Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-06-27

GENT1E1fEN OF THE CONVENTIONS l am dep.
| ly sensible OF the distinguished honor you have
| conferred upon me as the pTesiding officer OF
! your temporary organization. / am also mind
tul OF tie grave responsibilities, of the position;
and if they success ully met it will be due 10
| the continuance OF your generous favor and the
| bestowal of your loyal assistance. l have no
words lusE h1ch to fttingly express nv heartfelt
! appreciation of your confidence. 1 thank you,
| gentlemen, not for myself alone, but for that
| great andsgrowing West which never disap points
| the expectations of the Republican party.
| l come from state whose vast dumain has
been largely appropriated by the surviving VET
Grams OF the army of the Republic under the
benefcent provisions of the homestead and
/ pre-emptionAaws enacted by Republican Con-
gress. And, true to the heroic recollection of
the past thehomesteaders of the Wes>still ms re
| ON under the banner of Republicanism In VIC
tory and defeat, in sunshine and in storm, in
prosperity and adversely this mighty West re-
| tains the courage of its convictions and holds
| that devotion TO principle though ii brings de-
feat, is better than success achieved Sy broken
vows and political dishonor-
We are met in national convention for deliber-
alton and conference. The Republican party of
the United States relies upon the wisdom OF its
assembled delegates for such action as will en-
sure success Ii we are prepared to honestly and
fairly meet the supreme issues of the hour with
clear fearless and ringing dec aration of princi-
pies and to nominate a ticket which will COM
mend tselfto the loyalty and intelligence of the
country, wecan grandly win
We must enter upon the proceedings of this
convention prepared TO sacrifice individual
Judgment to the wisdom of the majority, and to
lay down personal preferences 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 har-
mony shall give certain promise of the glory of
victorious morning in 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 tor the grand
n f1,0
inspiration OF that wonderful campaign The
infinite wisdom OF an all-wise Providence has
soldier, the warrior statesman, the Black Eagle
of Illinois-has been summoned by the Silent
MESSENGER 10 report to his old Commander
beyond the river. But, although John A. Logan
is dead in the body yet, he lives again in the IL
Illuminated pages of his country's most splendid
history; lives in the grateful love of free peo-
pie whose union he CALAMITY fought to pre-
serve; lives in the blessings of down trodden
race, whose freedom he so manfully struggled to
achieve; lives i'll the future song and story of
nero Worshlplng 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 magnan1nty of hisincomparable great
ness he has d, MED Us the Infinite pleasure of
supporting him in this convention Desiring
above all things, party harmony and success, he
has stepped from the certain ladder of his own
laudable ambition that some other may climb to
power. AS his true friends we cannot, dare
not, commit 4o the political crime of
We cannot place him at the head of the ticket,
butwe will make him commander-in- chief at
the head of the forces in the field, where he Will
be ipvincible. And. though James G. Blaine
may MOI he our president yet he remains our
uncrowned king, welding the baton of acknowl-
edged Leadership, supreme i'll the allegiance of
his devoted followers honored and respected by
all honest and loyal men, the greatest living
American, and tie worthy object of our uudying
loye.
But, the Republican party is not left without
great men 10 place upon its ticket We have
that honest, able and experienced financier,
statesu an and senator from Ohio. a. mis- 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
fay orite, sons From this splerdjS galaxy of
political stGTe we cannot choose amiss.
The Republican party points with pride to the
great achievements OF It's past, and offers
earnest OF its future faithfulness, an unbroken
re ord of services performed for freedom, union
and national prosperity. 1t is pre-em1nently the
party OF protection. twas born of the ire
pressible desire TO protect the slave from the
lash of the master, and to save our civilization
from the blighting curse OF its crime against hui
mainly. 1t performed the sacred mission of pro-
tecting the Republic from secession and dis
union; an in the later time it succeeded in pro-
tecting the credit and currency of the nation
from reputation and lnfatlOn.
It's platform epitomized stands for the prOtec-
ton OF popular government on the American
continent-stands for the protection OF all gov
ernmentaI and International rights from restric-
ton or invasion stands for the protection of the
life liberty and properly OF the individual;
stands for the protection Of all the lmmunitles
and privileges of American citizenship; STANDS
for he protection of the ballot box from the
crimes of intimidation, robbery and subslttu
ton; stands for the protection of Amer
lean 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 pau
perize and degrade them all; stands for the pro-
lection of the people from the unjust and Oppres-
slve exacton aud combination OF aggregated
capital and corporate power; stands also tor the
protection OF both ca pltal and corporation from
coniscation and mob violence and above all,
stands for the protection OF the sancuty and hap
piness CT the American home
1t welcomes to our shores the down trodden
and oppressed of every land, but it insists that
the inestmable blessing of American citizenship,
purchase d 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 government 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 Amer
lean civilization and morality from the leprOSy
of Asiatic paganism, degradation and cOntagion.
1t maintains that the nation should extend the
benefits of free government 70 all true lovers of
liberty, but demands that the law OF the land
| shall be shield to those only who obey IT. and
| that tor the Analc hist, the Communist and the
| criminal. American justice has nothing to offer
| but the sword.
The reconstructed Democracy has now been in
| power nearly four years. Its administration has
| been most satisfactory to those who hold office
| under it. Its loyalty has received the approval
| of every enemy of the government. The courage
of its foreign policy has amused the great powers,
| and pleased every coward Its civil service
has been so thoroughly reformed to
delight Mr.. Virgins. Its justice to the disabled
| soldiers has won golden opinions from ITEM who
| gave them their wounds. Its financial manage
| ment has been safe because OF its inability to
destroy the resulting prosperity of Republican
| legislation. And its unparalleled straddle OF
| the tariff question has been source of wonder
nent to ''gods and men," 1t is strong in the i'm
| becility of 'lnnocuous desuetude," and deserves
| to live Renaissance Of pledges forgotten
| and pledges unredeemed.
There are those in this land who seem to be-
lieve that the mission of the Republican party is
at an end-that the emanc patton proclamation,
| Appomattox and the constitutional amendments
| are at once the monuments of its glory and the
/ gravestones OF it's demise. But the work of the
Republican party will never be done until every
American citizen enters into his unQuestiOned
inh eritance OF liberty equal rights and justice;
| until representation in Congress is based upon
| votes freely cast and fairly counted: until
| ADEQUATE provision has been made for the help
lessness and old age of the disabled veterans and
| the widows and orphans of their dead comrades,
until those policies OF government which ensure