Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-04-28
THE AMERICUS CLUB BANQUET.
Gar Reed Delivers an Opening Gun OF
His Coming Campaign.

Czar Reed Delivers an Opening oun o.
His Coming Campaign.
PIrrsBURG, April 2T.-The eighth an
nual banquet of the Amsricus Repuoll
can Club in commemmoratiOn OF Genera
Grants birthday, was held at the
Monongahela House tonight. and wa;
attended by prominent Republicans
from all parts of the country, among
the number being ex-Speaker heed'
Congressman Wauger and Robinson,
General Frank Reeder, Hon. Walter
Lyon and General d. II. Hastings.
Covers were laid for 375 and every
chair was occupied. Previous to the
BANQUET, a reception was rendered ex'
Speaker Reed. The decorations in the
banquet hall have never been surpassed
and the menu one that would satisfy
the most fastidious After full justice
had been done to it, President torrance
introduced State Senator Walter Lyon
who responded to the toast "Our Guests
Present." General Frank Reeder fol
lowed with the toast: "Grant," In which
he paid a beautiful tribute TO the dead
soldier and statesman. Hon. Thomas
B, Reed was the next speaker, and
when he arose he was rendered an oVa-
tion. His address was impromptu and
in part was as follows:
1.-THE last time had the good fortune
to address this club, this country was in
a state of peace and prosperity. work
was plenty, capital was rejoicing In It's
productive strength and labor was en-
loving the right to sell its service at
prices which brought happiness and
comfort to all our homes. The thirty
years which had preceded had wit
messed the gradual and steady rise OF
compensation for service OF both brain
and muscle until every days work was
worth in results twice what 1t
had been worth since the
last domination OF this union
by Southern statesmen and their
principles. So firmly rooted seemed our
prosperity that all our citizens thought
IT bevond the reach OF heat and cold,
and all changes of sun and weather,
and most men felt that IL was beyond
the touch OF even human folly. 1t
seemed to be beyond laws and beyond
politics; something inherent in the con-
stitution of things, something to be
calculated upon with unerring certain
ty, like the rise and set of suns, and
the regular motion OF the planets,
and the eternal stars. 1t is not
the disorganized crowds which seem
to be aiming, but in an aimless
way towards the Capital of the nation,
IL is not the mills running on half and
quarter time and no time at all, nor
capital piled up unused at the centres
OF trade, nor even labor unemployed for
nearly a year past, which completes the
saddest portion Of the picture. To
me the sight most odious OF all is the
utter inability Of the people TO reach
their own instruments and to compel
the fulfillment of their own will. Here
in a land where government by the
people was fondly hoped to have
found It's truest and latest expression,
the people seem to be pOwerless TO con-
troll their own legislation, and correct
by sober, reflection the mistakes OF the
most thoughtless day in American his
tory; the day when the present Con-
gress and the present Executive were
chosen to preside over the unhappy des-
TIMES Of the citizens Of the United
States. Why is this, and what are the
causes? Were we left to the tender
mercies of the Northern Democracy,
venture TO say that no such condition
could exist for even single hour. 1t
is because we are under the domination,
/ will not say of the South, but OF
Southern men, elected 10 Office
without those safeguards which sur
round the election of the Northern Dem
ocrats. For the sake Of the South itself,
| hope to see the next election bring US
to an end of this unseemly domination.
All election laws have been repealed,
and the South having been set free from
a fear which never had any sound
foundation, will be left to decide her
destiny according TO her industrial
needs, which are the same as those OF
the North. Instead of set OF men who
represent the obsolete politics and prin'
ciples of a dead generation, their sue
cessors, let US all hope, will then repre-
sent what the North longs to see, ar
industrial, prosperous South, full OF the
life of d new country"
Addresses were also made by Genera
d. H. Hastings and Congressman Johr
B. Robinson.
Letters OF regret were read from Col
Fred d. Grant, Governor VIM. McKin
lev, General ]. NJ. Schofield, Senators
Sherman, Hoar, Hswley, Cameron anC
Allison; Hon. Robert I. Lincoln. Jane,
K. Garfield and many others.