The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-06-27
REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.
A WEEK OF TURMOIL AND DISORDER.
The Numerous Candidates How They
Killed Each other OLA Blaine High
Protective Tariff Convention VS..
Tax Reduction.

convention was opened by quite lively
stump-speech in the form of prayer by
the Rev. Mr.. Gunsaulus, a minister of
Chicago. Mr.. Jones of Pittsburg, a
wealthy manufacturer and chairman Of
the national committee, made character
iStic address.
Mr.. Jones added: "Gentlemen, at the
request of the national republican COM
mittee, propose to you as temporary
chairman of this convention the Hon.
John NJ. Thurston.' Applause.
Mr.. ThurstOn then took the chair and
was greeted with applause.
Mr. Thurston then spoke, saying:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION: l am
deeply sensible of the distinguished honor you
have conferred upon me as the presiding othcer
of your temporary organization. l am also
mindful of the grave responsibilities OF the
position and if they successfully met 1t will
be due to the continuance OF your generous
favor and the best0wal OF your loyal assistance
] have no words in which 10 tttlngly express
my heartfelt appreciation OF your confidence.
] thank you, gentlemen, not for myself alone
but for that grand growing west which never
disappOints the expectations or the republican
party. | come from a state whose vast domain
has been largely appropriated by the surviving
veterans of the army of the republic, under the
benefcent provisions OF the homestead and
presumption laws enacted by republican con-
eress And true 10 the heroic recollection OF
the past, the hOmesteader of the " est still
march on under the banner of republicanism.
In victory and defeat, in sunshine and IN storm,
in prosperity and adversely, this mighty West
retains the courage OF its convictions and holds
that devotion 10 principle though 1t brings de-
feat is better than success achieved by broken
vows and political diShonor.
We are met in national convention for de-
liberation and conference. The republican
party of the United States relies upon the
wisdom of its assembled delegates for such ac-
ton as will insure success. Ii we are prepared
10 honestly and fairly meet the supreme issues
of the hour, with a clear, fearless and ringing
declaration OF principles and TO nominate
ticket which will commend itself TO the loyalty
and intelligence of the country, we can grandly
win. We enter upon the proceedings OF this
convention prepared to sacrifice individual
judgment to the wisdom OF the majority and TO
lay down personal preferences on the altar
of party success. When our candidates are
chosen we will all Join with heart and soul in
the grand chorus OF rejoicing, and the rainbow
of our harmony shall give certain promise of
the glory of victorious morning i'll November.
When the democratic party, at the close of
the last presidential election, robbed us OF
victory honestly and fairly won, we patiently
waited for the certain coming of the justice of
years. We hoped and believed that 1888 would
right the great national wrong OF 1884. Right
it not only for the republican party, but also
for the grand and glorious candidates whose
names were the inspiration of that wonderful
campaign.
The infinite wisdom of an aIl-wise Proyi-
dence has otherwise decreed. One of them,
the citiZen-sOldler, the warrior, statesman, the
Black Eagle of Illinois, has been summoned
by the silent messenger to report TO his old
commander beyond the river. But although
John A. Logan is dead in the body, yet, he
lives again in the illuminated pages of his
eountry's most splendid history; lives in the
grateful love of free people whose Union he
so CALAMITY fought TO preserve, lives in the
blessings or a dOwn-trodden race, whose
freedom he so manfully struggled to achieve,
lives and in the future song and story of hero
wOrshipping world; and along the highway of
the nations glory, side by side with old John
Brown, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S.
Grant, his soul goes marching on. The other,
that gallant leader. the chevalier OF American
politics, the glory OF republicanism and the
nightmare OF democracy; our Henry of
Navarro is seeking in foreign travel the long
needed relaxation and rest from the wearisOme
burdens of public life and service. With the
sublime magnaminity of his incompatible
greatness he has denied us the infinite pleasure
OF supporting him in this convention. Desir-
ing above all things, party harmony and sue
cess, he has stepped from the certain ladder of
his own laudable ambition that some other man
may climb to power.
As his true friends we cannot, dare not, COM
nit the political crime of disObedience to his
head of the ticket, but will make
him cOmmander-in-chief at the head of
the forces in the field, where he will
be invincible, and though James G. Blaine may
not be our president, yet he remains
crowned king, welding the baton of acknow-
lodged leadership, supreme IN the allegiance of
his devoted followers; honOred and respected
by al honest and loyal men, the greatest living
American, and the worthy object OF our indy
ing love- But the republican party is not left
fhrrgr mon to MIA ffc Oh
We have that honest, able and experienced
finaneieT, statesman and senator from Ohio, and
his no less distinguished colleague from Iowa.
Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin present to us
gallant soldiers, while New York, New Jersey,
Kansas Connecticut, and other states, offer
worthy and favOrite sons From this splendid
galaxy of political stars cannot choose
amlss. The republican party points with pride
to the great achievements of its past, and offers
as an earnest OF its future talthtulneSs an I'M
broken record of services performed for free
DOM union and national prosperity. 1t is pre-
eminently the party of protection. Ii was born
of the irrepressible desire TO protect the slave
from the lash of the master, and to save our
civilization from the blighting curse of
its crime against humanity. Ii performed
the sacred mission of protecting the republic
from secession and disuniOn, and in later times
ii succeeded IN protecting the credit and cur
rency OF the nation from Reputation and infa
ton. Its platform epitomized stands for the
protection of popular government on the
American continent; stands for the protection
of all governmental and international rights
from restriction or invasion; stands for the pro-
lection of the life, liberty and property of the
Individual; stands for the protection of all the
iInmunities and privileges of American citizen
ship; stands for the protection of the ballot
box from the crimes of intimidation, robbery
and substitution; stands for the protection Of
American commerce. American manufacture
and American agriculture from destructive for
eign competition; stands for the protection of
home invention home skill and home labor
against the free trade heresies which would
pauperize and degrade them all stands for the
protection of the people from the unjust and
oppressive exactiOn and combination OF aggre-
gate capital and corporate power; stands also
for the protection OF both capital and corpora
ton from eonfscatiOn and mob violence and
above all stands for the protection of the
sanctity and happiness of the American home.
Ii welcomes to our shores the dOwn-trOdden
and oppressed of every land, but it insists that
the inestimable blessing of American citizen
ship, purchased with the priceless blood of our
heroes and martyrs shall be extended to those
only who are in full sympathy and accord
with the fundamental principles of our govern
ment, and who will Loyalty support the sacred
provisions OF the constitution of the United
States. And it holds that congress has the
power to save American civilization and moral
ity from the leprosy of the Asiatic paganism,
degradation and eontagion. Ii maintains that
the nation sk~euld extend the benefits of free
government 80 all true lovers of liberty, but il
demands that the law OF the land shall be a
shield to these only who obey it, and that for
the anarchist, the communist and the criminal,