The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-02-26
WILLIAM n. EyARS.
The Great Lawyer Statesman
Upon the Lesson Of the
November Defeat.

commemorative Of his election as United
States Senator. II VAS resolved to make
the reception as simple and as social as
possible. Invitations we're sent to great
many of the prominent members of the
Republican party throughout the country,
and also to every member of the Legislat-
ure Of this State.
The members of the club and their guests
assembled in the club tAeater about Q
o'clock p. m, filling the little auditorium
completely. Soon afterward Mr.. Eyarts
entered, leaning on the arm of Judge Noah
Davis, Vice. President of the club. The
Senator elect was escorted to seat on tho
stage. Judge Davis presided, md in call
ing the assemblage to order he remarked
that those who composed il ha come to
tender congratulations to man whom the
Legislature, lin obedience to the will Of the
people of the entire State, had chosen to
represent New York in tho United States
Senate. A congntulatory address Was read
by Mr.. Z. b. Hinsdale. The Senator elect
was congratulated upon his ele, ton,
and the whole body Of the citizens
of the State were congratulated
that they have secured his eminent abilities
for that high Office. Good party principles,
the address said, could produce no practical
results for the people until the party which
holds them could secure the offices in the
government so as to enforce and exemplify
the principles. The address continued as
follows. 1--WE think that. notwithstanding
the defeat of the Republican party in the
late general election, the majority of the
people believe in its policy, and that they
believe the personal rights of all citizens
and the national prosperity of the country
would be best conserved IN its hands. After
reviewing very briefly the great work that
the Republican party had performed, the
address enumerated the leading issues now
before the country and expressed conf
dence in Mr.. Evarts ability to fittingly ex-
press in the Senate the sentiments Of the
people of New York State upon those
issues.
The applause that greeted the Senator
elect when he arose to respond to the adj
dress was tumultuous in its enthusiasm.
1t lasted two minutes. Dir. Evarts said
among other things:
Il have no desire to conceal from you
that the actual circumstances which marked
the transaction of the election, and that
found an echo in your kind applause. rests
upon something more important than marks
anything personal to myself or anything in
the ordinary routine OF political promotion
We. Republican party, that were framed
into the means of saving this country and
that through every danger and against
every obstacle, and with every degree of
triumph and prosperity have built up an
uninitiated territory and an uncorrupted
constitution to be greater and better than it
was ever framed or imagined by the great
founders of our Government; we, the Re-
publican party, find ourselves cast out of
power and surrendering to reactionary
p>rty the possession of the same nation and
ennobled Government. 1t is twenty eight
years since the people of this Government
intrusted the Executive power to a Demo-
cratic party and a Democratic President
Now again they have intrusted that power to
the same party and President of that par
tvs selection. We in New York cannot con-
ceal from ourselves that the center of the ar
ray of the Republican party in the United
States was pierced at this point that was
committed to our defense. No doubt some
bitterness of reproach might be, should be,
and is felt In Connecticut, In New Jersey,
and in Indiana that, when New York failed,
there was not an array of sufficient strength
to succeed and To save the downfall of the
party's possession of the Government Of
the United States. But, look at it as you
will, we can not disguise it at all from our
selves; we can not hide it from the great
party Of the nation that the defense, the
protection. the power that was intrusted to
this State, was not adequate TO perform the
part, and in the fall of this great defense
fell, at least for the moment, the possession
OF the fortress of the Constitution. Now, L
am not wrong in saying, l am sure the his
tory of the election teaches us all, that the
Republican manhood and sober patriotism
in this State fairly counted majority of
| the people, il we had all agreed among our
selves. If the Republicans in this great
| State had been able to look alike upon their
duty and their service Nov. 4, we should
not now lament transfer of the power of
our party to the reactionary party of the
Democrats. Well, it so happened that
there was one stronghold in the Govern
ment that our party had not lost and fort
unately will be able to hold certain check
on the Executive power on one hand and the
Democratic authority in the popular House
of Representatives on the other-I mean
the Senate of the United States. That was
not lost by the election in November.
SOME PROPHECIES.
Mr.. Evarts said that if Ire was to believe
the generous congratulations he had receiv-
ed and the press of the country, I'VE are
nearer TO a union and enthusiasm for the
party, as a party and nothing else than we
have been since 1850, and believe that as
we enter upon the contest in the conduct of
the Government and in the suffrage. so we
shall pull through it during the coming
years. Weare as sure as that election shall
come around in this city, and then in the
country at large. that we shall reinstate in
tn possession Of that power the Republican
party, and then shall have settled forever
that odious and dangerous element that has
disturbed Us for forty years Solid South.
/ believe that we shall have shown in these
| four years and in our renewed power that
Just rs long as there shall be practical sup
preston in the Southern country Of the
suffrage which the Republican party has
conferred upon the enfmnchised race, there
shall be found enough men at the North to
vote one way upon that subject. SO as to Sc
cure the promotion of this enfranchised
people and teach lesson that votes sup
pressed at that end will only breed double
growth Of votes at the North. 1 submit to
you that in the last contest for the Senator
ship it has been ON open, IL has been free,
it has been an honest, it has been good
tempered, it has been a brotherly contes,
that has preceded; and, gentlemen, this
public contest from the press, and, in the
opinions of mankind. in the State, and in
the delibemtive bodies themselves has