Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-09-10

I
attractive homes. l have felt the application
of the remark of Holland that the tendenc,
of this must be to make women love ant
,, treasure the home, aud men brave to defenC
and protect it. GApplause.l l take com
fort to night in feeling sure of the republ
cans of Maine, as TO what will be the manner
in which they will discharge this responsible
duty as occupants of the skirmish line of thi.
great array of States.
| shal. not weary you by going back fur.
ther than is absolutely necessary for the ex.
position of what may be the genius as well
as the avowed propositions of the respective
parties. Both have their history. That OF
each is so intertwined with the other that the
knowledge of the one of necessity impar,s
information in respect 10 the other. Nov il
has been my habit in discussing questions
always TO lay premises from which TO draw
conclusions. First then will say public
parties are entitled 10 pl bic confidence ana
support in the degree in which they propose
measures in the interest and for the benet fit
of the public, and in the fidelity with which
they support them. And public parties are
entitled 10 public condemnation in the de
gree in which they propose measures per-
nicious TO the public interests, or oppose
those that would be beneficial Certainly
upon these plain and simple premises. Fur
ther, gentlemen and ladies, as in the case of
individual men, SO with public parties COM
posed of men. Had either of you pro-
found and delicate interest. vital in its im-
portance TO your well being, and by some
condition you were incapaciiated to attend TO
1t yourself; if you knew faithful man who
upon all occasions was faithful and consci-
entious, had ability and integrity, you would
far prefer him to have charge of that affair
of Importance 20 you, to one whose reputa-
ten in these particulars was not of the best
or at least unestabished Further. in the
conclusion of premises, public parties owe to
the public the honest and faithful re Temp
ton of their pledges and promises When
ever party abandons the truth of principle
and sacrifices all in the nature of principle
to the end of simple expediency, it will re-
celve ever and always of the American peo-
| pie condemnation of the severest character
| Now, gentlemen, from these premises | pro-
pose to reach conclusions as TO the relative
merits of the two parties which today chal-
lenge the confidence of the American people
and known respectively as republican and
democratic. In what shall have to saw of
| the democratic party will inform YOU that
| it will include no part of its history before
the war, none during the war Heaven
knows its record since is of all sufficient
blackness to condemn it. Now, gentlemen,
as | have indicated, the history of these two
parties is so interviewer that YOU cannot know
the one without acquaintance of the other.
We all know of our late civil conflict -Four
years waged bloody war in the land and then
under a republican administration there was
| victory TO the side of the union. But what
was the condition of affairs at the termina-
| ton of this terrible strife? Millions were
suddenly raised from abject slavery to the
| dignity of freed men, and millions who had
warred against the nations life were com
| PEELED into subsection to its laws The war
| had terminated successfully but the treasury
devoted to this result had been depleted Ia
the extent of thousands of millions of dol
| lars. Were there imposed on the party
| charged with the high and solemn duty Of
the countrys restoration and the people's
reconciliation, no great conditions? Was il
not the vastest draft ever made upop the ma
| triotlsm, the ability and statesmansbip of a
public party? Now then, gentlemen have
these demands been met by this republican
party2 At the conclusion of our strife those
who battled for and against the nation alike
stood equals We have agreed that a party
| which meets demand in grave emergencies
| to the advantage of the people, Is entitled to
public confidence. We agreed in premise
| that those which opposed good measures
we're entitled to public condemnation. Was
there opposition TO the republican marty in
these grand results of restoration? If so
what party afforded that opposition? At every
| step of the legislation intended for the r..
establishment of the American government
| and the reunion of its people. there WAS n
bitter and continued opposition by the dem.
ocratic party. If the one party is entitled
| to praise for its accomplishments of these
grand results, is n, the other entitled To cor
| respondiping condemnation for IFS onnosi
ton? The magnanimity of the Republican
party is shown by the enfranchis.ment of
| the rebels their honesty by the redemption
of every dollar Appropriated during the war
| This, in brief is the history of the RennbIi
car party What of the Democratic? |
believe men are honest in such matters. If
claim integrity for myself must concede
| it to nv fellow men. As | believe in The
honesty of men, | believe in the honesty =
party masses composed of men, But the
| leadership of a party should be condemned
when it fails TO redeem its party public
| pledges. Whenever principle has been
| abandoned solely for expediency. il il is the
history of a party as | contend it has been
| the democratic party's. that in all its efforts
| It has discovered nothing higher than a de-
sire to get control of the governments pat
ronage. Then, say 10 Democrat as well as
Republican. it deserves rebuke instead of
support. Gentlemen, | well remember the
organization of the old parties. | remember
the grand old Wing party, as it advanced 20
TO the conflict, God and native land, ," beam
ing from its countenauce, aa it came up with
| banners, bearing the proud inscriptions
Better be right than be President" and |
remember the old Democratic party, its ban
ners bearing such inscriptions as principles
before men," What has been the history of
that Democratic party since? At the first
election following our own was named
ticket representative of democratic ideas.
rhey we're subjected to disastrous defeat.
But what furtherl At its next national conven-
ton the leadership Of Principle before men"
said: I'VE reckon we will have 10 swallow
all of the republican principles" They
marched up and said 1--WE accept every-
| thing the republicans have done to the end
of reconstructing the government" Then we
told them: well, as you have taken our
principles and are party of principle be-
fore men,, can't you take our cantilJates
hkewisef" But while this was well in line
rith ,beir nrotasta,inns onr candidate. ,yorIt