Year: 1868

But to-day,. with the magnificent
demonstration which youhave made
of your kindness, / confess that /


come with feelings saddened and
chastened with the thoughts that
have been all day uppermost in my
mind. There is no one that can ap-
preciate more than l do the gener-
Gus confidence reposed in me
by the representatives Of the mil


lions throughout our land, who be-
lieve in the principles that I have
advocated. to the best ofmy ability,
in placing me side by side with our
distinguished commander upon the
same national ticket in this great
struggle. 1 know it was from con
fidence on their part in my princi-
ciples, and in the. rectitude of my
intentions. It was because they had
supposed, from. having watched my
course, that 1 might be relied upon,
if l were chosen by the people of
America, never to turn my back
upon the principles that have pro
fessed. And yet, as [ say, come
before you with feelings of sadness
and regret. Even among the enthu-
siastic friends who have accompan-
led me from Chicago, l have been
made to feel to day almost as if |
had neglected that, and had accept.
ed the nomination.: l realize, since
/ have returned to my home, that
it severed probably forever, that tie
that has been between US for almost
lifetime, as constitent and rep
resentative, that it removes me, in
some degree, from being your own
chosen representative before the
American people, and that never
again am to come before you and
ask your sufferages to speak, and
act and vote in your behalf in our
National Councils.


l have felt in all the years that
have passed as have gone up and
down the high ways, and byways of
this district, as if every home, al
most, had an open door; almost ev


cry heart a generous welcome
though the poisoned arrow of cal
umny might be hurled against me,
you were ever ready to turn them
aside, to protect me- and publicly
exhibit your walm and generous
confidence whenever you had the op-
portunity to exhibit it. For four
teen years I have been your repre-
sentative, but further back than that,
far back in 1850, eighteen years ago,
you first sustained me at the polls,
and from that hour to this, amid all
the vicissitudes of the contest, l re-
member with an exaltation that I
think have right to feel, that
there never has been a time, even
while the clouds were darkened
with gloom for the political party
which I represented, or when the
sunshine Of prosperity illuminated
our banner, that the noble county
Of st. Joseph has not stood by me
faithfully at every election. To you
1 owe everything that am. To
your continued kindness, to your
long continued and answering de


votion to me, I owe everything |
have received at the hands of the
American people. 1t was because
you, here, who have seen me at
home from the days of my boyhood
adhered to me SO faithfully for a
length of time unparalleled in Indi-
ana, and almost in the Union, that
the hearts Of those delegates at
Chicago were turned toward me for
the nomination with which they
honored ne They said if that peo-
pie who know this man believe in
him, he iG 9 man in whom we can
trust. Do not then say truly that
cannot find words to express to
you the gratitude that have for
those repeated and continuous man
ifestations Of your love for me P
But to-day, as I stand before you,
my thoughts turn back rather to the
past than to the swift coming fu-
ture. 1 have thought this morning,
as my life has passed in review be-
fore ne, of my early life in your
midst. l have thought Of the faces
| WAS wont to see here in this au-
dience before me when l arrived at
at my home. Thirtytwo years
ago, l remember, when as [ looked
down upon the smiling Prairie of
Terre Coupee, coming from my
home in the East with those who
were near and dear to me to seek
our fortunes in this Western land.
There was the place where our tent
was pitched, and where at first we
found home in Indiana, and though
but fairly then in my teens; no
sooner had I arrived there than I
found myself among those far old
er than myself, whose friend


ship has grown with my gro WITH and
strengthened with my strength. l
see some Of those friends and of the
years succeeding, before me to day.
Many have passed away. The
tombstone in the graveyard tells the
record Of their lives and their names,
but their children are left behind,
who seem to have inherited all their
parents interest and all their par
ents' affection for me, as they have
inherited their blood from the par
ents that gave them birth, and they
have followed me to with their kind
ness until now, [ have even seen in
the past contest the grandchildren
of those who welcomed me when
first came among you, and I have
seen them rivalling in their devo-
ton the kindness and friendship OF
those who have gone before over a
quarter Of a century ago. Twenty
seven years ago came to this town,
then but little village, with fam
lily, who were compelled by q cir
cumstance well known to many OF