The Butler weekly times., 1896-08-27
From the JEFFERSON CITY TRI

L i
Mr. Stephens spoke as follows:
"Nr. Chairman and Gentlemen of
the conventions For this great honor
which you have just conferred upon
me, / am profoundly grateful.
And l am not unmindful OF the
responsibility which the honor car
ries and which the nomination i'm.
poses upon me.
/ am not .ain enough to consid r
for a moment that this is altogether
personal triumph. but the triumph
of a grand and mighty principle, for
which you know l have long, hon.
estIy and earnestly contended:
Next to the time, something like
fifteen years ago, when the sweet
heart of my boyhood days looked
me in the eyes and told me that she
loved me and would be mine forever
this is the proudest moment of my
life. l take peculiar and especial in
terest in grand old Missouri
It is q wonderful state. In natural
resources it has been blessed above
othors. Itseems as if the Creator had
made it to shine as the central star
in the glorious galaxy of the Amer
lean union.
loye all the states of our grand
old Republic, but above them all l
love Missouri.
Here my parents were born, lived
out long and useful lives, and in its
soil they are sleeping. Here l was
born. Here l married Missouri girl
likewise to the manor born.
No other home roof ever sheltered
our heads outside the broad domain
of this dear old state. No wonder
then love Missouri, because it is
my native land u
No wonder then l would feel
proud and honored beyond my de-.
serts to be its chief executive. one of
the noblest and loftiest aspirations
of Missouri boy.
The democrats, in national con.
vention assembled, have given us a
platform upon which every democrat,
upon which every friend of humanity
can stand; a platform which says
what it means and which means
what it says; a platform in which
there is not the slightest semblance
OF compromise or straddle upon
any of the important issues Of the
moment.
They have given us in the "boy
orator of the Platte" and in the ship
builder of Maine standard bearers
who are platforms within themselves.
Democrats who have spent many
years of their lives in fighting the
battles for the masses as against the
classes and for the restoration of
our fathers money to the position it
occupied in the monetary system of
our country before it was struck
down at midnight by conspiracy
that was both foul and damrable.
There is no reason why any dem
ocrat who loves his party and who
loves his neighbor as himself should
sulk or refuse to support his party
ticket this year
believe, yes 1 know, that we are
on the side of right, justice and hu
manity.
believe that God is with US, and
that all the powers on earth and in
hell combined could not now rob us
of our victory if we remain true and
loyal, aggressive and determined to
the end
Fellow democrats, I come before
you to day the bearer of glad tidings.
During the last few months | have
travelled extensively over our state.
have received letters from every
voting precinct in the state, and am
satisfied that if each and every one
of you will continue to do your duty
until the evening of November 3 next
every man on our ticket will be elect
ed by at least 10000 majority, our
legislature will be largely democratic
and we will pass from under the dark
shadow which fell upon our fair dem
ocratic land two years ago, out into
the bright sunlight of a long happy
day. In conclusion | will say if God
spares my life l will help carry the
banner TO victory, but will not prom
lse that l will make the best governor
the state has ever had, nor will |
promise you that | will make a rec
ord like that of the grand old roman.
John S. Phelps, or that eminent iur
ist, Silas b. Woodson, or Chas. c.
Hardin, or chivalrous I. T. Critten-
den, or honest Jno. s. Marmaduke.
or that princely \. p. Morehouse. or
dashing ID. Il. Francis, or that of our
own eloquent leader, VIM. J. Stone:
but | promise You | will do the best |
can and let the future historian write
the story. II he says was just and
patient; without prejudice, a heart
that beat in sympathy for the strur-
gIug masses; if he says that | attend
ed TO the duties of the office with as
slduity; that my administration was
clean; that | loved Missouri and in
anCnrQrpH hnSfpaS-