Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-06-07
oARfIelos lUlooY OF SHERMAN.
Delivered % the Csa,estiss % 1880
That Nsssissisd Gsrasld.

II
Of great and noble character. but a.
I sat on these seats and witnessed thess
demonstrations 10 seemed 90 me you
were q human ocean In q tempest.
have seen the sea lashed into fury and
tossed into o spray. and It's grandeur
moves the soul Of the dullest man. But
remember that II Il not the billows.
but the calm level of the sea from which
all heights and depths are measured
When the storm has passed and tho
hour of calm settles Gu the ocean. when
sunlight bathes its smooth surface. then
the astronomer and surveyor takes tho
level from which he measures all ter
restial heights and depths.
Gentlemen of the convention, your
present temper may not mark tho health.
iul pulse of our people. When our en-
thusiasm has passed. when the emotions
% this hour have sub-idei. We shall
find tho calm level OF public opinion BE-
low the storm from which the thoughts
of might people are to Ia measured.
ani by which their final action will be
determined. Not here in this brilliant
circle where 1900 men and women are
assembled IL the destiny Of tho republic
20 b. decreed; not here. where seo the
enthusiastic faces % 7j6 delegates wait
ing 10 cast their votes into tho urn and
determine the choice Of their party. but
by t.Oo0. 900 Republican hresides. where
the thoughtful fathers, with wives and
Children about them, with the calm
thoughts inspired by love Of home and
love Of country. with the history Of the
pas,. the horcs % the future. and the
knowledge u the great men who have
adorned and blessed our nation In days
gone by-thero God prepares the verdict
that shall determine the wisdom Of our
work tonight. Not in Chicago In the
heat u June. but In thu sober quiet that
comes between now aud th. melancholy
days u November. In the silence of de-
lib-ra,e judgment, will this great ques-
tion b. settled. Let Us aid them tonight.
But now. gentlemen of the conyen-
ton. what do We wanu Bear with me
. moment. Hear me fOr this cause. and
for a moment b. silent that you may
hear. twenty-five years ago this ~
public wM wearing q triple chain OF
bondage. Long familiarity with traffic
Ia the boiio. and soul. of men had para
iysed the conscience % = majority of
our people. The baleful doctrine OF
state sovereignty hal shocked and weak.
ened the mobiles, and most benehcent
powers of the national government, and
the grasping power of slavery was seir-
ing the virgin territory u the west and
dragging u into the den Of eternal
bondage.
AZ that crisis the Republican party
was bon. Il drew its trst inspiration
from that IRE % liberty which God has
lighted In every mans heart. and which
all the powers % Ignorance and tyranny
can never wholly extinguish. The Re
publican party came to deliver and save
the r.public. II entered the arena when
the tsleaguered and assailed territories
were struggling Tor freedom, and drew
around them the sacred circle % liberty
which the demon of slavery has never
dared 10 crUss II made them FREQ Tor.
ever. strengthened 10y it, victory on the
frontier, the young party, under the
leadership % that great man who, on
this spot twenty years ago wss made
it, leader. entered the national capital
and assumed the high duties of the gov.
eminent The light which shone from
it, banner disp.lle'i the darkness In which
slavery had cnshrouded the capital, and
melted the shackles u every slave and
consumed, In the fire of liberty, every
slave psn within thu shadow of the
Capitol.
Our national industries, by an impov-
erishing policy. were themselves pros
trated. and the streams % revenue flowed
In such feeble currents that the treasury
itself was well nigh empty. The money
Of the people was the wreiched notes Of
?.oo0 0unoon,rollcl and irresponsible state
banking corporations, which was filling
the country with circulation that pod.
soned rather than sustained the life OF
business The Republican party changed
all this. II abolished the babel Of con.
fusion and gave the country q currency
A. national as it, fag. based upon the
sacred faith of the people. II threw It's
protecting arm around our great indus
tries and they stood erect as with new
life. IL filled with the spin, Of true ma
tionali,y all the great functions Of the
government.
II confronted q rebellion of unexam.
Piled magnitude, with slavery behind II,
and under Col fought the final battle of
liberty until victory was won. Then,
after the storms Of battle. were heard
the sweet, calm words of peace uttered
by the conquering nation, and saying 10
the conquered foe that lay pro-tra,e at
n. feet, This 1. our only revenge: that
you Join Us In lifting 20 the serene frma-
ment % the constitution, 20 shine like
stars Tor ever and ever. the immortal
principles % truth and justice, that all
men, white or black. shall be free and
stand equal before the law"
Then came the question Of reconstruc-
ton, the public debt and the public faith.
In the settlement Of the questions the
Republican party has completed its
twenty-five years OF glorious enistence,
and II has sent us here 10 prepare II for
another lustrum of duty and of victory.
How shall we do this great work. We
cannot do u. my friends, by assailing
our Republican brethren. God forbid
that should say one word 10 cast
shadow upon any name on the roll OF
our heroes. This coming fight Is our
Thermopyle We are standing upon
narrow isthmu. II our Spartan hosts
are united we can withstand all the Per-
SLAMS that the xerxes of Democracy can
bring against us Letu hold our ground
this one year, for the stars In their courses
fight for us In the future. The census
taken this year viii bring reinforce
ments and continued power.
But In order TOWN this victory now
we want the vote Of every Republican.
Of every Grant Republican and every
anti.Grant Republican In America, Of
every Blaine man and every anti.Blaine
man. The vote Of every follower of
every candidate IL needed TO make our
success certain; therefore ! say. gentle
men and brethren. we are here 10 take
calm counsel together and inquire what
we shall do. We want man whose life
and opinions embody all the achieve
ments of which lhave spoken. We want
. man who, standing on q mountain
height, sees all the achievements Of our
past history and carries In his heart the
memory of All its glorious deeds, and