The Portland daily press., 1884-08-28
FOR THE PLUMED KNIGHT.
AN INTERESTING MEETING AT
CITY HALL.
Telling Speech from Hon. Benjamin
Butterworih of Ohio.

The rally at City Hall last evening was an
enthusiastic one. A large audience filed the
hall when Chairman ssWaterhouse of the
city committee walked up the platform steps
with the orator of the evening. Merriman's
Band Ct Ferry Village furnished acceptable
music before the speaking began. Clarence
Hale, Esq presided and made few effective
remarks on taking the chair. Mr. Butterworth
made as taking Campaign speech as has
been heard in our city thus far in the cam
paign. A fluent and eloquent speaker, with
the Western ability of telling a story in most
entertaining style, he had the audience with
him from the start. When the name of Mr..
Reed was mentioned it was received with a
perfect storm of applause ami cheers and gave
the speaker an opportunity of DEPRESSING for
moment to speak of the splendid abilities and
record of our Congressman. He concluded his
brief DEPRESSION by saying that he echoed the
sentiment of Republican and Democrat alike
IN making the statement that there was not a
man on either side of the House who would
not regard Mr.. Reeds defeat as a public ca
lamity. When at 900 the speaker spoke of
loud cries of go on!'' and continued speaking
several minutes longer. The Glee Club rem
dered campaign song written to the air
Marching Through Georgia" so well that the
audience imperatiyely demanded more, and in
response the club sang two more verses from
the same selection.
After Chairman Waterhouse, OF the city
committee, had called the meeting to order.
the Glee Club rendered a campaign song in at.
tractive style. Clarence Hale, Esq, was then
introduced as chairman OF the meeting. He
spoke briefly, refuting the charge that there
were no great issues before the country, and
characterizing it as rank imputstion uppn
both parties. We are engaged in great con-
fiict of principle, upon issues that enter into
our life, and in which we have vital interest.
We have in this city tonight, one of the trust
ed leaders of the Republican party, we'll
knowned and esteemed in the councils of the
nation, the Hon. Benjamin Butterworth of
Ohio.
As Mr.. Butterworth advanced to the front
of the platform, he was greeted with loud ap
plause He began his speech by saying he had
nothing to say which would be offensive to
any Democrat. He spoke in the interests of
every man who lived in the country, of every
man who would be affected by wise legsls-
ton. The purpose of government is to omen
wide the door OF opportunity to every citizen,
not to give to idleness and industry the same
reward. 1t is easier to be a Democrat than a
Republican, because it is always easier to drift
than to pull with the oars. The success of our
party lies in the fact that it is one of convic-
lions ana dares measure men and measures by
sCfn nIoE Las frxHA NJ
but to consult the records of the two parties,
The Democratic party is magnificent in its
promise, but never yet has it produced anv
fruit that is otherwise than bitter 1t poses
as the special champion of freedom, but no
man yet was ever made more free by anything
conventions for free ballot and an honest
count, and still there is no place in this great
Republic where the sacred right of citizens to
cast ballot is SO invariably disregarded as in
those sections where the Democracy is in SUI
preme power. 1t is in Democratic wards that
You need double police protection on election
day.
They have posed as the special champion of
the laboring men, but there is not Thirlipg
wheel in all New England but Kisses this posis
ton to be lie. We say the Democratic party
Is time-server, and is not guided by princi-
pie, and to prove 1t we will show what they
did when they were in power. In 1879, with a
majority in Congress, they did not dare to in
troduce tariff bill which they had been re-
solving about for months. They feared the
party OF protection in New England and the
party of free trade in the South, and so did
nothing. They never asked what was their
duty, but how will it affect the result of the
election. Take their action on the apportion-
ment bill which the new census made impera-
tive. For days and days they struggled to
make Southern increase of OOO. 900 equal of
Northern one of six millions. OF course such
measure failed, failed because unfairly dealt
With, and because the party never dealt hon.
estly with anything committed to its care. The
action of the same Congress in dealing with
the Norman question and the Geneva award
was then commented on by the speaker and
its non-action treated in caustic terms The
Chinese bill came in for a passing notice, and
the position of the Democratic party upon all
the leading questions of the past and present
was compared with what it had once been, and
held up to merciless ridicule. He referred in
telling sentences to the strange fact that the
Irishmen vote the Democratic ticket, and
quoted statement of the London Times that
is when he emigrates to America and votes for
free trade" The speaker noted the surprising
fact that the discovery of freckle on the fair
lace OF the Republican party would drive
man to the small pox hospital of the Demo
cracy, andlpaidlhis compliments to the Demo-
cracy. The speaker closed by admonishlng
the audience that the eyes of the people were
turned to the Pine Tree State. The Republi.
can party represents all that is worth presery-
ing in the Republic land we owe it to our party
and country that in this battle fought on the
skirmish line we roll up rousing victory.
AT the close of MIR. Butterworth's speech
the band played selection, and the meeting
broke up.