Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-06-23
Makes a Powerful Speech.
The Mission of the Republican
Party.
Blaine as a Stateman and
Leader.
WASHINGTON. June 81

WASHINGTON, June 81.
The ex-soldiers and sailors. residents of
washington, serenaded Gen. Logan this even
ing. They assembled at City Hall and form
Ing IN platoons Of twelve, marched, headed BY
the Marine Band. to the Generals residence
on iZth street, where a crowd of two or three
thousand citizens were already assembled.
The procession was literally supplied with
banners, rockets and roman candles. The
banner of the Army of Tennessee was dis
played from an upper window Of Gen. Logan's
mouse. Logan's appearance was greeted with
storm of cheers. When the applause had
subsided, he was introduced in brief speech
by Gen. Green B. Raum, and addressed the
assemblage as follows:
Comrades and fellow citizens The warm
expressions of confidence and congratulations
which you offer me, through your chairman,
impress me with deep sense of gratitude,
and beg to tender my sincerest thanks to
one and all OF nv particular friends for this
demonstration of kindness and esteem Your
visit at this time gentlemen, is interesting to
me in double aspect. As citizens of our
common country, rendering to me as public
man this courtesy, meet you with genuine
pleasure and grateful acknowledgement
Coming, however, as you do in the character
of representatives Is the soldiers and sailors
of our country, your visit possesses a feature
insensibly leading TO train of the most inter-
esting reflection. At the call of your endan
gered country you did not hesitate to leave
everything for which we strive in this world
to become defenders of-the Union-without
the incentive which has inspired men Of othet
nations, to adopt military career as per-
manent occupation, and as an outlet to am
bition and an ascent to power, the
safety of our country having been
assured, and its territorial integrity
preserved, you have sheathed the sword, un-
fixed the beyonet, laid away the musket,
housed the cannon, doffed your uniforms,
donned the garments of civil life, buried the
hatred towards our brothers of the south and
shook hands in testimony of a mutual resolve
to rehabitate the waste places and cultivate
the arts of peace until our reunited country
should be greater, prouder and grander than
ever before. Your arms have been as strong
and your voices as clear in the promotion of
peace as when lent to the science of war, and
the interest which you take in national af
fairs proves that you are periodically de-
termined to maintain what you fought for
and that which our lost comrades gave up
their lives to secure for the benefit of those
who survived them. During the last 20 years
the republican party has been continued in
the administrator of the government. When
the great question of preserving or giving up
the union of the States was presented to us it
was repudisted by the party which affirmed
its perpetuation. open no wounds nor do l
ressurrect any bad memories in
stating this as an undeniable
fact. When you and /, my friends, and that
vast body of men who declared in favor of
preserving the union were compelled to resort
to the last dread measure, we did so under
tl.n ftl. pG
US had been educated by our fathers in the
democratic schools of politics, and many of
us were acting with that party at the time the
issue of war was presented to US. But few
of US, perhaps none. took in the full situation
at that early day. 1t broke upon us all
gradually like the light of the morning sun
as he rises in the misty dawn above the
sleepy mountain-top. At length it came in
full blaze, and for the first time in the history
of our republic We began to give genuine vi
tality to the defamation of l776, that all
men are created equally and entitled to the
inalienable rights of life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. The republican party
was the unquestionable agency which bore
these gifts to the waiting age. and it was the
democratic idea which dipsuted their value,
first upon the scene of battle and subsequent
ly and up to this moment at the polling
places of the country. The republican party
then represents the latest fruition of govern
ment progress, and is destined to survive on
the theory that the strong outlives the weak
until the development of principles still more
advanced shall compel it to measure its step
with the march of the age, or go to the wall
as an instrument which has fulfilled its des-
tiny. I say that until every State in this
broad and benefcient union shall give full
recognition to the civil rights of its citizens,
whatever their color until protection to the
American citizen follows the flag at home
abroad; until the admirable monetorv system
established by the republican party shall be
placed beyond the danger of subversion !;
until American labor and industry shall be
protected bv wise and exuitable laws, so as
to give full scope to our immense resources.
and place every man on the plane to which
he is entitled by reason of his capacity and
worth; until education shall be as general as
our civilization; until war shall have estab-
lished wise American policy that
will not only preserve peace
with other nations but cause
every American to honor his government
at home, and every civilized nation to respect
our flag; until the American people shall
permanently establish q thororough economic
system upon the American idea, which will
preserve and foster their own interests unin-
until ii is conceded beyond the possibility of
revocation that this government exists upon
the basis of a self-sustsining, self-preserving
nation, and the fatal doctrine of "independeni
States sovereignty" upon which the civil
war wss founded shall be stamped
as a political heresy out of which continued
revolution is born and wholly incompatible
with the idea of republic; the republican
party will have much work to do and an un
filled mission to perform.
The standard bearer of the party in the
ensuing campaign is the Hon. James G.
Blaine, known througout the land ~ one Of
| its truest and ablest representatives.. He has
been called to this position by the voice Of the
people in recognition of his especial fitnesI
| for the trust: and in admiration Of the sur
prising combination of brilliancy, cour ag
faithfulness, persistency and research, thai
has made him one of the most remarkabl;
figures which has appeared in the forum o
stsses-craft in any period Of this country
That such 4 man sho0ld have ene0ieo ani