The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-08-19
VIM. Aliens Grand Definition.
It Knows No Baseness; Covers to No
Danger.
It 0ppresses No Weakness Fearless
Generous and Humane.
The Sentiment of Freedom, Equal Rights,
Equal Obligations.
It Asks Nothing But What it Comedies;
Il Comedies Nothing But
What II Asks.

What It 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 Dem ocratic party and
the towering young Senator, VIM. Allen, who
had defeated the great Ewing in the contest
for the Senatorial toga.
In fHrtherance of this idea they rendered
Ewing complimentary banquet at the an
5 cient Capital of the State, and SO arranged the
speaking that when Ewing responded to the
toast, .sThe Whig Party" Senator Allen, from
his adjacent windows could hear every word
of it.
Ewing delivered most powerful arraign-
ment of the Democracy, assalled Jackson's
lack OF policy and presented the Wing cause
In its best light. The result of the banquet
and EwTng's great speech were the source OF
much iubilation to the Wings.
What followed was little expected by them.
1t brought forth reply which still stands as
the masterpiece of American oratory, and the
elearest exposition of the principles OF De-
mocracy ever presented in the same space. Its
eloquence, its purity of diction, its simplicity
OF language and its Irresistible logic, have
mad no equal since the days of Demosthenes,
and its reproduction now shows indeed that
ssthere were giants in those days." that Ohio
testified her undying loyalty to the sentiment
of Democracy when her Legislature resolved
to carve the likeness of William Allen in i'm
perishabls marble, and set it up In the Ma
tional Pantheon as the type of her intellect
ual greatness and statesmanshlp.
The Democrats of Fairfield dCounty-Ewing's
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
TO Democracy and gave 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-
xnirers 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
Jefferson, Harrison and Belmont; the rugged
defiles of Perry, Athens, Washington, Jack
son, Vinton and Hooking. In short, they
came from every quarter of the State on foot,
on horseback. in wagons, carriages and stage
coaches, until they formed procession 10000
strong, with banners flying and m usic blow
ing and marching forests of full-foiaged
hickories which came like Birnam Wood, at
the voice of the conjurer.
Colonel Charles B. Flood told me the other
day that he rode horseback from Marietta,
one of 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 faultiess 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
5ubilation, combined to make an ovation
that would have touched the vanity Of the
proudest hero of classic history.
Colonel Flood told me that the giant orator,
when be took the stand to reply to the toast
ssThe Democracy" was the most inspiring
sight of all. Tall, and in full vigor of athletic
manhood, with face and mold of form that
had come down from heroic ages, and voice
which rang out like trumpet summoning
the world to pariey. his appearance evoked
storm after storm of applause until it looked
as though the ecstasy of expectation would
never exhaust itself and let the fountains OF
eloquence be unsealed.
.His hair" said Colonel Flood, with a
tinge of gold, was long and stood upright or
was tossed in pillows upon his head. I was so
seated that during the delivery of his speech
q slanting section of sunlight falling through
the trees lighted up his hair until it looked
like fame of fire, and gave the orator su-
pernatural appearance"
The oratory is described as something won
derful, the perfect charm of which is lost in
the eloquent text when reduced to unimpas-
stoned print. From first to last "there was
the breath of fame and trumpets blowing' in
it. which carried the audience like feather
upon the crest of Niagara's flood.
The other day Mrs. DIR. Scott, of Chillicothe,
Governor Aliens only child, searching among
her honored fathers papers, found a PAM
phlet copy, which she intrusted to me for the
purpose of reproducing 1t in THE ENQUIRER.
The pamphlet bears this imprint: "Lancas-
ter, Ohio: Printed by ]. &C. H. Brough. 1887. u
]. Brough was Governor Brough, then DEM
ocratic leader and editor OF the Lancaster
Eagle.
A few years ago the concluding portion OF
this speech appeared in leading English news
papers attributed to John Bright. Whether
Bright appropriated 1t or not. what compli-
menE the ascription conveys!
The speech is appended. w. A. T.