Year: 1868

4


would have been to- day mingling with
us in the busy pursuits of life, and been
the joy and comfort of now weeping and
disconsolate widows and parents.


All the blood, therefore, that has been
spilled, and all the treasure that has
been expended in maintaining the ma
tional authority, and The floods Of tears
and indescribable cloud of anguish and
sorrow falling upon the whole people, is
all properly. chargeable to the Demo
cratic party. 1ss@


They know it and feel it, and with


frantic despair of ever being able to ex-
plain or cover up their misdeeds, they
l,implore us to let bygones be bygones,
and try to divert the people with new
issues, that the mantle iof forgetfulness
may be thrown over their past treachery.


I said, my fellow citizens, that great
events had transpired since last we met.
One of those great events have allud ed
| to is the. complete overthrow Of the
Democratic party, and do think the
signs of the times clearly indicate that
| it has fallen like Lucifer, never to rise
| again.


AS a consequence to the overthrow Of
this powerful and corrupt political or.
ganization, another great event was the
destruction of its ally and master, the
the enemy of freedom, the great obsta-
Gle in the way Of the nations progress,
the corrupter of the nations morals and
manners, the hot bed out of which
sprang into life and power the rank
weeds Of treason and rebellion. Yes,
thank God, slavery is dead; and while
the time was when the mighty men of
the Democratic party were its willing
and ready defenders and champions of
this iniquity, yet now, as we cast back
ward glance at the pitiable condition of
the nation when controlled by these
monsters and we remember that it was
constantly keeping the nation in terror
| by its threat to dissolve the Union, and
when we now see as we might then have
seen, that it was the same foe to religion
and education, and was in itself con-
stantly corrupting and debauching the
public morals, there is none now, of the
most radical of Democrats, bold enough
to stand up in its defense.


Even Dan. Voorhees, rejoices that the
wicked thing is dead and if he is glad.
who for so long time stood by and de-
Tended it, what must be the joy of the
| Christian, who has ever been its enemy
The overthrow of this institution is the
great event Of the age, and will so be
recognized in the history of the country
for all time to come, and the wonder Of
prosterity will be that it was so long
tolerated. am thankful that God call.
ed me into being at this time, to aid in
my humble way in destroying this mon
ster evil.


On the slavery question my record is
clear, and I am proud Of it.


But the overthrow Of the Democratic
party was necessary to the accomplish
ment of this result. Even the remnent
Of that party stood by as mourners over
the dead body, and for long time re-
fused to be comforted.


Anoth er great event since we met, is
the success of the young party Of pro-
gress and patriotism-thep party that was
bold enough to appeal to the head and
heart of the nation, to make war on the
false pride and prejudice of the people
that stood in the way of doing Justice; a
party possessed Of sufficient manly cour-
age to attack Democracy and slavery
when in the hight of their power, and
bring them before that highest tribunal
the people of the country-for trial.
If they failed to convict the first time,
the increasing crimes of the culprits
only subjected them to new indictments
and trials, and in 1860, by an overwhelm
ing vote, they were found guilty, and
then came into power this young Re
publican party, which to-day, is proud Of
its achievements and its glorious accom-
plishments, rejoicing in the fact that it
has never had traitor on its muster
roll that to be a Republican is to be a
patriot, lover of freedom and hater
of all forms of oppression, point
ing with pride to the freedom of four
millions of human beings that Democ-
racy would ever hold in slavery, and ex-
hibiting with none the less joy, rs one
of the trophies of Republican victory,
the fact that in all the States where
slavery prevailed we have unmanacled
the press and the pulpit; we have open
ed again the blessed Bible, and while we
have guaranteed and made sure the
freedom of black men we also liberated
the white man and enforced the Consti-
triton ~ tho IIoitod Sfatoa IN all %t,o~>