Year: 1877

Mr.. President and Fellow-Citizens:


came here to-day, as Gov. Chamber
lain did. supposing this to be a free plat
form, and that any man had a right u
say here what he believed, and conceive
that a proper celebration of the Fourth
of July consists in maintaining in theory
and in practice absolute free speech on
the American Continent and il see OF
think i see a danger that menaces this
country in any direction, whether it be
small or whether it be great, l conceive
it to be my right and my duty to speak
of 1t to a free assemblage of American
citizens. And, while i do not think that
a merely partisan topic should be brought
upon a Fourth of July platform, yet do
hold that, in an acsemblage of American
citizens, that which concerns American
nationality is always in order.


Now / see, or think | see that there is
an agitation at present on the Southwes-
tern border of the United States, that
menaces possibly great danger to the fu-
ture of the Republic. see, or think /
see the beginning of policy, small, in.
deed, to day. possibly not yet arresting
your attention, but which will, or which
may be carried out into results beyond
the control Of assemblies and beyond the
control of political parties.


There rs an agitation on the Southwes-
tern frontier of the United States at the
present time that may possibly develop
into policy involving National danger
and ultimately grave disaster. An intel.
ligent representative in Congress from
the State of Texas has become the expo
nent OF the new policy, and has been
urging it upon the Administration at
Washington with persuasive force. He
is sustained and indorsed by not few
influential newspapers in various sections
of the country. The cause, or may not
say the plausible pretext of this new pol
icy is the incursion of predatory bands
from some of the border States of Mexi-
co into the State of Texas and the seizing
and carrying off of the herds and other
property of her people. The line of ac-
tion urged to suppress and prevent these
outrages embraces three points: First,
the pursuit of these outlaws beyond the
Rio Grande and their capture End pun
ishment on Mexican soil. 1t is under
stood that the War Department has is.
sued orders to the General commanding
the Southwestern Department to adopt
this course. This is openly aggressive,
and, though not done to create war, has a
strong tendency in that direction. A
similar invasion of Canadian soil would
produce war with Great Britain in 60
days. Second, under thin veil Of Quix-
otic sentimentalism we are to extend a
moral support to good government
in Mexico, though what this may precise.
ly mean we are not very clearly inform
ed, unless we are at liberty to infer il
from the more outspoken policy embrac-
a II -. II. Il
op a certain contingency, we are urged
to give material support to tn party or
administration in Mexico which best
promises to insure law and order; in 9th
er words, to assume a sort of protectorate
over the sister republic, and in the pend
ing dispute it is quietly limited that we
should sustain Lerdo and frown upon
Diaz. These last two movements are not
understood to have the assent or approx.
al of the Administration at Washington
those who are engineering the measure
not having induced our authorities to &c
further than the step | described in the
first proposition. AS comforting and
consolatory addendum to the whole
scheme, we are kindly assured that in nc
event shall any Mexican territory be ac
quired or annexed to the United States
As in many other cases of similar design
and movement, the most important fea
ture may be that which is specially disa
vowed. | do not mean to impute decep
tion or insincerity to the Texas represen
tative; but / feel free to aver that, how
ever candid he may be in his declaration
Of views or however cautious the Admin
istration might be, if it should adopt anC
act upon them, yet the inevitable drift


of events-rapidly whirled into a curren


that could neither be stayed nor directed
would be toward the absorption by thi


country of large portion of the presen


Republic OF Mexico.


While. on this day and before this au


dience, | would not introduce merel.


partisan topic, nor speak words unbeiiI


ting the patriotic associations by whicI