The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-01-14

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iev, freedom Of TIE press and the
supre macy Of the civil over the
military authority. naturally be
came the familiar maXims OF the
people, who, while full OF rever'
ence for the general government
in its true constitu tional sway.
yet looked upon their own State
governments as the immediate
custodians OF their home interests
and social well-being.
And was 1t not the Western
Democracy that first demanded
attention to the sacred obIiga-
tons of he government with re-
spect to the public landsg An
other step onward and we have it
proclaiming that the public lands
must be subject to free entry for
homesteads unto actual settlers.
When the question arose as TO
slavery Or not, within the terri
tories, in our midst was begotten
and promulgated the doctrine Of
popular sovere;gnty-or as it is
ever associated with the name of
''The Little Giant Of the West"-
squa,ter Sovereignty. He is
! named here tonight as one Of
the sases ofthe Democracy. Sage,
hero and martyr-he fell the VIC
tim of his stupendous labors in
behalf of his country. lie lived
long enough. however, to sec his
followers rally with enthusias-
TIC zeal TO the cause of our i'm
periIed Union. They came a
mighty host. They came "shout-
ing The battle cry of freedom" -
They came singing:
ave are coming. we are coming,
Five hundred thousand more.
We are coming, we are coming,
Our Union TO restore"
They had for years been warned
against The danger OF disunion.-
They had lifted up their voices
in loud protests against the
course of those who seemed bent
upon fratricitial strife, and in
fervent appeals to their southern
political friends and associates TO
help them avert the threatened
danger.
No hatred toward their brethren OF
the South had ever been engendered in
their hearts. 1t required sublime ae>
votion to the cause Of the Union, and g
patriotism never equalIed in the world
before to move them into hostile array
| against the people Of their own polite
| al family. Blu. it was we'll for US that
| they were stirred by that devotion and
that patriotism. 1t was well for the Re-
pulic. II it had not been that half 3
| million Western Democratic soldiers
answered the call OF their country, the
| war for the Union might have had g
different ending. While these soldiers
we're in the field, their compariots at
home were engaged in another lauda-
bile strnggle-a struggle to keep alive
| civil liberty, to maintain the constitu-
ton and to preserve those rights, which
they had eve: asserted belong to fre.
people. They, too. achieved victory.
vi late years what has hear. the war
fare? To keep inviolate the principles
OF constitutional liberty, and to pre-
| serve the rights OF the State and Of the
people.
Especially have we taken up the con-
test OF the masses against the monopo-
lies. ". may claim credit for almost
every step taken to compel the res.ora-
ton to the public domain of whole ter
ritories of lands bestowed upon i'm
meEse corporations and held by them.
although never earned even according
to the proiligate terms Of their grants.
| a work begun by committee of the
House Of Representative under the
charge Of a Democratic chairman from
one o.! these States. The contest 10 Sc
cure the Governments interest in the
Pacific railroads, which had be.n so
reckiessiy betrayed by the Republican
party, has also redounded to our glory.
For In that fight against corruption one
OF our own leaders won the proud dis
tinction OF being the only man who,
almost ngle-handed and alone, i'll the
Senate OF tie United States, ever
whipped into submission hundred
millions Of money. These labors must
be carried on until in all of these direc-
tions the people have their own again.
Ranged beside these reforms is another
to which we are especially committed
the reduction ftax;.t:on-a just revis.
ison OF that system Of tariff, which has
come down to US q legacy CT Bepubli-
can misrule during the period of the
war and Immediately thereafter. That
system In the agricultural districts has
'iesssned the productive power of hui
man labor as il; God had cursed it with
ungeniai climate OF sterile soil" and
among the mines and manufactures
has witnessed more misery and want
than have ever existed i'll any other
lwsn:y peaceful years Of our national
lie. the brayest champion and the
be 81 friend O, the people in this work
has his home in yet another State Of
this region.
Nor would i. surprise us much if the
solver of the vexed and perplexing sill
yer question should have his home
among us.
Tie Western Democracy has ever
promoted to places OF the highes. trust
in the AFFAIRS OF this nation, men OF the
highest personal integrity and OF ire
proachabis neral Character. When
there has been danger of one OF the OPP
pos.te ,rai's reaching position. which
he did not merit by ability and true
worth, this peopic have either repudi-
ated his candidacy or defeated their
own ticket to prevent his success.
We have reasons to congratulate
ourselves upon the proud position of
the Western Democracy. but we would
not take anything from the glory of our
National party. We rejo;ce that three
times recently it has seen fit to compli
meut us by assembling the National
Convention in our great cities. Year
by year the principles Of the Democra-
cy have grown i'll favor in the States OF
the West and Northwest, and they are
still growing there Ohio fought the
battle which ia 1881 Gi-comGited AMI
exhausted the enemy. She Will take
her proper place before leng end keep
it. Iadian: has established her claim
10 be counted in the Democratic col