The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-04-30
THE BANQUET,
speech Of Hon. George II PeDdleton At Gin
cinnati, Aprii 10, 1888,


Mr.. Presldent:-My friends; II ! should
use this evening the language OF formal
achn0wlfd de ement and thanks, ] would
do little justice TO my appreciation OF
your most kindly greeting aud cordial
feception. My heart IL hlled with emo
tion for which find no fitting worda.
Born and reared and honOrtd by your
aDDroyal I'm Cincinnati, this city COM
mands my waImest affections. Its clti
1ens are my associates, and my neigh
bors and friends. Thfir goodwill
and respect and sympathy most dearly
prize, and this expression OF such feel
4 20 awakenssens b titles which, cannot
do not desire t0--repreas. lApplanse,.
4 see In this company men Of my own
age, companions Of my school boy days
friends OF those earlier, and possibly
better years, when young lite opened
with all the roeeate hues OF hope, the
dawn Of manhood's day.
see q later, and even still later gen
eration, on whose broad shoulders have
rested the growth and Increasing wealth
OF our noble cIty-whose ability and cd
teprise constructed the iron arms viii
which she seeks 10 gather In the profits
OF commercial intercourse. Aud / see
some who honor US still more by their
presence, the older men who compelled
the wolk Of changing Fort Washington
in Losan'iyllle Int Queen OF the West
on The banks Of the Beautiful River, aud
have lived to the full fruition Of the Te'
suit OF their wisdom and their toll
LApplanse
make my aifectionate solutions, and
thank you for the compliment OF your
presence tonight. The iu'nTe may have
long years In store for us. | do not know
but whenever the lengthening shadows
indicate my fe'a sunset, this memory
shall cast mellOwed light over every
sombre hue, and illGm ne by its reflected
rays the pathways OF the dark valley
[Applause.l
In these days OF marvellous develop
mont, when science has invented the
telegraph and telephone, aud taught ma
ohlneIy almost " think; when patient
education has made the blind 10 see and
the dumb 10 speak; when European enter
prise has IN lre than surpassed In West
srn Asia the gTanduTe OF Oriental cities
when Chicago aud St Louis and other
Western towns haVs ontsrlpped even
these, II seems Idle TO recall the story Of
our growth; and yet remember well
when our population was only thirty
thousand, when not q quarry broke the
The beau .iful circle Of yonder forest clad
hills; when an oatleld ripened 10 the
harvest on Main and Thirteenth streets;
when quail and squirrel played In the
carly fr0sts on the site OF St. PanPs
Catholic Church and no m)re secluded
spot could be found for the execution
OF conylcts than Enlnent street.
Then Woodward High School was al
most Ia the suNurb--ond garden, with
its flowing fountain, adorned the Gin
cinna,i 'ollege at the corner OF Fourth
and Walnut
II was not much later than these years
that my fellow citizens lirst intrusted
me with official respoD sibility. They
have been very kind TO me. have rep
resented them In the Legislature, Ia the
House OF Representatives, IN the Senate
Of the U1lled States, sometimes during
crises In our country's history which
were very grave.
| have always been q Democrats
par isan Democrat II you please be.
cause believe the principles and meth
ods Of that party would conduce to the
welfare of the country. But | have al
ways believed that parties wtre only
useful when they served the highest
interests OF the country and that he who
served his country most faithfully seIv'
cd also his party most effectively. lap
plause.l Parties cannot live except aB
they deserve 10 live.
1 have, therefore, aednlOusly, stead
fastly endeayored TO put our party on
tho highest plane OF purity and honor,
and 10 stimulate II TO pursue LOFTY aims
by honest methods.
There Ia no abuse too small to work
OWL, none 30 strong as 10 deserve I'm"
munity. An honest party will attack
them all, and let no temptation swerye
its high purpose 70 eradicate them, But
every abuse has its support In some
Rroyeling selllahness, and hnds ita do
tenders In some "lewd fellows OF the
baser Sort" who, when they can not
Justify the wrong, attack the motives
and purposes and character OF those who
would extlrpate II Great and repeated
applause and cheers,
have sought to cultivate that f0rti'
tude which neither maleyolent abuse
can intimidiIe nor the whisperings of
vain desire for ephemeral applause can
seduce. Applause and cheers,
have trusted In the people, and found
inspiration In the assured confidence
that with the right would ylndicate the
act. [Applause ]
Aud now looking back on these long
years Of service, acknowl Lodging with
due humility my short q m nge, consult.
Ing my own 9 nsclenre, have 10 say 10
you, my friends and constituent that
not one single important vote have |
pyer given, not one single important
measure have l advocated, without full
sense Of my responsibility TO you With
out full conviction that II was and is
for your good; without complete assur'
Ance that II deserved and will have your
absolute approval, Gentlemen, would
not change Il II could.
The air IL fllled with apprehension OF
great European wars The adjustment
OF o far of boundry has brought Eng
land and Russia into q peril0us coils
sion. The enforcement OF q treaty has
involved France and China In O war.
The peace Of Egypt has caused war In
Che 6oudan. In our mote fortunate
country twelve millions otfreemen have
by their v,te deposed one party and In |
etalled another, aud the succession has |
beon M
,Hola leasy m tho morning oomN whom
tho night IA done.
And tho crius a sireak on tho osoeAns
check
Grows Into tho great sun"
l am sure that every one here, Repub'
Iloans alike rel Ices In the fact that this