Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-09-05
Stirring Speech by His Excellency
Governor Henry B. Cleaves.
Great Ovation to Ex-Speaker Reed
and Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge.
Short but Pointed Speeches by Both. Arousing
Wild Enthusiasm.

The Republican rally in the Opera house
last evening, was the largest in point of
numbers the most enthusiastic and the most
deeply interested in the discussions of the
eminent speakers that has assembled here
in years, if ever.
The Opera house was filed before S
o'clock. For three hours the audience sat
unwearied and absorbed with interest. The
seats upon the stage were soon occupied by
distinguished gentlemen, including Gov
ernor Cleaves and Hon. Harold M. Sewall.
A few minutes past s o'clock, Mr.. Byron
Boyd of the city committee, introduced as
presiding officer of the evening, Hon. John
t. Stevens, who then came upon the plat
form.
Having been selected to preside on this
citizens for the honor assigned him and
spoke as follows:
The hopeful opinion is often expressed
that mankind is continually growing better,
md that all along the track of the ages
there are conclusive proofs of the truth of
this cherished wish ofthe best human hearts.
But how can we reconcile this cheerful view
of human affairs with the fact that the
Democratic party of Richard Croker and
Grover Cleveland has taken the place of the
Democratic party of Thomas Jefferson and
of James Madison: 1t is said that man
advances by the laws of evolution. But
~ /. ,,la bn Stv,a
Charles Darwin to tell us how the science
IF evolution could place in the executive
chair of George Washington, the present
occupant of the White House. If it be said
hat every rule has its exception, and that
he exception proves the rule il Is certainly
evident that there never was more striking
reception to progressive craftsmanship and
intelligent patriotism than in the transfer of
the Buffalo citizen of eccentric life, to the
Presidential chair so reeeL " filled by the i'm
mortal Abraham Lincoln. Vut even great
and enlightened nations hS, 2 their epochs
If weakness and infatuation, when reason
and experience are flung to the winds, and
heir conduct seems to disprove their fitness
for self-government. Once in the memory
If some of us the intelligent and brave
French people elected as the President of
their republic Louis Napoleon. cor
rupt adventurer of considerable abil-
ity, but a charlatan state sman, des-
pot at heart-they elected him over Cavai-
gnac, a brave and honored citizen of long
faithful public service, who had led in saw
ing bis country from anarchy and disaster.
Once the American people gave a majority
of their votes to James X. Polk instead of
the great American statesman-the illustri-
Gus Henry Clay-whose eminent services
the nation had enjoyed many years. His
tory will surely attest, that it was a strange
hallucination which caused the freemen of
this land to give their preference 10 Grover
Cleveland over such able and tried states
man as James G. Blaine and Ben amin i.
Harris )n, in 1854 and 1892. This should
make every true American blush " ith shame
.hether at home or abroad. The law of
evolution and the DEGREES of Providence
punish nations for III ir sins. Great must
have been the offences of the American
people to have brought upon it such a
calsnity as placing at its head the man
who Is now making imself hissiug and a
shame throughout the land by his official
egotism, corruption. and usurpation. Mas
out radiDg as J, ffersobisn Democrat, he
has repudisted every prime iple, every truth,
every patriotic example, for which Jeffer-
son stood. jefferson and Jackson, the two
great representatives. of the Democratic
party which once exi ted in this country.
strongly advocated the protection of Ameri-
can industry by tariff lie. i,laticn and sought
to secure American markets for the bent Fl.
of American producers and American mer-
chants. Cleveland ard his political asso-
riates have vociferously proclaimed pro-
tec,ive tariff to be publ robb ry, AMI are
sc. king to give for-ign manufacturers and
foreiga merchants the control Of American
mar kets AMI to hiring American labor down
20 the level of European labor. This de-
clar.tion of war on the protective policy of
this country, hich has had The aprrov. Il of
all our illustriou. statesmen from Washing
ton IL those of the present time, has already
brought terrible disaster and suffering to
the American people. The loss to business,