National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-22

pecimen of good government and j, rs nm
Independent, am not in favor of changing
b TO doubtful or q bad president. By
} calamity which all parties deplore, Mr..
Arthur was called to the administration
IF tho government under circumstances as
trying perhaps, as over human being en-
He was not originally chosen to
tho place. He hGd not performed functions
Of political kind except in an inferior
sphere He could hardly BIO said to DO woll
known to the majority Of the people. Ho
was suspected to be unfricndly to tho great
chief who had fallen, and his advent was
hailed, not with congratulation and glad
ness, but by dsappoint mcnt and fear. Nov
ertholoss no was compelled by circumstances
to meet these awful aud tremendous respon-
sibilities and tho one question now 10, how
has he met these awful responsibilities that
have been thrust upon him2 That is the one
question before us, and tho answer to that
question Is not matter of conjecture, out OIL
record. Tho world knows that he has met
those duties with manly courage, with IN
flexible integrity with impartinlity, and with
single oye 20 tho honor and glory OF his
whole country. [Great applauso.l
"The two rules of President Arthur's adj
ministrntion had boon, tho speaker said, tho
two civil service rules, which provide that no
person in tho civil service shall use his office
for partisan purposes, cither to coerce any
body else or TO influence an election. These
they have been enforced by President Arthur
II is said by the largest class who oppose
President Arthur's denomination that If he is
nominated no cannot be elected. These men
never think anybody can DO elected except
their particular friend or that candidate from
whom they havo great expectations. These
mon are always predicting disaster. They
are the Vonnors and Wigginscs of politics;
They are always predicting earthquakes and
commissions which never occur. Tho pro-
dictious Of these political weather prophets
arc TO be treated with just about tho same
respect as tho WigRinses and tho Vennors.
If General Arthur is nominated at Chicago
he will receive every sincere republican vote
in tho nation. [Great applause What Is
more, have heard goodly number of good
old democrats say that if their own party
does not give them first class man, such as
Bayard or Hewitt they will BIO hanged If
they don't vote for Arthur" [Great APP
plause.
MR.. j. II. HERRIcR,
president Of tho produce exchange, who was
tho next speaker, said that the organization
over which he presided knows no politics,
and that in appearing toindorss tho admins
tration of President Arthur and to urge his
denomination for another torn, no was acting
Oh his own responsibility. As q merchant,
he felt that the country could not be in safer
hands than those of President Arthur-a
New Yorker and business man, a man who
knew tho commercial needs OF the country.
There were several things about our finan-
cial legislation which needed to BIO reformed,
especially the silver question, aud Mr.. Her
rick, for one, was satisfied to leave the matter
in the Presidents hands. We have sent
abroad, he said, $50, 100000 of gold, and it is
only question of time how long II will DO
before we have no gold loft in the country.
Public opinion would finally force the law
making power of the country to give the
| people the money they wanted, and not
| dollar which was not worth what 10 pre-
tended to be. I'VE find" said the speaker,
that in three instances whore the vice presi-
dent has succeeded to the presidential chair
| the results to the country have been disas-
trous. President Arthur is the only excep-
ton to tho rule. We are proud of the Office
as he has administered it," In conclusion
Mr. Herrick said: IF tho battle is to be
fought in this state, if | am able TO judge
| from an extensive acquaintance oil through
the state, no man can be nominated who has
| so great an assurance of success in carrying
| tho state of New York as Chester A. Arthur.
Success to tho republican party! Gen. Arthur
for tho next PRESIDENT"
Great cheering followed this sentiment.
Then
MR.. EDWARDS PIERREPoNr
was presented us tho next speaker.
| Mr.. Piorrepont explained at length the
| constitution of the electoral college, anC
showed how it happens that sometimes The
candidate for president who receives the
majority of the popular vote is not elected Il
tho office by tho electoral college. AS on
illustration of the manner in which the
| electoral votes are distributed the speaker
instanced the case of Delaware, which, with
a population of only 100000, has votes
| while New York. with over 100000, has but
| 49, If sho had the same number relatively n!
| In1nx ,s1,n tn., tnta 80
| Nevada, with only $4,000, has 3 votes. Now
York relatively should have PAS electoral
| votes. The south, he said, was solid. That
| question did not admit of argument. The
south had 1913 electoral votes, and needed
| only IS from the north to give it the
government If New York, New Jersey
and Oregon went democratic 1t would give
the south 4S votes. New York and Indi-
ana would give 81. A republican president
could not DO elected without carrying
New York. Now York must be carried anC
would be carried. Tho speaker had never
seen more suspicious sign than this grea'
meeting. 1t was tho first time he had eve
known tho great business community to rist
| rs one man in favor of reforming the govern
meut of tho United States, and taking deel
interest as 10 who should be tho noXt presi
dent. Did anybody doubt that tho influence
of the meeting would be exercised ell owe
the country? President Arthur could receive
| no higher Endorsement than that OF the non
| partisan business men of Now York.
| The last orator of the evening was
MR. WILLIAM 4. GELLATLY,
the merchant. In tho course Of his speech
which was listened to with many demonstra
tions of approval he said:
| president Arthur is familiar with all thu
| business interests of tho country. He is
man of large experience as an active politi
clan, and consequently able to direct and
control the details of legislation. lilo is
man whose integrity has mover been ques
toned. He has filed tho position of pres
dent of the United States for three years t
| tho entire satisfaction of the country, anC
dignihed tho Office by tho manner in which ht
has discharged its duties. And above ALL he
has shown an intelligent appreciation of til,
fact that the great question which divides
the political parties of to-day is the question
how to provide revenue adequate to the
time properly care for and protect tho manu-
featuring interests of the country.
1t seems to me that tho question whic
congress ought to decide is how to reduce the
revenue without injury to the business and
manufacturing Interests of the country, aud
as we are all aware, this Is the very question
which our democratic friends have found
themselves unable to solve. Instead o.
waiting to SEQ what effect tho change made
in our revenue laws by the act of March 3
1888 would have they have proposed re-
duction of duties on what Ia called horizon,
tai scale, without reference TO auy inequali
ties of duty which NAV exist in the nrngrut