with virtue, intelligence, and patriotism. un.
deran administration of public affairs. sub
timely imbued with love of equality of
privileges and equality Of powers" and
NIL guided and controlled by statesman
ship as broad as the Constitution itself,
which is alike applicable to the wants of
all civilized people and elastic enough for
all ages. The country being thus redeemed
from the hands of the spoilers, will not
only be all radiant with the glory of the
achievement. but stronger by the exertion,
more yirtuous by its affections, and wiser
by experience.
May each OF you with high resolve rise
higher in the majesty of your moral power,
and unite your energies in heroic efforts to
rescue our free institutions from the dan
gers now menacing their safety.
To one and all | tender my heartfelt
thanks for this public manifestation of in
terest in my personal welfare. Il shows
that Won have Il heart to rejoice with those
that rejoice, and weep with those that weep.
That you have that humanity which rises
above party passions and prejudiees, and
keeps alive the vital principles of society,
friendship, and love-"