Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-08-19
It Knows No Baseness; Covers to No
Danger.
1t oppresses No Weakness; Fearless,
Generous and Humane.
The Sentiment of Freedom, Equal Rights,
Equal Obligations.
It Asks Nothing But What It Comedies;
It Concedes Nothing But
What II Asks.

In the summer of 1887, Immediately after
the adjournment of Congress. the Wing
friends of Hon. Thomas Ewing, In Chilli
cothe. conceived the idea of expressing their
disapprobation of the Democratic party and
the towering young Senator, VIM. Allen, who
had defeated the great Ewing In the contest
for the Senatorial toga-
In furtherance of this idea they rendered
Ewing a ompllmentary banquet at the an
cIent Capital of the state, and SO arranged the
speaking that when Ewing responded TO the
toast, 'srhe Whig Party" Senator Allen, from
his adjacent windows, could hear every word
of 10.
Ewing delivered O most powerful arraign-
ment of the Democracy, assailed Jackson's
lack OF policy and presented the Wing CO 1se
IN Its best light. The result of the banquet
and Ewing's great speech were the source OF
much Jubi1ation to the Wings.
What followed was little expected by them.
It brought forth n reply which still stands as
the masterpiece of American oratory, and the
clearest exposition of the principles OF De-
mocracy ever presented In the same space. Its
eloquence, its purity of diction, Its simplicity
or Language and Its Irresistible logic, have
mad no equal since the days of Demosthenes,
and its reproduction now shows indeed that
"there were giants in those days." that Ohio
testified her undying loyalty 10 the sentiment
OF Democracy when her Legislature resolved
20 carve the likeness OF William Alien in inn
perishable marble, and set 1t up In the Ma
tional Pantheon as the type of her intellect
uai greatness and statesmanshfp.
The Democrats of Fairfield dCounty-Ewings Is
home-responded TO the Whig BANQUET by
giving one to Allen at the doorstep of his
rival for political renown, and set up the
forum under the broad trees which fringed
the Ewing homestead, and. there, on the 18th
OF August, 1887, Just forty-nine years ago,
William Allen paid his imperishable tribute
10 Democracy and gAvo the reasons for the
faith that was In him, the thunders OF his
eloquence falling upon the ears of the great
Secretary as he sat in his own parlor.
The occasion and the scene were notable
and memorable ones. The friends and ad-
mIrers of Allen crowded To Lancaster from
every quarter of the State-from Cincinnati,
, Dayton and Xenia; from the marshes of the
Maumee; the cool vistas of the lake; from
the teeming valleys OF the Scioto and Mus
kingum; the green and undulating hills OF
Jonerson, Harrison and Belmont; the rugged
derles of Perry, Athens. Washington. Jack
son, vinton and Hooking. In short they
onme from every quarter of the State on foot,
on horsebac 4. In wagons, carriages and stage
coaches, until they formed procession 1000
strong, with banners flying and IN usic blow
ing and marching forests of full-foliaged
hiokories, which came. like Birnam Wood, at
the voice of the coniurer.
Colonel Charles B. Flood told me the other
day that he rode horseback from Marietta,
one of q long cavalcade, to participate in the
ovation. He said that nothing he ever read
In classic lore will compare with the scene he
witnessed. The faultless azure OF the sky,
the perfect emerald of the earth, the golden
environment of the uninterrupted sunlight,
the steady march of the apparently endless
procession, the bursts Of martial music, as
division followed division, the shouts Of
jubilation, combined to make an ovation
Shat would have touched the vanity OF the
proudest hero of classic history.
Colonel Flood told me that the giant orator,
when no took the stand to reply to the toast
ssThs Democracy" was the most inspiring
sight OF ALL Tall, and in full vigor Of athletic
manhood, with a face and mold Of form that
had come down from heroic ages, and voice
whIoh rang out like trumpet sunmoning
the world to parley, his appearance evoked
storm after storm Of applause. until It looked
as though the ecstasy of expectation would
never exhaust itself ana Let the fountains Of
oloouenoe be unsealed.
aHis hair" said Colonel Flood, "with q
tinRe OF gold, was long and stood upright or
was tossed in pillows upon his head. was so
seated that during the delivery OF MS sPeecn
q slanting section OF sunlight falling through
the trees lighted up his hair until 1t looked
IKE q name of fire, and gave the orator q su-
pernatural appearanoe."
The oratory IL described as something won
derful, the perfect charm of which is lost in
the eloqnent text when reduced TO unimpas-
sioned print. From first to last "there was
the breath of fame and trumpets blowing" in
q, which carried the audience like feather
upon the crest OF Niagaras food.
The other day Mrs. DIR. Scott, of ChilIicothe,
Governor Aliens only child, searching among
her honored fathers papers, found q pam
phlet copy, which she intrusted TO me for the
purpose OF reproducing It In TIE ENoUIRER
The pamphlet bears this imprint; "Lancas-
ter. Ohio; Printed by ]. & @. Il. Brougn. 1SS7." I"
]. Brougn was Governor Brough. then a Dem
ocratio leader and editor of the Lancaster
Eagle. s-.-a-
A few years ago the concluding portion Of
this speech appeared in leading English news
papers attributed to John Bright. Whether
Bright appropriated It or not. what . compli-
rnona the aseription oonveysi
TIE speech is appended. W. A. 7.