Year: 1868

|
Buffalo, was serenaded at Rochester, by
large crowd, and in response to cal
he spoke as follows: 8As -s=


Fellor Citizens: / am astonishea a
this demonstration. l left my home to
day for the purpose of addressing
meeting at Buffalo tomorrow evening
can therefore speak to you tonight
but very briefly. Bat l shall be fol
lowed by those who, more able thar
myself, can discuss the great issues o
the campaign. Nearly four years aga
the war which ravaged our land ceased
Nearly foZr years ago the affairs of TIM
country were cenfided to the admins
tratiOn of the authorities. We found
at the close of the great contest that
large section Of our country had been
disorganized in its industry, its social
structure, and its moral condition as
the resslt of that war. If we turned
from the South, that portion which had
been overcome by the valor of our
troops, and took into consideration the
condition of the whole country, we
found it burdened by aa enormous debt.
We found that our carrying trade had
been swept from the oceans of the
world. We found the business of our
country perplexed by all the uncertain
ties which overhung its future business
pursuits. [Cheers. ---


We meet now for the purpose of de-
termining whether those who have ad-
ministered the affairs of the United
States during the past four years have
governed it wisely and well. They
come before the people of this country
asking to be reinstated in power; they
say they have so controlled its interests
that they are entitled to the confidence
of the people. They claim their meas
ures have been wise and juGicious, and
that they have tended to advance the
interest and welfare of the Republic
Ir their Convention they congratulated
the people upon the success of their
scheme of reconstruction. The question
now presented to the voters of this
country is simply this: Are you salts
fed with the conduct of those who
have conducted the affairs of the coun-
try? [Cries of no, no, and cheers. ]
Are they entitled to your .cOnidence'


Cries of no, no.. Have they so ad
ministered your finances that your
taxes have been lightened, as they
might have been! Cries of no, no.
Have they relieved the labor of the
country from the great burdens which
rested on it' Cries of no, no. Can
thc business men of the country who
conduct the capital say that they re-
pose such confidence in the wisdom of
.I h. g.,
that if they shall again be placed in
power, they can go on in confidence in
their transactions! [Cries of no, no,
and cheers.


The answer Of this great audience is,
and believe the answer of the people
of this country will be "no." The day
was when the American people were
proud when they were counted among
the foremost nations of the earth as a
people largely engaged in the commerce
of the world. Cheers. We do not
find that this great subject has, during
the past three years, attracted even
tie attention or those who administer
the affairs of our land. Whichever way
we look, whatever class we address,
whatever individual interest we con-
slider, we find at this time the policy of
the Government Is such that labor is
depressed, business is perplexed and the
future is full of uncertainty. Now, how
has the administration failed! Why
have they come so far short of the full
| fillment of their duties that at the end
of nearly four years of peace, we find
ourselves still embarrassed, hampered
and opposed by that same condition of
things which we found at the close of
the late war;


They claimed in the National Con-
vention that they had a right to con-
gratulate the people of this land upon
the success of their reconstruction
scheme. They claimed that our finan-
cial condition has been improved. They
claimed that the heavy burden of taxa
ton which rests upon this land was
about to be lightened. Thus far in the
canvass these claims have been dis.
cussed. Their speakers as we'll as those
have been engaged in laying before you
their views upon the subject, and what
is the resultH SO completely have our
opponents side been driven from the
field upon these points, that they now
find it necessary To chance their front.
| We are admonished that a change OF
frent on the eve of battle is danger
Gus thing. after their congratulations
| that their scheme of reconstruction
was a success. What do they now say
when they are pressed on the financial
question when they hear the complaint
of the laborer under the load of taxa
tion and of the business men at the per-
pleXities which surround them They
attempt to turn away the public mind
| from the consideration of these things;
they attempt once more to fire the
Northern heart.


Why, because in my private life, in
assemblages like this and in the Exec
utive chair of State | demanded that
the people should have their Constitu-
tional rights and that the Government
should proceed only according to Con-
stitutional modes. Tremendous cheer
! ing. Is was for this reason, and for
this alone, that these imputations were
brought against me. Cheers. And
now these same men come before the
public and try to alarm the people with
the idea that if we succeed in this cleo
ton the peace of our land will be per-
illed. Is there anything in the history
of the Democratic party during its long
continuance in power; was there any
thing in its conduct during the war,
when we filled our armies with the
members of that party, when we stood
by administrations politically opposed
to us' Is there anything in our actions
or teachings since the war that makes
us open to this charge of being men who
do not seek the peace and prosperity oi
our country and the welfare of its peo-
plei [Cries of "No, no, no" and
cheers.


But it is said that if we get into pow.
er we shall with violence destroy all
that they claim to have done rightfully
legally and Constitutionally. Now, a:
| said before, we seek not only Consti.
tutional ends, but we mean, whatever
we do, to follow Constitutional mode:
of action. [Cheers.l Who is it that
makes the charge? What do Won see