The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-06-06
DIR. BROOKS ACCEPTANCE
What the Candidate For Eice-President
said to the Convention.

The nominee for the vice-presidency
stepped forward to make his speech of ac-
ceptance amid tremendous applause. He
said:
Ladies and gentlemen of the conventions: l
wish it were within my power tonight to ex-
press to you my feelings on this occasion. L
stand here in the presence of the grandest con-
ventiOn that has ever assembled in this coun-
try-a convention that has put forth platform
the like OF which the world has never seen be-
fore. You have put at the head of
the ticket fearless statesman, the pride
of New Jersey and the pride OF his party. BY
your partially tonight, and it can be nothing
but partially you have placed me upon that
ticket. | believe there is no man in this world
who could be higher honored than Clinton r.
Fisk. Applause. | would rather stand here
tonight without the faintest hopes of
the democratic or republican party,
as the representative OF principles which
/ could not approve, as ] stand here tonight
with their banner of freedom above my head,
standing a. | do, with half century gone the
condition of my early life, the dark cloud of
sectiOnalism that swept over the land, come to
me with sorrowful recollection. But / want to
say tonight, before my God, that this tide
of sectionalism is ebbing fast. | was
raised under the protection of slavery. When
the war closed | remember a passage from the
book of books which impressed me much from
constant utterance. 1t Is no murderer shall
enter the kingdom of heaven | tell you, my
friends, i hated some OF you fellows with all my
heart. But in the future | Will try TO atone for
the sectiOnalsm OF the past. Cheers My
friends, ] would not like to have that bloody
hatred descend to my posterity. Ny
memory oft reyerts 10 the past. | hear the
whistling of the bullets, the singing of the
shell and all the fearful horrors of internecine
strife. ] was honest in my convictions and be-
lieved that | was right. But | say TO you to-
night that you were right and we were wrong
tremendous applausel. would not want To
deceive you. We were whipped and whipped
fairly. My friend Sam Small says that you
whipped us, but | will put it another way
and say thatwe wore our sleeves out trying to
whip you. Laughter. But there is this much
TO our credit: We went back TO our homes
loyal to that flag yOnder and to our country.
But these are sad memories. Why all this
cry when some old gray-headed man in his
dotage, like Jefferson Davis, falls upon the rebel
flag and kisses? Does that signify that
that the South is in rebellion again:
Leave the old men to their memories. My
friends the South will rally around the issues
of that war and die for their retention. [Crsy
of whats the matter with Brooks" above
great applause.l 1 want TO say one thing
more. We stand here tonight with great hv-
ing issues to present to the people OF Amer
lea. What issue is there between the
two great political parties? If there is
any question that the republicans are arrayed
against democrats, with the exception OF the
bloody memories Of the war, if any one here
can tell me OF such an issue, | will resign my
position here tonight. Somebody cries Post
Offices" amid laughter. God bless you
all. You all want postofices your
self. Great laughter, and some one else cries
out "the tariff The tariff? There is no issue
in the tariff. 4 friend of mine illustrated the
tariff by comparing it to a great COW that
stretched across the continent, with her teet,
away back in Rhode Island and the Yankee.
sucking all the milk. Laughter.
But, my friends. il would not be right for mt
TO impose upon your generosity and time a
this late hour and so | want to thank yOr
again for the great houor you have conferred
upon me. But promise you this, that / vii
do all within my power to further this grea
and holy cause, and, if it be necessary, to Ia,
my heart and life upon this precious altar.