Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-07-21

prejudice, follow their consciences
wherever they may lead.
The movement was universal.
Sumner in the east, Seward in New
York, Chase in Ohio, Bates in Mis-
souri, Blair in Maryland, all sent forth
their identical appeal to the highec
motive; and in Illinois, where the
most popular man in the state bold
ly and cynically announced: / don't
care whether slavery is voted up or
voted down. a voice, Lew to the na-
tion, replied: There are some OF us
who do care. If slavery is not wrong
nothing is wrong-and Abraham Lin
cola came upon the field, not to leava
it until he was triumphant in death.
Our opponents sometimes say we
have no right TO claim the credit of
the great deeds of the last half CEN
tury-that we could not have accom-
plished them without the aid of demo-
Gratis. Nothing truer was ever said;
and it is one of the chief glories of
our annals, and it forms the surest
foundation of our hopes for the future.
The principles upon which our par
ty is built are so sound, they have so
irresistible an attraction to patriotic
and fair minded men, that whenever
a time of crisis comes, when the ia
tional welfare is clearly at stake, when
voters must decide whether they shall
follow their prejudices or their con-
sciences, we draw from other parties
their best men by thousands.
Bright among the brightest of
those who founded our party shine the
names of democrats; and when the
war came on the picked men of that
party rallied to the colors. Douglas,
shortly before he died, declared his
unfaltering support of Lincoln. The
sun would go down before | could
name the democrats who fought like
heroes for the country-Grant, Sher-
man, Sheridan, Dix, Siclles, Logan
in short, an innumerable host.
Ask, them, the democrats, has the
president been a good citizen, a good
soldier. good man in all personal re-
lations? Is he man of intelligence OF
education? Does he know this country
well? Does he know the world outside?
Has he studied law, history and poll
tics? Has he had great chances to
learn, and has he improved them? Is
he sound and strong in mind, body and
soul? Is he accessible and friendly to
all sorts and conditions of men? Has
he the courage and the candor and the
God-given ability to speak to the people
and tell them what he thinks?' To all
these questions they will answer yes
Then what is your objection to him?
They will either stand speechless or
they will answer with the parrot cry
which we have heard so often: He is
unsafe,
In a certain sense we shall have to ad-
nit this to be true. To every grade of
lawbreakeTs. high or low; to a man who
would rob a till or ballot box; to the
sneak or the bully; to the hypocrte
and the humbug. Theodore Roosevelt
is more than unsafe; he is positively
dangerous"
Fairbanks Pays Tribute.
Senator Fairbanks, the next speaker,
said in part:
Senator Burrows and Fellow Citl-
zens: We are met to commemorate
no ordinary event, for here, a half CEN
tury ago, American patriots solemnly
pledged themselves to vindicate the
first principles of republican govern
ment:' to challenge the aggressions of
the slave power, Here was issued the
second declaration of freedom. Here
was taken the initial step which led to
. hn ! fr1r, i h.
lishment of the government upon truly
national lines. We freely pay the tribute
of our grateful appreciation TO the mem
ory of those who raised here the stand
ard of republicanism.
"The republican party was here
christened and sent forth to accomplish
more vital mission than had ever chal-
lenged the consideration of the people
since the foundation of the government.
ITO the republican party was COM
mitted. in Gods providence. the stupen-
dous responsibility of preserving the
integrity of the nation itself. We would
not here kindle anew the fires of past
hates. or reopen the debates of long
buried differences which divided sec
tion against section, for we stand re-
united under the acknowledged su-
premacy of one flag and one constit.-
ton. But we may appropriately recall
the history Of past generation in which
American contested with American for
the triumph of opposing theories. In
that contest the republican party stood
for national solidarity 1t stood for the
nation above state. and the victory it
achieved blessed both the victor and
the vanQuished.
Fifty years is a brief period when
compared with the life of the elder ma
tions, yet it embraces the entire life of
the republican party, a party whose
achievements are among the most last
ing and luminous of the deeds done by
any party since the beginning of the
government. 1t has not lived the life
of repose and inactivity. for its career
has been characterized by restless en-