Year: 1875

ton for the year 1879, as developed IN


the action Of the State conventions OF


the two parties.


The Republican convention was opened


with the following prayer, by Rev, Mr.,


Hutchings, Of Columbus:


"0ur Heavenly Father, we bless Thee


for this goodly commonwealth which


Thou didst commit unto our fathers, and


which they have enriched and transmit


ted unto US. We bless Thee for its
abundant material resources, for the
mines and its quarries, and its fertile
fields and its majestic forests. We bless
Thee for the development Thou hast


given to these supplies of Thy bounty,


that we are permitted to utilize them


We thank Thee not only for these mate


rial benefits, but especially for the social,


civil and religious advantages Thou hast
conferred upon us, that Thou hast
guarded the sanctity of home by Thy


laws enacted in our Legislatures; that


Thou hast given US provisions for the
unfortunate classes in our benevolent


institutions; that Thou hast given US


the common school system and higher
seminaries of learning and universities.


We bless Thee that Thou hast given US





ly we bless Thee that Thou hast given
US the Christian Church, which brings US


the light and JOY, and peace of heaven.
And now we give Thee thanks that from


generation to generation Thou hast pre-
served these privileges and these mercies


to US; that through the stress and trial


of war they have been continued. We


thank Thee for our national history. We


bless Thee that we are at last rid of the


curse of human slavery, though it we're


blotted out in blood; we bless Thee for


the unity and integrity of this nation,


which have been vindicated We thank


Thee for the historyvof the organization


we represent to-day in these trials and


in this nation. We thank Thee for the
memory OF the sainted dead. We ask
Thee that we may be true to all that is


best in the record of this party to-day.


We ask Thee that we may have these
blessings continued unto us, gained by
so much of sacrifice and guarded by all
possible sanctions and laws. To this end
wilt Thou put in the hearts of these rep
resentatives a sense of their profound re-
sponsibility to the commonwealth, and
to guide and mako them act with an eye
single to the best interests of the State
and the glory of their Heavenly Father.
We ask Thee that education may be
guarded, and religion may be guarded,
and all that is true and lovely, and of
good report in our commonwealth, may
be guarded by the action of this conven-
tion today. Our Heavenly Father be
Thou with those who shall prepare
platform for this convention, and may
such principles be laid as the foundation
of this party that all honest and good
men throughout the commonwealth may
give entire allegience to it. We ask Thee,
dear Father, that Thou wilt be with
these representatives in their choice of
candidates, that we may have men as
our representatives worthy of the State,
and worthy of the sacred interests they
represent. Dear Father, we commit this
convention. to Thy guiding, and Thou
canst turn the hearts of men as the rivers
Of water are turned. We ask Thee to
guard the minds and inspire the minds
of these Thy Servants so that at the
great day of judgment, when they shall
lock back upon the fulfilled issues of
this present hour, which they cannot
now foresee, they shall have JOY and COM
placency in the work they have done.
These favors we ask for the sake and in
the name of Him who having not seen
we love. Amen


Hon L. Danford, of Belmont county,
who is member of Congress, was APP
pointed temporary chairman, and made
the following speech, without notes or
preparation;


"GENTLEMAN OF TIE REPUBLICAN, STATE
CONVENTION; Permit me to express my
thanks for the honor of being called to
act as your temporary Chairman | be-
hac
of public sentiment in Ohio in theslast
few months but must feel that the peo- |
pie of this State are beginning to realize |
the fact that it is not yet either wise or
safe to trust the Democratic party with |
power. Applause. And if we act to- |
day with that reference to the wishes of |
the people of the State, that as the dele |
gates of the people you are bound to oh
serve, the ticket we nominate to-day we
will triumphqntly elect in October Zap
plause.l The Democratic party elected |
their Governor and carried the Legisla-
ture of the State two years ago. They |
were entirely successful last fall They |
had promised to the people retrench-
ment, reform, and especially higher
order of the public service, greater de
votion to the interests of the people, un-
selfish patriotism. We have had two
winters of a Democratic Legislature, di-
rected, aided, and assisted by a Demo
cratic Governor, and in that time in their
they have gone into the
and charitable institutions
of the State they have to great degree
impaired their usefulness in turning out
faithful public servants to make room
for the same purpose, and in the manner
and matter of retrenchment they have
the actual running expenses of
the State government, and for the pur-
pose of keeping the word of promise to
the public ear they have struck from the
State levy a sufficient amount, perhaps,
to produce in the aggregate S300,000;
vet it is well known to the people of
Ohio and those conyersant with its finan-
cial condition that to the full extent of
the levy thus stricken out we will have
a deficit at the end of the year They
are retrenching by refusing or failing to
provide for the public dues of the State,
as an individual who had resolved upon
increases the number of
his servants, increases the expenses of
his family, and refuses to pay his honest
debts Applause. This is the retrench-
ment of the Democratic Legislature of
Ohio Applause. At tbs same time
they have Il high regard for local self
government They invcigh in their
platforms, in their public speeches, and
in the press against a Capitalization of
power, yet it is well known that at the
last session of the Democratic Legislature
they attempted to deprive one of the
chief cities OF youF State the right to con
troll their local affairs, and that too, in
the interest Of a ring of spectators.
I Cheers. And in the interest of Ohio
and her public servants and for the pur-
pose of elevating the political morals of
the State these gentlemen went about