Year: 1872

GreeAeY'Ba administrative Capaclty'


JEFTERsoN Cry, Mo-, May THE fol;
lowing is Gov. Browns speech, delivered
tonight in response TO a serenade:


Fellow CITIZENS, FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBoRs- Many thanks to you for the
kind greeting and congratulation which I
know to be sincere, and not merely formal,
because Of multiplied evidences of good
win in the past. That the result of the
Cincinnati Convention has not been exactly
such as your partiality would have dicta-
ted, l am well aware; and yet we must
frankly admit that so far as Missouri is
concerned, the compliment to our State,
first, in the selection of Senator Schurz TO
preside over the ablest political ConVen-
tiou that ever assembled in America, and
second, Of according nomination by so
fiattering an unanimity for the second Office
in the government to one of your citizens,
in my OWn humble person, leaves no ex-
cuse for caVilling or discomfort on that
score. The first and most imperative to
be obtained is success, in order to rescue
the administration of national affairs from
utter wreck, an object to which many
minor considerations and partialities must
be sacrificed and in that light, nay delib-
JuOsuC1S u bAidlt| b4tI 8IlCO1AOl
for the head of your ticket is the strongest
that could have been fallen upon. Yon
win not expect from me any extended
speech this evening, or that l should
enter at large upon that argument which
win be set forth during the coming
canvass, to convince the people that such
is the fact, not only in the interest of
success, but equally in that of honesty and
honor. This l understand is designed
rather as personal compliment. Such be-
ing the case, let me hope that you will not
take it amiss if refer very briefly to some
personal matters. Before going into action
it is usual to clear away the underground
in front of opposition to leave no cover for
concealed enemies. 1t is not very heavy
work, and yet it may be none the less
opportune as well as needful. For
nearly quarter of century, have been
a citizen of this State, constantly and acri-
moniously involved in all those political
contests by which some strange destiny have
ever given shape and character to the ad-
vent of national politics controlling the
Government. That during the fierce heats
of partisan bitterness l should be assaied
in all ways and by all means, in purpose,
in method, in reputation, was not TO be
wondered at. With the frankness
of our Western life when the contests were
ended, the calumniesTwere also buried. Thus
it has fallen out that with so many tokens
of unchanged confidence and regard, re-
cOgnize even in this hour that | have a
character which prize above any prefer
ment and honor, which has been unstained
by any blot, and place in the affection of
this people that could not have come to me
had any of these vile ISLANDERS been true;
and now as it will devolve upon me again
to 90 forth into bitterness in a still wider
and perhaps more enyenomed conflict than
any ofthe past. have only to say TO you,
my friends, who know so we'll the conduct
of my daily life, and can testify whether it
be that of purity, of virtue and self respect,
and to the people Of Missouri, who have
with ever increasing so hOnored me so
highly and so often, shall leave the de-
tense of my good name against any vituper-
at ms that may assail it. And now to
another point. see that already


be press OF the opposition aIe
seiziIg upon some of the incidents OF
the late convention, distorting their signiti-
canoe, and seeking to SOW the seeds Of
jealousy and mistrust between those who
have been co-Workers thus far in the course
of Liberalism. The attempt is made to
place the most distinguished and brilliant
champion of our cause, Senator Shurz, in
an attitude of humiliation and defense, and
to imply that as between him and myself
there has been some bad faith and recrimi-
nation. know this is delicate ground to
travel over. and yet l feel it due to
the right that justice should be done, and
by no one can that be with more knowl-
edge than myself. l have therefore to
state to you all who are our mutual friends
that such reports are utterly without foun-
dation. As to policies and platforms there
has been perfect accord; and holding the
conspicuous position which his genius and
energy assigned him, earnest first of all for the
ssuccess of the convention, he did not feel
at liberty to make himself the advocate of
any candidate, and least of all, one from
his own State. l appreciated and con-
Cured in the elevation Of sentiment which
dictated this course, and have to say that
in all bis bearing, so far as know, it was
manly and sincere. What he contributed
to the Inauguration of the magnificent as
semblage of the independent thought Of
the Republican party, the world
knows, and if in the honor of
such achievement there can be defeat, then
l know not the meaning of the term; and
to those of the opposition who may be
comforting their hearts with the thought
that he entertains any such feeling himself,
to those who know so well that when he
enters upon the arena of popular appeal,
one blast of his bugle horn is worth a
thousand men, to those who fear the effect
of his eloquent pleading, l am glad to be
able to give his assurance
that from now till November
he will be found in TIE front of the fight,
upholding the nation and The choice of the
Convention. Although not intending to
enter upon any general discHssiOn,yet there
is one matter of sufficient interest to US
here at home to demand moments refer
ence. 1t was thought,by many that the
question of revenue reform would be shaped
into some practical form as pant of the
platform, and surprise has been felt at its
omission. But l am sure that all
doubt on this point will vanish when
it is considered that the action of the con
vention in referring this industrial topic to
the people in the Congressional districts
pledging the Executive to respect that will,
was the necessary and logical consequence
of an opposition to the centralizing tend
ency of the General Government. 1t is
therefore proper that such matters should
be decided, unbiased and uninfuenced by
Federal influence, and it is thus and thus
only that the people can best
indicate the reforms they desire and
are entitled to have carried out. National
parties are, in a large measure, types of
Federal authority. To subordinate thus
an expression on tariffs or any other of those
inter-domestic policies, is sure to be at the
expense of all truth of utterance. A deter
mination would be thus imposed in ad-
vance upon the people. 1t would be adap-
ted to party exigencies, and would not come
freely forth as the well canvaSSed sentiment
of the nation. Itwas deemed wisest, there
fore, to get rid of such Capitalization
influence, and make a reference of these
matters and all others of like import to
localities for expression, and with such a
course, those, surely of all others, who be
lieve most sincerely in the necessities Of
revenue reform and its ability TO commend
itself to the confidence of our citizens, will
have the least reason to find fault. 1t is
local choice we demand as to all matters Of
local concern, aud local expression as to all
matters of national concern, uninfuenced
and uncontrolled either by Federal author
ity or its organized partisan type. That we
must first content for and achieve. Friends
a / ,,-;t h