Year: 1876

lFroH Gen. Brinkerhoff's Speech at Mansf Id, o.


ftsCems 70 ne, fellow citizens, that the
time has come for inc people of the United
States to turn away from the discussion of
dead issues and devote themselves to the solu-
ton of living questions. The war OF the
rebellion is now decade behind us, and for
all practical purposes it is as far distant as
the revolution of a century ago. There is
no more danger of the restoration OF slavery
or of the Southern Confederacy than there
is of the domination of King George the
Third. In my Judgment there is no more
danger from the rebels of 1876 than there is
from the tories of 1776. We are now the
people of one country. The cause of conten-
ton has passed away, and it is not in the
power of mortal man to restore it. The
South could not restore slavery if II would,
and would not if it could. As stated by
Governor Tilden in his message of 1875,
The questions settled by the war can never
be reopened. The adoption of the thir-
teenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amend
ments to the Federal Constitution closed
one era in our politics. 1t marked the end
forever of the system of human slavery, and
the struggles that grew out Of that system.
These amendments have been conclusively
adopted, and they have been adopted in
good faith by all political organizations and
the people of all sections. They close the
chapter; they are and must be final; all
parties hereafter must accept and stand upon
them, and henceforth our politics are to
turn upon questions of the presnent and the
future, ond not upon those of the settled
and final past"


Wise words are these, and as an anti-sla-
very man from the very beginning of my
political career, down to this present time,
give them greeting. Human slavery in
. g ,e nd daod
Not only is it dead and buried by the Con-
stitution OF the United States, but it is dust,
and ashes, and powder impalpable beneath
the slow-moving but irresistable providence
of God Almighty.


We turn our faces therefore from the past
and address ourselves to the questions of
the present and future, and for the solution
of them we cannot give any better advice
than that given by Gov. Tilden in his last
gubernatorial message: We must build up
new prosperity upon the old foundations
of American self-government; carry back
our political systems to the ideals OF their
authors; make governmental institutions
simple, frugal--meddling little with the pri-
vate concerns OF individuals-aiming at ira
ternity among ourselves and peace abroad
and trusting to the people to work out
their own prosperity and happiness. ALI
the elements of national growth and private
| felicity exist in our country in an abund-
ance which Providence has youchsafed to no
other people. Whatwe need to do is to res
cue them from governmental folly and ra.
pacity."


These are noble words, and 1 trust they
mark the beginning of new era, as they dq
the beginning of new century.


The century gone, to us as people, has
been one of diseord; but now that the
cause of dissension has passed away, there
is no reason why the century to come should
not be one of concord.


Believing that the principles enunciated
by the Democratic party tend to this result
more than any other, enlist under its ban
ner, and trust that the good sense of the
American people will give it victory in No
yember