Year: 1879

PETROLEUM V. NASBG,


Cauoashun.


Secretary Sherman at Mansfield, Ohio.


am very happy to be again in your
midst; to see your faces and to greet
you as friends. The shaking of your
hands is more grateful to me than the
music of bands or any parade. l never
felt before like making an apology for
coming before you until now. found
when | arrived in my old home the pa
pers said came West seeking the NOM
ination for Governor. l came purely
on private business, to repair ruined
fences and look after impaired proper
ty. l did not expect to make a polit-
ical speech, or refer in any way to po-
litical questions. However, as you have
serenaded me tonight, l shall seize
upon the opportunity of speaking fully
on two of the great questions now dis
cussed throughout the land. They are
questions of vital Importance to all the
people, Republicans, Democrats and
Nationals. You know, fellow-citizens,
that two years ago, when | had the
pleasure of speaking to you on the Pub
lie Square, a portion of my speech was
about the resumption of specie pay
ments, stating if we could go back to
gold, then would be the beginning of
prosperity. Then loss followed loss,
and failure followed failure, and gloom
generally prevailed. l believed then if
we could 90 back to the ways of our
fathers and start afresh on a gold basis,
supported by greenbacks and National
bank notes, prosperity would again re-
turn. 1t became my duty as an EXecu-
tive officer to carry out the policy. One
year ago l had in front of this hotel,
on this same store box (or one very
much like it,) presented to you
the desirability of the result of
resumption. On the first day of
January, 1879, this important measure
was accomplished. Every dollar you
had in your pockets then became worth
dollar in gold. Since that has been
accomplished, come here to ask you
the question: Are you not satisfied
with the resultP Do you not think re-
sumption has been beneficial to you
alp To-day man may travel where
he pleases; the greenback dollar is as
good as the money of any nation on the
globe. What has been the result of the
policy of resumptionP Many thought,
as the day of resumption approached,
that dependency and bankruptcy
would follow, whereas there has been
advancing prosperity throughout our
entire land. l am told that your shops
in Mansfield are again in operation,
and it is so everywhere. The result is
labor is plentiful and capital finds Sc
cure and safe investment. Why, in
New York City, just the other day, l
heard of all manner of schemes being
originated by capitalists for the invest
ment of capital that has been idle since
the panic. The public credit is now
better than at any time in the history
of the country. Strange to say, since
the 1st of January there has been sold
$3.50, 900, 900 of orr rfour per cent. bonds.
They were sold at par in gold, and the
last million and a half was sold at a
premium of one-half per cent. We have
saved to the people of this country in
interest $4,000 Since the present
administration has been in power it has
saved to the country $14,000,00 This
saving has benefited alike the rich
and the poor. The credit of the Ma
ton has also steadily advanced, and
there is no Nation in the world that
can borrow money at as favorable
terms as the United States of Amer
lea. To-day the four per cents of the
French Empire are worth but ninety
four cents, less than par. Our bonds
are quoted higher than any other Ma
ton than perhaps that OF Great Britain.
This Is so because this country has kept
its faith with the world. Now the rich
are not the only bondholders. The man
of modest means can purchase bonds OF
any denomination that he may choose
at any money-order post-office in the
country Both the bonds and the GER
tifcates are eagerly sought for. They
are held by every class in the land.


The great question that is now agita-
ting the public mind is the attempt
of your Representatives in Con-
gress to repeal what are known
as the Election Laws. These men,
bers of Congress are seeking to
repeal the only laws that in many
cities and in some States, give the peo-
pie fair and full voice. Have you
ever thought that your only voice in
/ lllc NdllOndl lAOo III eAiN
election of members to Congress once
in two years? Every two years you are
called to elect member of Congress,
and that one man represents you; is
your agent so far as the National Gov
ernment is concerned. Your only voice
in the Government is when you vote
for member of Congress. In great
number of the larger cities, elections
are carried by fraud and unfair means.
In the great city of New York there are
wards that have been carried by fraud
and repeaters for the last forty years.
In some of the Southern States intimi.
dation and fraud are conducted openly
at the polls. There are now members
| in Congress who hold their seats by
fraud and intimidation. In the State
of South Carolina, thousands of tissue
ballots were cast last fall. Little piece;
of paper, forty of which would moi
make as great bulk as one of the
tickets voted by you here in Richland
| County, there were voted at once, anc
bv one voter. In South Carolina more
votes were cast last fall than there were
men, women and children, and cat
and dogs. In the city of New York, a.
one election, more than 80, 900 repeated
votes were cast This was proven by
the investig alton of committee o
Congress, who made an elaborate re