The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-10-31
j. ID. LONG FOR BLAINE.

Tie Man Who Proposed Edmunds Name
in the Chicago Convention.
From a speech delivered at Gloucester
Mass, Sept. Is: Who would not be al
American citizens Who would not live in
this country which, under twenty five year
Of Republican administration, has reached 0
degree of national prosperity for all and fol
each such as never enjoyed before, and such
as Is nowhere enjoyed on the face Of the
earth Applause. Wo are in e. o midst OF
ore of The great campaigns. IL is not cam
paign. but an education. 1t began in hope
AMI since the elections in Vermont and
Maine it has deve Hoped into certainty.
[Applause.]
Last week we opened it here in Massachu-
setts the week before it closed in the OLD Pine
Tree state. liz was my pleasure to take a
part in the closing week OF that campaigp.
The first speech ever mads was made in q
little schoolhouse in school district in
Maine In 1860 in favor of Abraham Lucoln.
(Applause.l The first convention 1 ever
attended was that convention ia Augusta.
Me-. which nominated tho great war
governor of Maine, Israel Washburn,
and l remember that, being younger
man than i am now l listened to an
other man then also young, his eye bright as
it is still, but.his locks not then so gray, who
with an elCquence which since has drawn
resolutions Of that convention.
Very little, presume, did he then imagine
that nearly a quarter of a century after, hav-
ing been speaker of the house of representa-
tives of Maine; after having stood at the
right hand of its war governor; after havip e
served with sdistinction as representative
from the old Kennebec district for sixteen
years; after having been the most dis
tinguished speaker of congress since Henry
Clay: after having been chosen United States
otnpf fha tafn of Mai. Co
having been secretary of state under the
murdered Garfield. he himself in this wear
1884 would by an overwhelming majority of
the votes of the thirty-eight states of this
Union which he had seen pass through a
civil war bo cleo cd the chief magistrate.
Applause The rest OF US, rather thiuk,
elect our chief magistrate from the body of
the people.
Well, took down TO Maine as
far as could the encourage
ment and good cheer of Massa.
cbusetts. i told them frankly that |, as one
of the delegates to Chicago, shared in the
sentiment of Massachusetts,, which preferred
another man, and that so far as preference of
mine went it was still the same, but also
told them what was true, that when
attended the great Ia iticaIon meeting
held last July in fremont temple
was surprised that the people were already
leagues and leagues beyond us who bad
been called 10 sound the bugle, and that
l was sa sfied that the sen iment in
Massachusetts for Mr.. Blaine was greater
than we had anticipated or apprehended.
tApplsuse.l And | refer to this fact
that the masses OF our people, the great
body Of your people here in this county and
in this city, recognize the simple FAC that
Mr.. Blaine is not only representative Amer.
lean, but that he espt cially represents these
ton to American industries which are so
vital to you and your interest and the well
fare of your homes and your city.
! speak also OF another element In
Massachusetts, that is lot in favor
with the people of Maine, and that
state. and say good word for the indie
pendents because recognize that there Is
good stuff In them. Some of those older
people we're in at the beginning of the Repub-
lican party. Some of them, the younger
men, are among the most earnest that we
have. AS matter or numbers they will
have, OF course, no apprecisble effect upon
this campaign, but as a matter of education,
/ think they will amount To great deal.
Their purposes are right but they have made
a wrong issue.
know how II is, because have been
through that experience myself.
don't hesitate to say that in the
Greeley movement In 1872 | followed
that great apostle OF freedom, Charles Sum
ner. That taught me something. That
taught me this: that the people are often
nearer right. because they are more disinter.
ested, than their leaders. 1t aught me that
the people will frequently abandon a leader
in order to be true TO their principles; but
th.y never will abancou their principles
even TO follow favorite leader Applause.
Time has shown that they were right and that
Mr.. Sumner was wrong, and | believe
he lived to acknowledge IL himself, and
time will certainly show that the indie
pendents OF this year 1884 are wrong when
they would sacrifice every principle, equal
rights, the protection of American labor, the
reform of the civil service to a mere person, Il
objection, and time will show that the people
Of this country are right in doing as they
have begun to do already in standing by
those principles which are at the foundation
Of the greatness Of this country. lApplause.l