The Portland daily press., 1896-06-03
POWERS IT is.
Continued from First Page

Continued from First Paya
of his services the state committee bas
designated him as your temporary chair
man, and know you will give him the
cordial reception he deserves, and will
heartily approve of your committees
decision.
Gentlemen of the convention. I take
pleasure In presenting to you your tenn
porary chairman, Hon. Harold M. sewa,l
of Bath, Maine.
Loud applause greeted Mr.. Sewall as he
stepped to the front Of the platform.
Mr.. Sewall spoke as follows:
Forty years ago, the DISTINGUISHED
chairman of your state committee re-
minded you the other day at Portland.
the Republican party came into power
IN this state under the leadership of Han
n1bal Hamlin. Forty years ago Hanni-
pal Hamlin, Democratic senator from
Maine rose in his seat in the senate. and
declaring that he loved his country bet
ter than his party, resigned the chair
manship of the committee on commerce
and renowned his allegiance to that
party to which he owed every honor of
his political life.
moral issue confronted the country
then, an issue that was to become an is
sue of life or death to the country. The
Republican party decreed that it should
live, live free and regenerate, live in
prosperity such as it had never known
before.
Another issue, a greater issue than any
other that has arisen since, confronts
the country now. And again has come
to Democrats the question that came to
Hamlin and those who followed him.
and again there have been Democrats
who have dared to solve that question as
Hamlin did
And If l interpret the significance of
your action today Alright, this is your
meaning, that as in the days of it's weak
ness when girding itself for a mighty and
doubtful contest, it recruited its ranks
from those of it's opponents, so not less
today in the pride of its plentitude and
power as it marches forth to certain vic
tory, it welcomes to share it's glory and
approaching triumphs all those of it's
fellow citizens who find in it the ark of
the nations covenant and bring to it
SIiClI uuIdtl6IiIlS all6SlduCe.
And in this spirit accept this honor.
and ask your cooperation and support
that l may discharge it worthily
Fellow Republicans greet you!
l greet you, young men and veterans
OF hundred fightsl I greet you as VIC
tors already in another victory! But I
greet you as victors whom long con-
tinued and certain victory cannot make
wall - IL
state entrusted to the party you repre-
sent, almost unwaveringly since its ex-
istence.
Forty years ago you received this trust.
and only twice since have you failed OF
an endorsement by the people you have
sought to serve. Only twice in 40 years.
And in the face of such record, care
not what his politics may be, tell me of
that citizen of Maine who has not re-
spect, aye, and within the bounds of
party loyalty, admiration for that party
Whish has received such an endorsement
by the intelligent suffrage of this intelli-
gent state, crowned as it was in the last
election by the magnificent majority of
80 900 votes. 5e
Men may differ and divide among us
between the great national parties as
they do and must, for it is the glory of
our state that it is state of sturdy con-
viction, whose clear and bracing atmos-
phere reflects no neutral tints, but he
who doubts the honesty, the loyalty to
her interests with which the Republican
party of Maine has administered her af-
fairs during it's entire history, doubts
the integrity of her people and libels the
fair name of our state herself
And so today, as it has ever been, the
Republican party Of Maine stands ready
to account for this trust as it was re-
ceived into the hands of Hannibal Ham
lin, as it has since been preserved unim-
paired and unimperilled, and as it has
been sacredly guarded by the admins
tration Of Henry B. Cleaves.
But not alone the welfare of our state
summons us here today. In a larger
sense, to a greater use do we dedicate
ourselves her today.
The Republican party of the nation
summons us to a contest no more doubt
full than this of this state.
Months ago our opponents confessed
defeat when they shirked the RESPONSE
bility of the party in power and dared
not name their candidate and proclaim
their platform until we should ours. We
do not know the issues in their despera-
ton they will seek to raise. We do not
care. The Republican party does not
wait for issues. 1t creates them. Its
very existence involves an issue of the
supremest import to our people, and
always has.
Once this was the issue, whether this
government of ours should have the
right to live. Today, it is the issue
whether that government shall have the
means to live, and whether our people
shall have the means to live in that
American standard of comfort and de-
cent living set by the Republican party
and never lowered while it was in power
The Republican party stands for that
principle in legislation which will restore
that standard as that party created it.,
the Republican party never tires of pro-
claiming it's devotion to that principle
and claims this devotion today as it
never has before.
The Republican party is for the Amer
lean principle of protection. We are for
it as a part of the revenue policy of this
republic. We would be for it if necessary
for it's own sake. We are for 1t as a
weapon of defense in the hottest of all
rights, the right of self-defense. We are
for it as a weapon Of action, weapon Of