Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-30
| A GRAND RALLY.
| An Enthusiastic Audience Fills
Granite Hall
And Listens TO Ringing Ad-
dresses by Hon. Charles
Emery Smith and
Hon. R. E.
Frazier.
The Tariff Issue Candidly and Forcibly
Discussed.
1t was a splendid meeting,

1t was splendid meeting.
At an early hour last evening people com
menced to fill the seats of Granite Hall I,
listen to addresses upon political issues of tn,
day by Hon. Charles Emery Smith. the dis
tinguished editor of the Philadelphia Press
and it was a splendid audience, filling the
hall to its utmost capacity, and giving mos
enthusiastic reception to speakers and the
closet attention to the ringing addresse.
nished excellent music.
| Never has two abler or more effective po.
litical speeches been delivered in this city.
Both of last evenings speakers are gentle
men of fine presence and both are eloquen,
and convincing, and they were favored
with most appreciative audience.
The many and telling points which were
made were received with warmth of ap-
plause, which showed that the people present
were fully convinced of their force and cor
rectness.
In calling the meeting to order, Hon. J.
Manchester Haynes, the chairman of the
evening said;
| In the course of events it has become
| necessary for this State to determine the
character of its government and the policy
that shall guide the administration of lis pub
lie affairs, and in SO far the election re-
lates to the selection of members of Con
gress who may affect the Presidential contest,
IL is an election to determine the character
and the policy of the administration OF
| national affairs. In so far as the codition or
| administration of public affairs affects the
private Interests and the prosperity of the
individual, this is an election to de-
termine the welfare of the people.
| am glad to present toyou two men whose
eluquence and whose wisdom will be equal
to all the demands which such an audience
can make upon them. In all the great coun-
cils of the republican party, always present,
always aggressive, always thoughtful, ALWAYS
beamlng with confidence and enthusiasm
always conspicuous aud always honorsd, is
Charles Emery Smith of Philadelphia whom,
| now present TO you Applause.
Mr.. Smith was greeted most cordially as
he came forward lie said
M. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
| come from the native State of James G
Blaine to the home OF his adoption. APP
plause. l come To bring to Maine the fra
ternal greeting of Pennsylvania, These two
States, one of them standing as the sentlne /
on the eastern frontier, and the other as the
keystone of the arch. are bound together by
many ties. Their common allegiance to re
publcanlsm, their common adhesion to pro-
luaS 8
union is their kindred attachment for your
great leader. You are justly proud of the
matchless career which has shed SO much
luster upon your noble State; but we feel
that we can also cherish pride in the fact
that he sprung from the loins and inherited
the traditions of the great commonw ealth
which stretches from the Delaware to the
Ohio. For twelve years we followed his
flag as loyalty as you did and now, taught by
u leadership which never faltered III any
circumstances and taught by principles which
are greater than the greatest of men, we are
going INTO the fight for Harrison aud Nor
ton with our Whole souls. Great applause. |
We gave Blaine in "a majority OF more
than $4,000, aud | come to say to you that
we propose to repeat that majority tor llar-
rison. Applause. We ask you to give us
the Inspiration which We shall derive from a
glorious victory in November. President
Cleveland in his message last November SAID
that the country was confronted with a pecu-
liar condition. So we are. President Cleve-
land was nominated on the 9th ,of June. 1t
is now the 29lh of August Nearly three
months havee lapsed aud no letter of accept
ance has come. 1t is the common belief f
that their long delay grows out of the fact
that the Prtsident is III doubt what to say
that he is conscious of the rising storm
throughout the country against his fIee trade
position, and that he is III doubt whether to
re-lterate his position or whether to hedge
His difficulty is very much like that of the
character whose perplexity, under similar
circumstances was described in the some
what homely descriptive verse:
Il can and 1 can't;
| will and 1 won't;
I'll be hanged if do;
And I'll be hanged if don't"
And so for the lack of letter of accept
ance We have been treated within the last
few days to another message on the fishery
question, aud this message is as extraordiua-
ry for what it says his letter of acceptant e
is extraordinary for what it does not say.
More than year ago, in 1857, Congress
passed an act of retaliation giving the Presi-
dent power to retaliate upon Canada, for
which this country complained. There we've
a hundred chances then where there is one
| now. This year with the treaty pending
Canada has been on her good behaviour
/ Last year before treaty was negotiated
before even the commotion was
created the seas were outraged by
wrongs perpetrated by British men
Of war upon American fishermen; and yet
with full power, the President did not do a
thing. treaty was negotiated. 1t was re-
jected by the Senate; rightfully rejected By
Senate because it surrendered our Just right.
to enemies Of the country; and on the heel,
of this rejection, the very next day the Pres
/ ident, who had held the most trucking att
tu,ie, suddenly assumes a truculent attitude
and without a single act mean~ hlle upon tht
part of Canada TO justify this new propos
ton of retaliation, he makes this propoa itun
/ l ask my friends why 1t was that during th.
last year the President was absolutely silent
and why, now, without any new act to justify
this step he takes his present position: Bur
my friends. the purpose of this is obviou
and it cannot succeed. Ii will not divert tn,
mind of the American people from the grea
issue of Protection against free trade ~hici
is now the commanding issue before III,
country. This question vhich addresse
itself TO the American people, rises far abov'
all partisan differences. This is the tim
when patriots of all parties, dismissing al
political d ferences, shouli stand 'togeth
for the common welfare. 1t is critical an.
decisive epoch in the history of the republic
Ike the war of the Revolution and the war o
the Rebellion. The war of the Revolution
presented the question whether we shouI
establish the political independence Of thi
nation. The war Of the Rebellion present
ed the question whether we should maintai
the integrity Vt the Union and the supre mac
of the glorious old tag. The gres
contest of 1883 presents the questio
whether we shall maintain the present indus