Year: 1868

tional and party reverses, never flag
ging, never qualing, never abating.
have faith to day, I think l can see
in all the signs of the times, the
triumphant victory that awaits the
great leader of our Union hosts, RI
valing in its brilliancy and its bene-
ficient effects upon our country, the
brilliant victories won by him
against the armies of the rebellion.
l believe an overruling Providence
holds the destinies Of our Union in
his hands. He proved n Union man
when treason seemed to threaten
our existence He strengthened our
hearts for every sacrifice required at
our hands. He lifted US to a no
bier plane of patriotism because he
had determined as 1 believe, that
treason should never rule in this fair
land of ours. Good, good and ap-
plause. He saved our Union for
US, and the same overruling Provi-
dence that watched over the armies
of the revolution, and led them to
press on, year after year, until the
glorious light Of victory shind upon
their banners, and then, in this late
| war, saved US when the rebellion
seemed 10 the world outside likely
to destroy our national existence,
will stand by US in this contest, and
and although the men who were put
down by the armies of the American
people will rise again and proclaira
their treason throughout all that re-
gion, he who ruleth in the heavens
will believe bring upon them ajudg
ment-a Judgment which the polls
shall manifest at the coming No
vember election. Loud applause
Meeting many of you here as 1 do
to day, looking into your smiling
and happy faces as you greeted me
at the depot, and here upon this
| stand, Il can Al ct but renenll,er= that
there are hundreds of my friends of
past years whom I am now to meet
again. Here upon this fair ground
where we stand to-day. 1 spoke to
regiment after regiment of the brave
men who came from every township
and every school district in this
county of ours, and throughout this
district, to offer their young lives
as sacrifices for the preservation of
our beloved land. / had been
throughout this district over and
| over again, attempting to inspire
them to the noble and patriotic
work, and they had come hither to
lay aside the garb of the citizen and
to enroll themselves in the armies of
the Union, ready if needed to repeat
the historic story Of Curtius, and to
leap into the yawning gulf that i'm
periled our Republic. I spoke to
them here the last words Of cheer, 1
gave to them a warm and cordial
geea bye, end when they oaaao baols,
those regiments decimated by rebel
bullets, by the diseases of the hos
pital and the fatigues Of the march
and the camp. These men left be-
hind many faces you and l shall new
ersee again. They,fought, they bled,
they suffered, they died for this
country Of ours. They offered up
their lives that treason should not
rule in this land Of ours. They sleep
in their bloody shrouds until the
morning Of the resurrection. There
is no patriot heart that has forgot
ten them. That is impossible.
History has imortalized them as the
defenders and saviors of.the Union.
Here upon this spot hallowed to me
by these recollections, they came up
leaving behind them all endearments
Of home, came up from homes hap
py with the sunlight of affection and
of love, turning their backs upon
wives precious to them as the apple
of their eye, and children. as dear as
their own hearts blood, to go forth
to protect that banner from becom-
ing the winding sheet of the worlds
best hopes, Ny heart goes out to


ward the honered dead to day. God
bless the families they have left be-
hind; God bless their memories and
may they ever be green in the hearts
of every one for whom they made
this sacrifce-the greatest sacri-
flee country can require Of its citi-
Zens.


These men were near and dear to
you and me; men whose friendship
with US lasted to the grave and even
beyond the grave. May that hallow
ed memory be kept green and fresh
and perennial forever.


I come back to the old theme. 1t
is the theme of gratitude. 1t is the
theme of thanks, that is struggling
with feeble words to give to you the
expression of a heart overfiowing
with affection toward you. In. this
busy season of the year, these as
sembled thousands are fit answer
to every falsehood and calumny that
has been used against ME.


| was struck by the fact when
coming from your depot tkis very
day, that the escort OF the hundred
and forty Germans of the German
Grant and Colfax Club, put the seal
of their condemnation and their de-


nrnciation upon not only the cal
umny but the forgery to which l
have been subjected here. You
know that never, in my public life,
from the commencement to the close
in one year or month, day or hour,
have l ever held any other doctrine
than that principles and character,
not birthplace and breed, were the
true test for official promotion.


i Men who may resort to forgery
may sign my name with their felon-
ious fingers for a forgery is felony.
l ou, here, know that there has not
been an election for the last twelve
years that l have not gone to the
polls, not with a closed ballot but
with an open one, and voted for