The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-06-03


hear. Twenty-Five years ago this re-
R7bhs was wearing triple chain Of
ndAEe. Long familiarity with traffic
An the bodies and souls Of men had para
lyxed the conscience Of a majority OF
our people. The baleful doctrine of
state sovereignty had shocked and weak
ened the noblest and most beneficent
powers Of the national government. and
the gfasping power Of slavery was seiz-
ing the virgin territory Of the west and
dragging 1t into the den Of eternal
bondage.
At that crisis the Republican party
was born. 1t drew its first inspiration
from that fire Of liberty which God has
lighted In every mans heart. and which
all the powers Of ignorance and tyranny
IAN never wholly extinguish. The Re-
publican party came to deliver and save
the republic. It entered the arena when
the beleaguered and assailed territories
were struggling for freedom. and drew
around them the sacred circle Of liberty
which the demon Of slavery has never
dared to cross. II made them free for
ever. strengthened by It's victory on the
frontier, the young party, under the
leadership Of that great man who. on
this spot twenty years ago was made
its leader, entered the national capital
and assumed the high duties Of the gov
eminent. The light which shone from
its banner dispelled the darkness in which
slavery had enshrouded the capital, and
melted the shackles Of every slave and
consumed. In the fire of liberty, every
slave pen within the shadow Of the
Capitol. 7 ~
Our national industries, by an impov-
eriAhing policy, were themselves pros
trated, and the streams Of revenue flowed
In such feeble currents that the treasury
itself was well nigh empty. The money
Of the people was the wretched notes Of
1000 uncontrolled and irresponsible state
banking corporations, which was filing
the country with q circulation that poi
soned rather than sustained the life of
business, The Republican party changed
all this Il abolished the babel of con-
fusion and gave the country currency
NJ national as its flag, based upon the
.Acred faith Of the people. It threw its
protecting arm around our great indus
tries and they stood erect as with new
life. It filled with the spirit Of true ma
tionshty all the great functions Of the
government. N' '''''
It confronted rebellion Of unexam-
pied magnitude, with slavery behind 1t,
and under God 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 to
the conquered foe that lay PROSTATE at
Its feet. "This Is our only revenge: that
you join us in lifting to the serene firma-
ment Of the constitution, to shine like
stars for ever and ever, the immortal
principles of 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 it's,
twenty i've years Of glorious existence,
and It has sent Us here to prepare 1t Sor,
lustrum Of duty and Of victory.
How shall we do this great work. We
cannot do It, my friends. by assailing
our Republican brethren. God forbid
that should say one word to cast a
shadow upon any name on the roll of
our heroes. This coming fight Is our
Thermopylm. We are standing upon o
narrow isthmus. II our Spartan hosts
are united we can Withstand all the Per-
slams that the Xerxes Of Democracy can
bring against as. Let us hold our ground
this one year, for the stars in their courses
fight for us In the future The census
taken this year will bring re-enforce-
msnts and continued power,
But In order TO win this victory now
We want the vote Of every. Republican,
ofSvery 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 cur
success certain; therefore I say. gentle
men and brethren, we are here 10 take
calm counsel together and inquire what
we shall do We want man whose nfe
and opinions embody AL the achieve
ments Of which have spoken. We want
. man who, standing on q mountain
height, sees all the achievements Of our
past history and carries in his heart the
mssnoty Of all its glorious deeds, and
who, looking forward, prepares to meet
the labor and the dangers TO come. We
want one who Will act In no spirit OF
toward those we lately met
In battle. ''!T
The Republican party offers to our
brethren OF the south the olive branch
Of peace, and wishes them TO return TO |
brotherhood on this supreme condition,
that Il shall be admitted forever and
forevermors. that, In the war for the
Union, we were right and they were
wrong. On that supreme condition we
meet them as brethren. and on no other,
We ask them to share with us the bless
mgs and honors Of this great republic.
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