Year: 1876

cal embarrassment In correcting this
great evil. Not 90 with Gov. Hayes.
This reform requires that thousands Of
places of proft be made vacant now
filled by his supporters The present
house is democratic. Has 1t not proved
itself true TO every pledge given? In its
investigations 1t has gone as thoroughly
iuto the work as was possible for men to
do who had been excluded from the re-
cords and the departments for many
years. In the reductions of expendi-
lures and the abolition OF useless offices
it went as far as the persistent opposition
of the senate would allow. Have you
occasion to be offended with this house
Has its work not been in the interest of
the reople? Was 1t not for you that
useless offices were abolished that $50,
900, 900 were saved; and that the enor-
nous corruption was brought to light :?
II this house had not han democTatic.
do you not know that Gen. Belknap
would still be secretary Of warf Be
cause this house is of and for the people,
1t is denounced by ever epithet that a
vicious political taste can command
Until the present congress the demo-
Gratis have been a small minority for
many years, and have been unable to
control the record; but in the house they
have now made record, by no means rs
full and complete as II they had con-
trolled the fortunes of their measures
elsewhere. You may not agree to many
things that were said, and you may be
dissatisfied that some measures were de-
layed and others lost In the house, yet
dc you not choose to 20 forward and
complete the work well begun rather
than go back to the practices of preced-
ing years? Would you venture to re-
pest the party rule Of the past eight
years9 Had $3O,0O0,0O0 been saved
eveY year during that period it may be
that you would not now be in the con-
tracing folds of hard times. Do you
hesitate to trust Gov. Tilden in the great
work of reform? Alone he might not
accomplish complete success but he will
call around him those who are without
embarrassment in his support. His elec.
tion will be without the help and over
the opposition of those who are and have
been making money out of public en-
ploynent- without the help and over
the opposition of all the rings and COM
binations against the treasury. For his
election he will be indebted to those who
sincerely and earnestly desire reform.
He will therefore have their support In
carrying out his policy. Thus sur
rounded, can you trust him? You
know that in such a work he Is both
jealous and capable. You know that
neither political or personal friendships
can stand in the way of his efforts TO
purify and cheaper the public service.
In the city of New York he overcame
and destroyed a most powerful and cor
rupt combination. As governor ot the
state, succeeding Gen. Dix, he intro
duced notable reforms, and the taxes Of
New York have fallen from sixteen mil
lions to eight million dollars. No other
citizen can bring such evidence Of his
ability and zeal to accomplish what the
people now so much desire. That fact
gave him the nomination, and the con-
viction of that fact on the part of the
people will elect l6m president. All the
corrupt influences of the country are
against him. Falsehood and detraction
will do their work, night and day, but
the people will stand by the champion Of
their cause.


Are you quite sure that these hard
times were inevitable? If not, then
there Is great responsibility somewhere.
Our people are intelligent, industrious
and enterprising. We have great and
constantly increasing sources of wealth.
New mines are awaiting development
and new lands are constantly coming
into cultivation. Why, then, does cap.
ital shrink from investment? Why Is
labor without employment? Some
answer should be given by those who de-
mand yet longer to control public affairs
and to fix our policies II no answer be
given, or If the answer be an insult to
their intelligence, the people will wisely
resolve upon change. When the la
borer of the north asks why he can get
no work, he will not he satisfied with
the answer that there was bloodshed at
Hamburg; that there was bloody riot
at Newark, New Jerey, or that man
was driven from his house in Mitchell,
Indiana, by a band of armed men and
wounded. In such case as ours the
only remedy of the people is in change.
1t can not be worse-it will be better in
many respects. II may be better in
every respect.


Retrenchment in public expenditures
will surely relieve the industries of the
country of portion of their burdens,
and the adoption Of system of economy,
and of wiser finance will restore better
times.


Where may capital look for invest
ment and labor for employment in this
country? Can it be to the leaders
whose administration stands condemned,
| and under whose measures disaster has
come upon all our interests? When the
change has taken place and the people
shall have placed in power an admins
tration pledged to radical reform !;
pledged to restoration Of par value of
the currency without artificial contrac-
ton, by public economics, by official re-
trenchments and wise finance; and
pledged also to administrative policies
and measures for the benefit of all the
people, and not for the benefit Of class
or party, hope will revive; and conf
dence be restored, and we will ex
perience the blessings of a returning
prosperity.


/ speak to you to-day in that cause.
I speak to you to-dayin your own cause.
have no wounds in the past. have
borne my share Of the responsibility Of
success, of defeat and disaster with you
men of Shelby county. / stand to-day
with you in favor of what l believe to
be your cause and the cause OF the peo-
Al l.. 81 A<.rw tl.ar