Year: 1867

MARIETTA, August ~.


A large concourse of people assembled
here to-day to hear Senator Wade speak
on the political issues in the State.


The Senator on being. presented to the
people by Mr.. VIM. Woodberg, was greet
ed with cheers, after which he spoke as
follows:


Mr.. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLE
MEN-It is with some embarrassment that
/ come before an audience at this time.
1t has been some time since L addressed
an assemblage of this kind. One feels
somewhat at q loss, when he comes to
contemplate the great field which lies
before him politically, to know what de-
partment he should take up; for it would
be absolutely impossible for any speaker
at one time to go through all that might,
and perhaps ought to, be said in reference
to the condition of our country at this
time. 1t becomes, therefore, necessary
that a speaker should select some par
ticular topic, to the exclusion of all
others.


THE SPEAKERS TEXT.


have an old text, my friends, which
I have preached from for more than
thirty years. never have varied it, and
I never expect to vary it. Exact and
equal Justice to all men, without refer
ence to color condition or race, is my
political creed, which now for thirty years
I have proclaimed from almost every
stump in this State, and the people have
stood by me during all that time, and |
expect as long as l am faithful to the doc
trine of that text they will continue to
stand by me. 1t makes no difference
whether things in the future look dark
or look cheerful. 1 stand by that because
| believe it will enable us to go through
| triumphantly under any and all circum-
stances. 1 believe, sir, that this is the
doctrine favored by the Almighty. be-
lieve that he who breaches from any
other text, will not be favored by Him
who is the Father of us all.


WHO WILL NOT BE CoNvINcEDP


Who will not be convinced now in any
discourse that may address to you to-
day? do not expect to convince any
man who, throughout the terrible struggle
and Revolutionary process through which
we have passed, has stood by the enemies
of his country the men who, in 1868,
with their eyes open, and the question
fully discussed before them, stood with
Vallandigham, the convicted traitor, and
endeavored to put him in the Guberna-
torial chair of Ohio-I say do MT expect
to convince any such a man that he ought
now to forego the course he then marked
out for himself, and that he will turn and
be persuaded to adopt the principles we
then held, and, / trust, hold to-day
They are joined to their idols, and argu-
ment is vain with them.


THE CAUSE THE SAME AS EVER.


All shall expect to do with this audi
ence is to convince it that the great and
glorious doctrines that we adhered to
then are as worthy of our support now,
yea more essential, if possible, than
then; that if you are ready to stand by
these great principles. there is no danger
as to the result. What, my friends, has
transpired since then that should lead
any reasonable, intelligent man to falter
in the course he took on that great occa-
sion? There stood Vallandigham, de-
liberate, condemned traitor before the
nation, soliciting votes to advance him
to the highest office in the State. / was
not here, but / was around the State
pretty generally, and l know there were
men in this State, great numbers of them,
that stood by him then, as they will stand
by his great coadjutor now, for there is
no difference between the political prin-
ciples of Vallandigham and Judge Thur
man, the candidate of the Democratic
party now. Vallandigham was then put
forth as the candidate for Governor and
he was maintained and supported in all
parts of the Staten all he had done eandall
that he proclaimed he would do, by this
candidate of the same party, put forth for
yourvotes to-day. They have not changed
in their bad course. Have any of you
changed in that glorious course you pur-
| sued then, when we swamped the traitor
by more than a hundred thousand ma
iority? Are the issues now essentially
different from what they were then?-
Not at ALL This makes 1t seem unne-
cessary for man to argue over again all
those old issues. And let me say, my
friends, if ever mortal men had reason to
congratulate themselves upon glorious
triumph of their great principles tits the
Republican party ofOhio, that throughout
all this terrible period through which we
have passed, stood as q wall of principles
for the right on all occasions, not devia-
ting at all.


THE ADVANCE STEP IN PROGRESS.


There is q new element in our canvass
now that causes those who opposed us to
make one more struggle for the ascen-
dency, but it is only the logical and le-
gitimate conclusion of all you have done
Before. The light of the colored man to
suffrage is hut the legitimate and logical
deduction from what you had done be-
fore. Is there any man so blind to what
he was doing one year ago by voting t0
sustain the Republican candidates then,
that he can be induced to change his
course at this time? What was the issue
last year? 1t was on the Constitutional
Amendment proposed by two-thirds and
more of Congress, to the people of the
seeded States, saying, "If you will adopt
that Amendment you may come into
Congress and be represented there, pro-
vided, you will send to us loyal men who
love Republican Government" Were
these hard terms, my friends? Was
there anything tyrannical in that? Was
there anything that an honest man could
not do? We wanted no traitors in the
counses of our nation, and by the favor
of God we never will have them. (Cheers]
Now, what arguments did they put forth
on the other side against that Constitu-
tional Amendment that our Legislators
in their wisdom and intelligence propos-
ed TO their constituents last winter p
Why, the Constitutional Amendment
was this, that if theseceded States would
permit the colored men to vote, then
they might have representation based
upon their numbers. If they thrust
them out and would not permit this need
of justice to prevail, then they should be
restricted to what they had heretofore.
Was there anything wrong In that: In