The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-02
JUDGE FORAKER'S CAMPAIGN
The Republican Nominee for Governor
Of Ohio Formally Opens His Canvass.
Salient Features Of a Speech Delivered at
Portsmouth Yesterday-The Southern
Question and the Liquor Issue.


speech By giving the reasons for the defeat of
the Democratic party in 1860 claiming that
Lincoln was elected because the people mot
only wanted to protest against the institution of
slavery, as the curse and the crime that it was,
but because they wanted to overthrow the policy
of free trade that had been inaugurated in its
behalf for the purpose of sitting the develop
ment of our country. In other words. the
overthrow of the Democratic party by the
election of Mr. Lincoln in 1860 was verdict of
condemnation visited upon that party by the
people of the country
.sBut not so was the Republican party turned
out of power as the result of the election of Mr..
Cleveland Instead OF its principles and policies
being condemned, it enjoys the exceptional graf
ifcation as it goes out of power of an unqualified
appreciation, for all that it has done during the
twenty-four years it administered the affairs Of
Dur government by the whole American people,
Democrats and Republicans alike. You will
search it's record in vain to find single measure
of national impor lance that has ever been
adopted by it that the people are displeased with
at this time"
The speaker then briefly recapitulated the
measures enacted by the Republican party for
the benefit of people of all classes, and contin-
ued:
''Yet it is we'll enough, perhaps, to recall the
fact that our Democratic friends most bitterly
opposed each and every one of them. Outside
of the Democratic party there never was an ad-
herent t. ora SUI rter of. the doctrine OF seces
sion Only Democrats upheld the institution of
slavery; only Democrats sought TO destroy the
Union 1t was the Democratic party that con
tended to the utmost of its power against con-
fsr;ring the right ~, OF a suffrage n and
1t was the Democratic party that sought
to defeat the adoption of the constitutional
amendments whereby the results of the war
were secured it the Democratic party that
opposed the issuing of the greenb backs when they
became necessity; and it was the Demo
cratic party again taat opposed specie resump
ton and the protection Of the greenback from the
ruin of initiation and consequent reputation. In
like manner our Democratic friends opposed the
adoption of homestead laws. and all the provis-
ions that haye been made for the support and
encouragement of education.
- "In short, as | said moment ago, all these
great measures have been wrought out by the
Republican party, as Republican measures, in
spite of the opposition of the Democratic party.
1t is most significant therefore, that although
the Republican party has gone out of power, yet
it was not called upon to do SO until after all
this Democratic opposition to these several
measures had given way to Democratic approba-
ton. Not simply nominal appreciation either,
but unqualified, emphatic and formal
declarations of appreciation; for the fact is that
before the Democratic party was permitted to
regain control of the national government it
found it necessary to declare in its formal plat
form declarations, through the public press, on
the stump, and in every way by which it addressed
itself to the people, that if returned to power it
would not disturb any of these fruits and results
Of Republican administration The Democrats
pledged themselves over and over again, their
platforms will testify. that they accepted the
results of the var; that they would not interfere
with the abolition of slavery the right of
suffrage that they would not disturb any of the
constitutional amendments; that they would not
interfere with what had been accomplished in
the matter of homesteads education; that
they would protect the colored man, both IN the
South and in the North, in his freedom and in
the enjoyment Of all his rights and privileges of
citizenship; that, in short, if returned to power
they would adopt settled. and continue as
nearly as possible, the wise policies inaugurated
and pursued by the Republican party"
Judge Foraker then referred to the Democratic
charges of corruption in the departments at
Washington and demonstrated their untruth.
Continuing, he said
SIT is in view of such facts as these that said
at the commencement of my remarks to you
that there was nothing in the mere fact that the
Republican party is out of power that should
discourage the faith of any Republican in the
cause of Republcanism; for surely party that
has made such record has right to appeal CON
fdently to the people of this country for their
suffrages"
The speaker then passed to consideration of
populations under Democratic administrations,
and thence to the Southern question, concerning
which, he said:
''There is another reason why the restoration
of the Democratic party to power does not mean
q condemnation of Republicanism. When the
war was ended and the Republican party found
itself confronted with the duty of reconstruct
ton, it had great difficulty to determine what
was wisest and best to be done. 1t had not
carried on the war for the purpose of subjugat
ing the States of the South--it had fought
them only that it might preserve the Consti
tuition and maintain the Union. 1t had
destroyed slavery one of the results, but only
for the common good of ALL Its purposes had
been, throughout, to perpetuate the blessings of
one government q common Constitution and the
same laws for all, to the end that the whole
American people might go forward to common
destiny as our fathers had intended. Its great
purpose was Union in fact, as we'll as in name
1t sought, therefore with generosity such as
was never before shown by a conqueripg power,
to restore the States of the South to the same
relations in the Union that all the other States
sustained, and to give to the people of the South
every right, privilege and immunity that be-
longed to the citizens of the other States
''But one of the most difficult questions that
presented itself was as to how, on what basis of
voting population, these States should be repre-
sented in the Congress and in the Electoral
College. There were some who argued that the
white people of the South alone had intelligence
enough to exercise the right of suffrage. There
were others who argued that only the colored
people of the South had enough loyalty to
be Entrusted with the exercise of the
r1gnt or suffrage Without stopping to
review the several propositions and
arguments that were made, it is sufficient to say
that after careful and patriotic consideration
of all of them, the Republican party determined
that it would give the right of suffrage to the
whites and the blacks the loyal and the disloyaI
alike, in the hope that the exercise of such gen.
crosby would be appreciated by all and constitute
q strong bond of affection for the Union The
Republican party would not believe it possible
that the white people of the South, after having
been treated with such magnanimity and gen
crosby would seek to interfere with the exercise
of the rights that had been accorded to the col