Year: 1874

The following speech by the Hon. S. S.
Cox will pay for the time spent in reading


Gentlemen, / was once introduced to an
audience as an eminent divine who bore my
name told the audience that | did not
know what had done to be taken for so
good person 1t was accounted for by a
little mistake of the introducer am still
more at loss TO know why, for two years
in succession, your Republican association
should have honored so chronic and pro-
nounced Democrat If had not since
youth been so consistent in my politics,
might fear some design to capture and hold
me in thrall to the Administrator.


But on this occasion, at least, our politics
are forgotten. In fact, in the last election,
your friends at home elected an old Demo
crat, General Dix; and my own distinguished
competitor, who halls from the Catskills of
Greene, was indebted for his nomination TO
the fact that he was Democrat. So that,
after all, when | come to remember, we
Democrats succeeded better than we ex-
pected For this success, if it be not too
late, ! return you, on behalf Of the old De-
mocracy, our thanks! We feel it! y. are
proud Of it! The part you contributed by
t! anking documents and travelling home il
November to vote, deserves our sincerest
admiration. The risk you thus ran in los
ing your places was perilous and patriotic
For this we thank you. In the name OF
civil service and its champion-the President
i feel almost as emotionally gushing as
Twain at the grave Of Adam" | am
ready to lean against one of the pillars of
our government and burst into tears of
gratitude.


| read in a newspaper of this city that
there were two objects of your association
first, to cultivate friendly and festive re-
lations; and secondly to assist the political
campaigns by the use Of the franking prvi-
Iege. am only too ready to believe the
first am cheerful recipient of the de-
lights of your society. And when | read
in the Philadelphia platform that the noble
Republican party were and are opposed to
the franking privilege, knew that you did
not mean to use it during the Summer, ex-
cept to relieve and accommodate illiterate
congressman who are unable, with sufficient
ease, to write their names, or, perhaps, TO
show by your excesses how the privilege
may be abused, and, therefore, why it
ought to be abolished. This is noble and
patriotic. For this we thank you


Judging by the large vote which ! re-
ceved-in excess of those who ran with me
i am not certain but some of you voted
for me. You need not speak out. | dc
not want you to lose your snug places.
Mr. Boutwell, might not like it, however
much he might like to vote for me on ac-
count of my love for the syndicate. Mr..
Cresswell might have voted for me himself,
but be would not like to know that his
clerks had done it. Gen. Grant, had he
been a suffragan in New York, and if he
could have reconciled his custom-house and
other friends to the idea, would doubtless
have given me quiet and confidential, il
not cordial, help. | hope you will not be
disposed to bolt the party on this account
trust you will not read him out for it.


But, Republican gentlemen and ladies,
am most honored by you for the SECOND
time in being called into your social ring
1t is ring which has some political, but nc
partisan or malignant significance. ! an
sure that the member from New York
whatever may be his political prepossession'
ought to feel happy in being thus enc,r
cled. 1t is the magic ring on which tn
genius Of good will delights to wait.