Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-21
n elected Vice President


had been an ardent New York politician.
loyal to his party and to his friends, carrying
himself perhaps beyond the line of prudence,
but honor man whose imprudence sprung
from the integrity and loyalty of his head.
Applause When by the terrible deed of
an insane man he became President he
forgot the things that he remembered
merely as a politician of New York and
turned to greater trust ami wider horizon
to confront the duties before him, and when
1t was necessary that he should sacrifice a
bosom friend rather than involve the country
in the old troubles and bitterness again he
gave up his friends.
BEECHER EXPLAINS HIS COURSE.
l am a Republican, and though not belong
ing to the corps known as Independents,
shall have it asked to- -morrow-therefore
estOp 1t to-night-why 1 am advocating the
reelection of a President known to he in
favor of a tariff, and a high tariff. In SO far
as ne Is concerned, he is simply the Execu-
tive of the Republican party in its
past infatuation for the tariff. He will ad-
minister their behests, and il the Republicans
have grace sent to reform their opinions on
this subject he Will administer their behests
TO such man as myself there are several
courses open, one is to stay in the Republi-
can party in which L was born-no
1t was born in me. | might say / rocked its
cradle. tended it when it was sickly and
l dosed 1t. Laughter. / dOn't propose to
leave it. When that time comes, which won't
come, that IT Is necessary for Republican to
suppress his honest opinion or go out of the
party then shall go out, but that time will
never come.
WHAT DEMOCRACY LACKS.
The second alternative is to go into the
Democratic party, and if there were two
things added the Democratic party would be
very excellent party-first, good policy;
and second, good leaders. But it has no lead
ers, and no policy 1t dare stand up to; there
fore, shall not go out of the frying pan. The
only alternative left then is to 20 into the
Wilderness. like John the Baptist, and feed on
locusts and wild honey. But He that was
above all men began his ministry in society
and not in the wilderness, and so / propose to
stay where am till, like Jonah, l am sent
ashore from my voyage. Laughter.
ARTHUR's CIVIL SERVICE RECORD.
Now as to the civil service. | think an
investigation Will show that President Arthur
was the first to institute civil service reform
He began it when he was in the custom house.
and ne still continues it. / do not believe
IN the nonsense of Eo third term. |
hold that If man proves competent
he should be put in for third or fourth or
even nth term. IL by his acts any man ever
earned denomination Arthur observes his
No steamship company would discharge a
captain who had faithfully pilOted his ship
through many voyages and employ new
man, however smart he might look They
would retain him who had proved his worth
ana why should we not apply this rule too to
our President?
THE COUNTRY WILL SURVIVE.
don't say that nOn-electIOn of Arthur is
going TO ruin the country. The country will
prosper whoever is President, but it is GER
talnly case that its prosperity is assured so
FAR as 1t can be assured by the action of anv
one man. if we put back into his place that
man who has the admiration of his friends
and. to the surprise of his political antaro-
nlsts, conducted the government so well We
must Oe very rich IN good and great men
that we can afford to throw away Arthur.
He can afford to return to private life better
than we can afford to do without him.
never saw him but three times in my life. and
once was on an occasion when | went tn
W washington to ask something for friend I
never asked anything from the government
formyself or mine and didn't get it, but Take
an interest and am an observer of public affairs
and have the advantage that have no par
ty interests to subserVe | look at eyents
from moral standpoint. l look at what will
pc Dest Ior the party, and the remarks that
nave made. therefore, as citizen, as a moral
teacher OF the citizen, leave with you saw
ing, simply, that know not how YOU can do
Delter. know that this country don't need
to have any better President than Chester A.
Arthur. Continued applause.
EX-sECRETARY BRIsTOw's VIEWS,
EX-Secretary of the Treasury B. II.
BristOw followed Mr.. Beecher. The ex-
Secretary declared that the business men
of the city and of the county care little
for political acts, but they had an opinion
and dared express it; that the general
course of President Arthur's administra
ton was good, and that it would, on the
whole, be for the best interests of the
country. The orator closed with the fol-
lowing reference to the letter of Wavne
MacNeagh, published this morning:
II the condition of our postal service is
such that it becomes necessary to transmit
letters of friendly advice and admonition
through the public press, there is grievous
cause of complaint. | commend this matter
TO the attention OF our excellent Postmaster
General, who; hope. will be able to correct
the abuse without the employment of a large
number OF lawyers, eminent and otherwise
at great expense and with small results
THE REPLY.
My distinguished friend who has been mt to
the inconvenience of rushing into print to give
me points for speech does not seem to have
quite understood that this meeting was called
by free and Independent voters who have n
habit OF thinking for themselves upon all mat
tiers OF public concern and who have no
other end in view than the public
good. / must decline his invitation
to go into the slums of personal
defamation. Heinvites me to consider var-
Gus "reminiscences with which have no con-
cern, ami as to which l have net enioved
equal means of knowledge with himself. The
events OF President Hayes administration
fortunately are no longer living topics,
and we, are not here to lift
the veil of oblivion. The so-caled alliance
with Malone, in Virginia, is a matter which
came down to the present administration
and is understood to have had the approval
of preceding administration. of which nv
valued friend was an honorable and con-
splcuOus member. / regret and shall PASS
over without comment, those surs and in
so unworthy their author, which
Mr.. McVeagh permits himself to make touch
ing the circumstances under which Gen Ar
thur had imposed upon him the constitutional
duty OF taking the office of Presi-
dent. 1 know not what bitterness BETRAYED
my friends INTO expressions which, ordinarily
his good taste and fine feeling would be the
first to condemn. If Mr.. Arthur has ALWAYS
been the unworthy person my friend describes,
it leaves him to Justify or excuse his own act
in supporting him for Wee President and
taking the office OF first legal adviser to an
in which President Arthur
stood second by the peoples choice.
Gen. Brstow retired amid cheers, and
after few more speeches the meeting
was adjourned. A committee of one hun
dred business men will be appointed to 90
to Chicago,