The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-07-22
Peoples Hard Times Supply Co..
249, 25I. 253 Eighth ST., ST. Paul. MINI.

WIIdt you may Will duNcFS 10 In6l WHICH
my conscience and Judgment tells me is
right. / am from abolition stock. My
father was the first man In his county in
the state Of Maine more than forty years
ago to vote the abolition ticket in the face
Of public derision and scorn. have never
worked politically or voted or advocated
any other cause during my life than the
cause Of the Republican party. It's victor
les have been my victories. It's defeats
have been my defeats and stand here to-
day. gentlemen, to tell you that believe
among the vast thousands OF the young
Republicans who have fought with me
these battles at heart they stand upon the
same platform that do. Many Of them
deem it the part Of prudence and patriot
ism to still remain with the party; to
those who honestly believe this have not
one word to say; they may be right; but
as for me whatever Of personal pain or
sacrifice it may cost, whatever separation
from personal friends it may involve, /
shall at all times publicly and privately
adhere to the principles which now pro-
claim until some one shall convince me Of
my error / have no advice to give any
other man except that he follow the die
tates Of his own conscience and reason.
and leave the result to him who Is the
founder and builder of nations and the
father Of men.
This above all, to thine own self be
true, and 1t must follow as the night the
day thou canst not then be false to. any
man. sl
When the applause which greeted the
close of Mr.. Nye's remarks had subsidized.
G. w. Griffin. president Of the Repub-
lican Bimetallic club called the conven-
ton to order. Rev. H. N, Stillwell pastor
Of Cavalry Baptist church led in prayer.
offering beautifully worded invocation
that the liberty and honor of the Ameri-
can people be preserved.
E. G. Corser paid a tribute to Lieut.. Gov.
Frank Day for his work in the Republican
ranks in the past and nominated him for
temporary chairman. The gallant lieuten-
ant governor was elected by reclamation
as were also the secretaries James r. Ben
nett jr., of st. Cloud and III. D. Stocker IT,,
Of Minneapolis.
Lieut.. Gov. Day sustained his reputa-
ton as a speech maker. He thanked the
convention for the honor conferred upon
him and complimented Mr.. Nye for his
eloquence. His declaration that Mr. Nye
was the Bryan Of Minnesota" evoked
tremendous cheers. He referred in turn
to Senators Smith, Howard and Morgan
and to others whose espousal Of the silver
cause, he said, will insure a victory for
silver by one OF the old Republican ma
torities in Minnesota. Congressman
Towne's name when mentioned at the CON
plause and it was some time before order
was restored sufficiently to enable the
lieutenant governor to proceed. Continu-
ing his speech he said:
We meet today to reaff1rm and to pledge
out fealty to a new declaration Of indie
pendence. We are here to assert the
true maintenance of the principles of our
beloved country and of free institutions
and to avow the supremacy Of the people
of the republic.
Recognizing the necessity for political
parties and of organized political effort
under Republican form of government,
history has shown that the time has been
when the duty Of the citizen to his country
Is greater than that of allegiance to his
party-when the demands of patriotism
overwhelm and sever the ties Of PARTISAN
ship. and such a time we believe again
has come.
The conditions and the circumstances
are indeed remarkable, and Of mighty por-
tent when the affairs of country demand Of
citizens that they renOunce the party af-
filiations Of a life time as hundreds Of
thousands are now doing and unselfishly
enlist in an open fight for the rights Of
man.
Those then on the stage Of action wit
messed the emergency of 1860 when justice
summoned her cohorts to battle in the
greatest cause that had ever shaken the
civilized world. and 1t was then for the
rights Of man.
No other cause could have so aroused
by an irresistible force. regardless Of party
ties and prejudices to make the sacrifices
Of such contest.
The people are patient and long for
bearing. They trust. they hope. they are
slow to surrender faith in their fellow.
man, but he is not slow to take advantage
of It.
Thus events have moved on until We
are forced to confront and grapple with
the conditions which now exist In this
stricken nation.
OF these conditions and their causes 7
will not at this time undertake in detail
to discuss but they are so pregnant with
wrong and SO threatening to the existence
and prosperity Of our free institutions and
Of the welfare and happiness of the people
that no well-adyised and importial citi-
zen can fail to realize 1t and to be anxious
and alarmed as to the outcome.
My friends. in such a crisis partisanship
becomes a toy-a selfish or sinister pas
time: and patriotism becomes an engine
Of necessity, the highest mandate OF man.
hood and citizenship.
So, my friends. we have assembled here
with such representative of all classes
and interests and in such an outpouring
as is rarely witnessed. to counsel together,
to array our forces and to help to organize
in this year 1896 campaign as momen-
tous in the principles at stake as that
which In 1860 gave freedom to a race and
wrought the redemption Of this mighty
nation