Year: 1873




| origin" and yet it presents no single is
sue but the identical ones on which these
| old parties are still in controversy. But
as nobody expects any present success
for this movement, its significance is only
as an undeniable evidence of the discon-
| tent that is destroying, and of the process
of dissolution that is going on in that
once-powerful and long successful .delu-
sion, called the Democratic party. 1t
gives another hopeful proof that, amid
all the corruptions of partisan politics,
no faithless party need hope to maintain
| its ranks unbroken, OF successfully rally
American freemen as the followers of a
dishonored cause


Last of all, after tedious search for
martyr candidates, harassing doubts as
to abandoned principles, and protracted
inquests over an apparently lifeless body,
the Democratic party protests that it is
still alive, replanks its old platform, and
asks the people of Ohio to reverse the
judgment that for sixteen years they
have re-affirmed, and which has constant
ly remanded that party back into unhap-
py exile from power.


Now, fellow-citizens, in Judging be-
tween these parties by what shall we be
guided2 Each of them has not only a
name and platform of policies, but a
IT..
perience has abundantly proven that
platform promises, of themselves, are ut
terly unreliable A Persian proverb
wisely says, Words are the daughters of
the wind, but deeds are the children of
the soul"


Every party has its real character writ
ten in its history. Here we find the su-
preme tests of the truth of its professions
and the worthiness of its aims. To rely
on these tests, rather than on its declara-
tions, is only to follow the dictates of
reason, the promptings of justice, the
light of experience. and the fundamental
maxims, not only of moral evidence, but
of enlightened law. To reject them is to
blot out the only light by which our steps
can be safely guided


For several years the Democratic party
has been quite willing to forget its recent
history That it realized its odiousness
was fully confessed by its adoption of
New Departure" II declared the ques-
tions connected with the war to be dead
issues" 1t sought from the people for
that dark record, the mercy of oblivion.
But few, even of it's blindest partisans,
attempted fully to justify it. The people,
always generous, were beginning to trust
the sincerity of its professions as earnest
of better judgment and truer loyalty.


The amazing declarations made by Mr..
Allen, the Democratic nominee for Gov
ernor, in his late serenade speech, force
upon US these questions, and ceallenge
again the Judgment of the people upon
that very issue; for they assault the JUS
tice and moderation of every loyal man
in the nation, so that now, if any man
objects to the temperance of this dead
issue, let him remember that Mr.. Allen
has thrust it upon US by reckless def
ance. He declares it is "a grave mistake"
to suppose that the Democratic organiza-
ton acted unaOiseLy in attenaptngto restrain the.
unbridLed fury of the opposition in the late
great struggle in this country" Again
he says, "it became necessary that the
Democratic party should enter protest,
and that Northern feeling should inter
fere," in order that "the matter should
not be allowed to run into the channels
of a bloody revenge"


Yes, the people of this country will
never forget how faithfully that party en-
tered its protest against every measure
for upholding the supremacy of our i'm
periled nationality, nor the various and
ingenious methods by which it faithfully
sought to restrain 'the unbridled fury"
of the over Jealous and misguided men
who came at their country's call, and Of





these methods was to oppose every meas
ure taken by the Government to raise,
equip, and support an army for its pres
ervation; another method of restraining
this "unbridled fury" was to proclaim
that the South could never be conquered.
Then these gentle patriots entered "pro-
test" tenderly against the soldiers of the
Union as Lincoln hirelings" and when
amid the smoke of battle, these brave de-
tenders of our country bore our banner
to victory, the joy of our triumph only
saddened the hearts of thousands who
had neither the loyalty of the patriot, nor
the courage of the rebel. Mr.. Allen asks
"where would the war have ended if it
had not been for this protest on the part
of the Democracy p In all probability
about three years before it did, and still
much sooner if the protest" had been
entered with the other side. But as Mr..
Allen confesses, that party preferred to
protest" only against what was done by
the upholders of our national authority.
Their utterances of opposition to nullifi-
cation and secession are just beginning to
come in now in platform resolutions. In
his speech at Hamilton, September 10,
1868, Mr.. Allen himself said expressly
Now, my friends, tell you that | never
justified this resort to arms" In the
same speech he assails, with unbridled
fury, Lincoln and his gang" but not one
word about the salvation of the Union"
But what ''protest" did this party ever
enter to the rebels in arms against the
Nations life? In what way did it ever
seek to restrain their "unbridled fury p
Did it ever signify desire that they
should be checked in their mad career
in their insane assault upon the Govern
ment? But Mr.. Allen says: THE De-
mocracy said to their friends of the other
party prosecute the war to that point
that is necessary for the salvation of the
Union, and then stop the shedding of
blood


+ When did it say so? Where was this
utterance given? Was ever more reck-
less defiance of all the truths of history
uttered?


The rebellion itself was Democratic
rebellion-Democratic in the heresy that
inspired it, by which that party had been
taught to glorify the power of the States,
and to despise the authority of a nation
ality, the oneness of united America-n
the sympathy and encouragement that
kept it alive-in the cry of every man
who shouted mo coercion" in the North,
and in the voice of every one who de-
nounced every measure for its overthrow.
Democratic in every officer that led that
traitorous host and Democratic in the
sorrow that mourned it when it went
down in the tempest of battle, by the
valor OF the soldiers of the Union


Are these truths of history, or is this
only defamation? / appeal to the i'm
partial annals of our country, and to the
living experience of all who hear me.
invoke the imperishable history which
cannot go into oblivion, even to save
great party from infamy. In 1860 til,
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