Year: 1872

this kind greeting and cOngratulatiOn,
which l know to be sincere and not
merely formal, because of themultiplied
evidences of your good viii in the past.
That the result of the Cincinnati Con-
vention has not been exactly such as
your partiality would have dictated, 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 Ex-senator ShurtZ to preside Ov-
er the largest and ablest political cOnven-
ton that ever assembled in America;
and, second, ofaccording anOminatOin by
so fiattering a unanimity for the second
Office in the government to one of your
citizens in my own humble person,
leaves


NO EXCUSE FOR CAvILING
or discomfort on that score. The first
object 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. In that
light my deliberate judgment is that
the selection made for the head of your
ticket is the strongest that could have
been fallen upon. You must not expect
from me any extended speech this even
ing, or that I should enter at large upon
that argument which will 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 I'M
derstand is designed rather as


A PERSONAL COMPLIMENT.


Such being the case, let me hope that
you will not take it amiss if I refer very
briefly to some personal matters before
going into action. 1t is usual to clear
away the underground in front Of the
position; leave no cover for concealed
enemies. 1t is not very heroic work,
and yet it may be none the less
oppOrtune as well as needful. For nearly
a quarter of a century | have been a cit
izen of this State, constantly and acri-
mOniously involved in all those political
contests by which some strange destiny
has ever given shape and character TO
the advent of the national politics con-
trolling the government. That during
the fierce heats of partisan bitterness /
should be assailed in all ways and by
all means, in purpose, in method, in
reputation, was not to be wondered at.
WITH THE FRANIINESS OF OUR WESTERN


LIFE,


when the contests were ended, the cal
umnies We're also buried. Thus it has
fallen out that with so many tokens of
unchanged confidence and regard, l
recognize, even in this hour, that
] have a character which | prize above
any preierment. and honor which has





in the affections of this people that
could not have come to me had any of
those vile ISLANDERS been true, and now
as it will devolve upon me again to go
forth in bitterness in a still wider and
perhaps more envenomed conflict than
any of the past, l have only to say, that
you, my friends and neighbors, who
know so well 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 so
highly hOnOred me and so often, | shall
leave the defense of


MY GOOD NAME


against any vituperation that shall assail
it.


Now, to another point. | see that al
ready thepress ofthe opposition are seiz-
ing upon some ofthe incidents of the late
convention, ,distorting their significance,
and seeking to SOW the seeds of jealousy
and mistrust between those who have
been towards thus far in the cause of
Liberalism. The attempt is made to
place the most distinguished champion
of our cause,


SENATOR SCHURZ,


in an attitude of humiliation and de-
fense, and to imply that between him
and myself there has been some bad
faith or recrimination. know this is
delicate ground TO travel over, and vet /
feel it due to him that justice should be
done, and by no one can that be done
with more knowledge than myself.
have, therefore, To state To you all
who are our mutual friends, that
such reports are utterly without fOunda-
ton. AS to the politics and platforms
there has been perfect accord. And hold
ing the conspicuous position which his
genius and energy assigned him, earn
est, first Of all, for the success of the
convention, he did not feel at liberty TO
make himself the advocate of any can
didate, and, least of all, one from his own
State, ! appreciated and concurred in
the


ELEVATION OF SENTIMENT
which dictate this course, and have to
say in all his bearing, so far as | know,
Il was manly and sincere. What he
contributed to the Inauguration of that
MAGNIFICENT resemblance, the indie
pendent thought of the Republican
party, the world knows, and il
The honor of such an achievement can
be defeat, then | know not the meaning
of the term, andto those of the Opposi-
ton who may be comforting their
hearts with the thought that he enter
tains such a feeling himself-tO those
who know so well that when he enters
upon the arena of popular appeal that
Zone blast from off his bugle horn We're
worth a thousand men'-tO those who
fear the


EFFECT or HIS ELOQUENT


pleading am glad to give his assur-
ance that from now till November he
will be found in the front of the fight,
unfolding the nation and the choice OF
of the convention. Although not in
tending to enter upon a general discus
sion, vet there is one matter of suf-
ficient interest to us here al
NOME " hEnldllu DlOuACnl
reference. Ii was thought by many that
the question Of revenue reform would
be shaped into some practical form as
part of the platform, and surprise has
been felt al its omission, but L am sure
all doubt on this point will vanish when
il is considered that the action of the
convention in referring this industrial
topic to the people in the Congressional
districts, pledging the Executive to re-
spect that viii, was the necessary and
logical consequence of an opposition tC
the eentralizing tendencies of the


GENERAL GOVERNMENT.


It is thus that such matters should be
decided, unbiased and unawed by Fed
eral influence, and it thus, and thus
only. that the people can understand the
reforms they desire and are entitled tc
have been carried out. National par
ties are in a large measure types of Fed
eral authority. To subordinate this, an
expression on tariffs OF any of those in
teT-domestic politics is sure to be at the
expense of all truth of utterance. A
determination thus imposed IN
advance upon the people, would bt
adapted to party eXigencies, and would
not come fairly forth as the well can
vassed sentiment Of the nation. 1t was
deemed wise, therefore, to get rid o.
such


CAPITALIZATION


influences ami make reference oe these
matters and all Others Of like imp0r
/ 20 localities for expression; and witt
such course those surely, Of all others