Year: 1870

After some few preliminary remarks in re-
regard to his having reduced his intended
observations to writing contrary to his usual
practice, on account cf the fact of his intend
ing to hand them to the Press for publica-
ton, the speaker continued:


This is the third successive anniversary Of
our glorious birth as nation, on which
have had the honor of being called upon to
address my fellow citizens. l have never
been much addicted to the spread-eagle order
of oratory, and therefore do not intend to
regale you with it at present. am rather
given to the reformatory style of discourse,
and will therefore venture to thrust slight
sample of it upon you now; hoping at the
same time that it will not be too severe a tax
upon your patience. Reformation implies
improvement, and improvement necessarily
involves an examination of defects. shall
therefore call your attention to-day to


FEW POLITICAL FAULTS.


We are no doubt remarkably 6pR people,
but still imagine that have discovered we
possess some few faults, politically speaking.
do not intend to enter upon the domain OF
domestic morality. l will confne my allu-
sions TO our political faults | think that
there is larger field for cultivation here,
than we really had any idea existed. think
it is well for US to turn our attention towards
it. 1t may not indeed be as gratifying as if
we placed before our admiring gaze the ma
ny brilliant points of our character, but it
has occurred to me. that perhaps it would be
much more profitable. 1t may not appear to
be as much in keeping with the character of
the day as if Il fiattered you with rehearsal
of our wonderful dongs as people, but
think it will be much more creditable to your
and my common sense. | have no doubt,
that there are very few amongst my hearers,
who will find themselves possessing the faults
| am about to meution-in all probability
not one--hut people in every other locality
possess them, and we will just talk over them,
to see to what errors our heighbors in other
parts of the country are given and it we
may not be called upon to eradicate them
from ourselves, we can Mt least, by being
forewarned be foreaImel. You see, am very
careful not to saw anything calculated to wound
your vanity. for il generally irritates our moral
cuticle considerably to have our faults drawn
to the surface. Faults are a very delicate
thing know, to talk to people about; but
since have been so generous as to exonor-
ate you from their possession entirely, you
need not begin to grow restless in anticipa-
tion of any harrassing disclosures.


REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS IN THE SANE


However, before proceed with tie emu,
meraton of these faults, don't you think Il
would be very prudent for me to entrench
myself by few words of explanation just
now, against the accusation of delivering a
political oration. Because when you talk OF
things political, it is very difficult to avoid
puncturing the hide of either political par
ty and in fact might as well here state,
that it is my deliberate intention to prod
both sides alike. The faults am abont tC
advert to, are the special possession of nei
ther one party nor the other. They belong
to the being. man, acting politically. and are
not the srecial blemishes of either the Dem
ocrat or Republican. They are the couse
quence, | suppose, of our first fall, or thai
natural inclination to diverge from right
which seems to be inherent in man.


There is no one, who more detests polit
ical Grafton upon a neutral occasion such as
the present than your humble servant.
look upon it as evincing fanatical mind in
ehO cpVuhCAs uicSuctAuS y" tAC SC9sAbAO huA'
tion of his audience, and IS breach of faith
to the public generally; because the implied
condition, connected with an invitation to ad
dress the people upon day like this, is, thai
the speaker NAV treat his subject in such 6
manner as not to attack the cherished reli
gious or political opinions Of any of his hear
ers. and not endeavor to thrust his own pecu
liar views on those matters npen them. TC
all IL &c ha II
have in connection with the possession o.
their different opinion conceive to be diff
ferent matter from attacking those opinion,
themselves. All contemplate then is to ex
| hibit those faults to your view. In merely
doing that. | think clearly avoid giving
grounds for being charged with delivering
tend mentioning, l will style


POLITICAL BIGorRY.


What can there be such thing as bigot
ry Of any kind within this liberal land o
| America No doubt the mention of such
| fault as bigotry astonishes most of my hear
ersl Yet in political matters it has its be
ing in this glorious land of ours, and mani
tests itself not unfrequently. Nor is it con
| fined to one locality more than to another
but, according to the best of my experience
and investigation, NAV be witnessed in al
parts of the Union. Bigotry is n good dea
like pride-indec1 it is one Of its ofshoots-
its presence in the mental constitution is i'm
perceptible to the possessor; and if cur at
:ention is called to some of its manifestations
we soon find specious arguments to free then
from the suspicion Of bigotry. In religion
matters the days Of bigotry, thank God, ar
passed, at least in this country. I speal
now Of the people generally. You may o
course meet individual cases. But politica