The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-30
BoURKE cooKRAN's SPEECH.
Eloquent Praise of the Character and
Services of Grover Cleveland.

Services of Grover Cleveland.
Portion of remarks Of Bourke Cockran, Sept
s. 1888, upon the F;Sh cries Retaliation Bill.
Congressional Record, Vol. XIX, page S429.l
The administra alton of Grover Cleveland,
the motives which prompt his official acts,
need no explanation to this country. The
gentleman from Illinois, as a man OF sense
knows that it needs no explanation to cause
the pleople to believe them to be prompted
by patriotism and inspired by loyalty. 1t
will not do at this stage of the campaign 20
attempt to manufacture campaign thun-
der Of this character, for the reason that
the people know how to test its sincerity
[Derisive laughter and applause on the re-
publican side.l I greet the applause
with pleasure. know to what it refers. |
adopt the declaration Of the gentleman
from Missouri (Mr. O'NeilD. The message
was campaign document" and it was
great one, because it appealed to the in
teligence and patriotism of the American
people, whom the President trusts and
whom you gentlemen appear to distrust
whose intelligence he relies on and whose in
telligence you think you can delude. IAp-
plause on the democratic side.] DO not be
mistaken about the effects Of these assaults.
The sheer which you level at the Presi-
dent the country knows is but thin dis
guise of the respect you feel for him. de-
risive laughter on the republican side.1 Do
not misspprehend for moment the view
of the electors Of these United States
They know full well that if you say he has
reached his present degree of success merely
by luck you will not insinuate it was com
passed by dishonor. You may cavil at his
qualifications for the presidency; the SEN
ators of your faith at the other end Of this
building will tell you that during his in
cumbency never have they been able to in
wade his privileges or limit his prerogatives.
Applause on the democratic side You may
sheer and say he is not great man {;
there is not one of you that will deny he is
an honest man. And he is a great man in
the eyes Of this country, not because he Is
the possessor of qualities which lift him
away beyond the mass Of his fellows, bat
because he is a type of the common citizen
ship of this land; and his success the success
of his administration, proves that there is in
this country, Throughout the common ranks
of all it's citizens, ample talent, honesty and
integrity TO carry on this government even
if the race of so-called statesmen should
have passed away.
You have the uncrowned king, you have
the shepherd Of the people, you have |
know not what. Laughter. He has had
so many titles, the mind is confused and
paralyzed when it eontemplates his great
ness; but, sir, before the mass of our people
at the ballot-box he was vanquished by the
model and simple type Of American Citizen
ship represented by Grover Cleveland. Re
newed applause on the democratic side.
Let me remind this House it will not do to
say that the President, whose four years Of
administration show not one single act for
which his supporters blush, is wanting In
greatness. II to rise from the hum
blest station to tho greatest dig
nifty in the world; IL he who has
risen by the force OF virtue and
not by the sacrifice Of it, who has walked
light Of publicity. who after four years ad-
ministration of the highest Office Of the
world finds himself renominated by the
unanimous voice of his party, who has
never held a trust that those who confded
it to him did not seek to extend the term Of
his service, who by the confidence and
respect of his fellow citizens Yields to-day
a power far greater than that with which
the constitution clothes him, who after four
years OF the administration Of the highest
office In the world finds that the party
leader whom he vanquished while he
was yet untried now flies, | think
prudently, If ingloriously. from a renewal
of the conflict Applause on the democratic
side]; who had no ambiguous acts ID defenc
or unwise epistolary expressions TO explain
laughter and applause on the democratic
sidel, if this man be not great, then great
ness is not quality which should be en-
couraged on democratic soil. Applause on
the democratic side Instead of the eDhe-
neral, dazzling and, often dangerous quail
ties which among the unthinking go to
make up greatness. give me his strength and
the virtue, the robust dignity and the sterl-
ing integrity of our President who is in the
white house, OF our candidate who will be
In it for four years more. Applause on the
democratic side