Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-26

ing interesting remarks at meeting held by
the Massachusetts Norfolk Club on Saturday
last:
M President--It gives me great pleasure,
after one or two dlsappointments, 10 have the
/ pleasure to meet these representatives OF the
/ honored and historic county of Norfolk.
know to you is due very much the excellent
account which the people of that county gave
| in the late campaign. Applause. | am
afraid, Mr.. President. that / am rather an
unsafe person to invite to the dinner table
| laughter |, for | take things seriously. and
have n tendency to sermonize, which is not
| always in harmony with banquets like this
| Now, we have not any regrets for the course
we took in the late campaign. Loud APP
| plause In the next place, there is nothing
| in majority of few thousands in four out
Of twenty two great Northern States which is
20 drive the republicans of Massachusetts
from their principles or from their guns
| I Applause, and voice, ''GoOd, good"
! Another thing, think would all rather
be in the minority with the men vino voted
! for our candidate. and with our candidate,
than in the majority with the men who voted
against him or the candidate they voted for
/ Cheers. The principles and purposes which
make ~ republicans were not formed yester-
morrow Applause. The 36 eventfui years
since the brain and conscience of Massachu
| sctts Joined issue with the white democrats of
1 the slave holding OliQarchy at the South are
garnered up and safe. Though men may
/ bahble, great deeds cannot die. They say no
man is hero to his own valet. That is not
because heroism will not bear inspection in
private life. and because the valet only looks
for the mud on his clothes, and not for heroic
qualities in the man. Laughter and APP
plause. 1t is equally true that the history
/ Of no commonwealth is heroic in the eyes of
it, mugwumps. Renewed laughter But
tn you and to mo the history of the common
wealth of Massachusetts, from it, foundation,
is rs a sacred pledge Ia perseverance in the
[ principles of the republican party rCheers
We have now battle between Fundamental
principles differing as widely as any two forms
in civilization. They have Offered since 1901 q,
when the South turned John Adams
from power. One of these principles
must perish, or the republic itself cannot
endure. The one il the doctrine of an
RristocrBcy composed of a few white demo-
crats of the old saveholding class at the
South, who have, by such methods as YOU are
familiar with, overcome the uppos tion of the
majority in that section TIL undertook to
gain national power by an allegiance with the
democrats of the North, to whom they offer
the offices and spoils, but no participation in
the substance of political power. Applause. !
On the other hand, is the principle of univer-
sal suffrage, which holds that every soul
made bv the Creator is equal in its title to its
share in governing the nation. Cheers
That is the doctrine which founded New
England; it is the faith which built the
institutions of the great free north, and
which fought for the abolishing of slavery
which paid the debt and which. today. with
the exception of three or four States. is a
majority in the North. Cheers
These are the two opposing forces This
doctrine of universal suffrage has its imper-
iectons. A government which reflects fairly
the opinions, character and wishes of a
majority of 50,000,0 900 people will exhibit in
due proportion the weaknesses. the wrong
doings and the meannesses which are to be
found in human nature; but it will compare
with every other form of government on the
face of the earth. Loud applause. Now,
it is TO that contest that we summon the
youth, the Intelligence, the education. the
business capacity, and every resource of the
people of Massachusetts, and the free North.
and il is that contest we are all enlisted for
as for war, Cheers. This is no sectional
strife, for the South is more deeply interested
in il than you and |, if that were possible
We purpose, and we have endeavored to 90
to the extent not only OF our constitutional
power in legislation, but of our private re-
sources in building up the institutions of edu-
cation. offreedom, of manufacture, of COM
merce and trade. The men who hold this
faith are friends of the South. and not men
who would pat her on the back and encourage
her in crime and wrong doing and barbarism,
and who undertake to keep her in the paths of
worn out and decaying cause. Applause. 7
The people of the Northern States and New
England alone, the men who agree in politics
with YOU and with me, have contributed more
! for the education and charity and other insti-
tut;Ous in the South than all the white demo-
crats south of Mason and Dixon's line.
[Great applause The American Missionary
Society, in which there is scarcely a demo-
crat laughter. contributes more in year
to build up and benefit the people IN the South
eru States than all the democrats in the coun-
try. Ii is idle--it is worse-it is scandalous
10 say we are any of us undertaking section.
al strife, or that we are actuated bv hostility
to the people OF the South TCheers |
saw in the papers just before was taken i'll
that two very worthy gentlemen, Col Cod
man and DR. Clarke laughter said ir pub
lie speech that they could not explain Inv sun.
port of Mr., Blaine that they thought | had
changed my opinion respecting him The
opinion | expressed in public, Applause. 7
two years ago in the Senate, in presenting a
measure TO change the succession of Presi.
dents in case of vacancy arising then took
occasion to review the character of the whole
of the men who had filed the office, from
Washington down,aad to point out who would
I'LL it fairly, if there was such an occurrence
had occasion then to speak of Mr.. Blaine.
when no one expected he would be nominated
for the Presidency at this time | spoke of
hlm then in terms of eulogy and honor which
nothing in this campaign has equaled Rap
plause
Now, hope You viii not think me egotis-
,isticsl il | speak 4 word or two about myself
It's of very little importance what these
gentleman say, bat it is of some Importance
whether the person houored in office bv the
republicans Of Massachusetts, is good enough
10 WELD the power which they confer upon
him. | affirm that, if anything / have Eane
during my humble term of public service
shai be remembered ten years after | am
gone, it will be the measures which were for
the benefit of the South. Applause. I