Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-08-24
Clark's Great Speech.
fConcluded from second page

ing: "D0 yOu Know who L am!
lam the Queen of England"
To which the great commoner
answered.: Madam, do you
know who | am: am the pso-
pie of England"
No wonder he is universally
known as the Grand Old Man.
If gentlemen do not believe
that the people have opinions
and know how TO make them
effective, let them recall the
consequences of the act of 1878
and the financial crash which it
precipitated.
The first political fruit was
the election of William Allen to
the governorship of Ohioin 1873
the first Democratic governor
that Ohio had had since 1853.
The resurrection of one from
the dead would not have as
tonished the country more. So
unexpected was it-so utterly
impossible did it seem of per
Torrance - that the morning
after the election all the Gin
cinnatti papers announcedin a
perfunctory sort of way that
Governor Noyes and the entire
Republican ticket were elected
by the usual majorities; but
when the rural districts were
heard from, "Old Bill" as his
followers loved to call him. was
found to be winner by several
hundred majority.
Then followed the tidal wave
of 1874, which sent a Democrat
ic majority to this House. which
landed Michael Kerr, of Indi-
ana, in the chair where you now
sit, Nh. Speaker, and which for
the first time in a generation
gave Massachusetts a Demo
cratic chief magistrate.
Then, in 1876, came the cleo
ton of Samuel j. Tilden to the
Presidency; twice since then
Mr.. Cleveland has been sent to
the White House; and finally
we have an Administration
Democratic in all its branches
for the first time in thirty-four
years. Applause.
All these things found their
handspring in the protest of the
people against the unpardon-
able sin of 1873.
In addition to these, the coun-
try has witnessed the rise and
fall Of the Greenback party.
which was nothing more than
an extreme protest against the
foul performance of 1873.
We behold today another eX-
treme protest in the Populist
party, which at the last election
polled a million votes, which
sent eleven Representatives to
this House, which sent four
United States Senators to the
other end of the Capitol, and
which stands here vigilant, alert,
courageous and aggressive,
ready to take advantage of any
blunder we NAV make.
The "pitiless pelting" of pub
lie opinion has been doing its
perfect work, and will continue
to do it until the wrong of 1878
is completely righted.
We have been repeatedly told
by the single-standard men that
this Congress has a golden op-
portunity. Verify, verify, it has.
| thank them for that word. |.
profess myself an opportunist.
One of the best beloved of my
teachers was forever repeating
to his pupils: "Carpe diem
seize the day" This Congress
has the opportunity to redeem
the pledges solemnly made to
the people, thereby placing the
country upon the broad high
way to lasting prosperity and
of preserving Democratic honor
bright as the spear of Achilles
or the plowshare of Clncinnatus.
The great Irish orator, Charles
Stewart Parnell, once said:
Opportunity is a horse. saddled and
bridled, which stops at each mans
threshold once in a lifetime. Be ready,
mount. and he carries you on to sue
cess and honor. Pause buta moment,
he is gone, and the CHATTER of his iron
hoOf, echoing down the corridors of
time, will forever remind you of what
you have lost.
My Democratic brethren, the
magnificent silver-gray steed
stands paving impatiently at
our door. Let us vault into the
saddle and ride him into the
realm of unfailing prosperity,
amid the benedictions ola CRATE
full people. Prolonged APP
plause.