Evening journal., 1896-08-28
Ms. hhRRIS0N'S SPEECH
The Ex-President Presents the
Campaign Issues.
BIG MEETING AT CARNEGIE HALL.

Chauncey Depew Presides and Makes an
Address-Marls Hanna was There and
Referred to Harrison's Speech as ''the
Keynote of the Campaign"
NEW YORK, Aug. 2s-New York city
republicans opened the national campaign
here last night in an enthusiastic way
a vast audience filled Carnegie hall and
listened to lengthy speeches by Chauncey
nj. Depew, General Benjamin Harrison
and DIR. David J. Hill and after two
hours spent in that way were not satisfied,
but demanded speeches from National
Chairman Hanna, John Wannamaker and
Edward Lauterbach Mr.. Hanna, who
was in a box when called upon admitted
that the meeting was the opening of the
campaign by saying: "ln response TO your
kind invitation / think 1t may be proper
for me to say that the keynote has been
sounded, and the Republican campaign is
now wide open. Chauncey nj. Depew pre-
sided.
Ex-President Harrison's Speech.
The principal speech was delivered by
ex-President Harrison, who said in part;
LADIES AND GENrIEMEs--I am the Re-
publican retired list. not by reason Of any age
limit, nor by the plea Of any convention, but
that the younger men might have chance
and that / might have rest, but am not
soured or disappointed or bedridden citizen.
My interest in my country did not cease when
my last salary check was cashed.
hoped to add to the relief from official du-
ties retirement from the arena of political de-
bate. But the gentlemen having in charge this
campaign seemed to think that ! might in
some way advance the interests Of those prin-
ciples which are not less dear TO me than they
are to you by making here, in this great city,
public address.
l thought they greatly rnagnifed the impor
tance Of anything I could say, but | could not
quite content myself TO subordinate what 9TH
ers Thought to be public duty to my private
convenience. / am here tonight not TO make
a keynote speech, but only to express my per-
sonal views for which no one else will be in
any measure responsible For this speech has
not been submitted to the judgment Of any one
until now / shall speak, my fellow citizens
as a Republican, but with perfect respect TO
those who hold differing opinions. Indeed ]
have never had so much respect for Democrats
as have now, or perhaps ! should say never
had so much respect for so many Democrats
as ] have now.
That party has once more exhibited its ca
pacity to be ruptured and party that cannot
he split is public menace. When the leaders
Of party, assembled in convention, depart
from its traditional principles and advocate
doctrines that threaten the integrity Of the
government, the social order Of our commu-
mites and the security and soundness Of our
finance, it ought to split and it dignihes itself
when it does split. A bolt from any party IS
now and then a most reassuring incident and
was never more reassuring and never had bet
ter cause than now. but these Democratic
friends who are disposed more or less directly
TO help the cause Of sound finance in this cam
paign ought not to expect that the Republican
party will organize itself because the Dem
ocratic party has disorganzed itself.
The Republican party, the Republican voter,
If sound money triumphs, as / believe 1t win,
must in the nature of the thing, constitute
the body Of the successful army. We ought not
therefore to be asked to do anything that will
affect the solidity, the loyalty, the discipline
or the enthusiasm of the Republican party.
The Republican party fronts the destruction
lists and trumpets its defiance to the enemies
of sound money. 1t win fight. however, with
out covering any of the glorious nottoes and
inscriptions that are upon its banner Our
Democratic friends, who realize, as we realize.
the gravity, the farreaching consequences of
this campaign, ought not to ask the Republic
party to reorganize itself to put aside any
of the great principles that it has advocated,
in order to win vote. If their opinion is sim
cerely held, as they insist, it ought to deter
mine their action for themselves without ref
erence to what anybody else should do. And
] submit to these gentlemen, for whose opin-
ions have the highest respect, whether, if it
is true, as they say, that the success Of the
Chicago nominee would plunge this country
into commercial distress and drag the nation 3
honor in the dust, there cannot be any ques
tion for such gentlemen but this, How can we
most surely defeat the Chicago nomineesf
Conventions Do Not Create Issues.
Neither conventions nor committees can
create issues nor assign them to their places
as to their Importance. That is the leading is
sue OF campaign which most agitates and
most interests the people. In my opinion.
there is no issue presented by the Chicago con-
vention more important and vital than the
question they have raised Of protecting the
power and duty of the national courts and ma
tional executive. The defense Of the constitu-
tion and Of the integrity Of the supreme court
of the United States and Of the president 5
power and duty to enforce all of the laws Of
the United States without awaiting the call or
consent of the governor Of any state is an im-
po-tant and living issue in this campaign.
Tariff and coinage will be of little moment If
our constitutional government is overthrown.
When we have a president who believes that
81 is neither his right nor his duty to see that
the mail trains are not obstructed and that
interstate commerce has its free way irrespec-
tive Of state lines and courts, who fears to use
our ancient and familiar power to restrain and
punish lawbreakers, free trade and free silver
will be appropriate accompaniments Of such
an administration and cannot add appreciably
TO the national distress OF the national dishon-
OF. lntFc - ouAy one RUE Dy Wnicn we can
live usefully a nation or peacefully as citi-
zens 1t is the rule of the laws constitutional
ly enacted and finally interpreted by the judi
cial tribunal appointed by the constitution.
When it becomes the rule that violence carries
its end, we have anarchy, a condition as de-
structive to honest labor and its rewards as
death is to the tissues of the human body.
The atmosphere Of the Chicago convention
was suroharged with the spirit Of revolution.
This platform was carried and its nomina-
tions made with accompanying incidents Of
frenzy that startled the onlool1ers and amazed
the country. The courts Of the president were
arraigned for enforcing the laws, and govern
ment By tho mob was given preference over
government by the law enforced by the court
DEGREES and by executive orders. The spirit
that exhibited itself in this convention was so
wild and strangely enthused that Mr.. Bryan
himself hkened it to the zeal that possessed
the crusaders when they responded to the inn
passioned appeals Of Peter the Hermit to res
cue the sepulcher of our Lord from the hands
of the iniidels His historical illustration was
more potent and more forcible than he knew,
for they zeal of the crusaders was a blind
and ignorant zeal. They sou ght to rescue the
transient and Intellectual sepulcher that had
held the body Of the son Of God while they
,P1