Year: 1872

end of the State and the only excuse ]
can give for appearing before you TO-
night is that whether man lives at the
East or the West he may meet his fell
low citizens and take counsel with them.
am here in the interest of no man,
nor any aspirant for Office. II l have
any charter it is to speak, though
speak but feebly in favor of q
patriotic and q great party, aud
against an oligarchy and tyranny, and
il man were bound to my heart by
hooks Of steel / would tear him off il
be raised his hand against that party,
tor he would prove himself traitor 70
freedom and the prosperity of the
country.


Your first revolution was in 1870.
| Did John j. Jacob win that revolu-
tion2 Was it a victory Of any man
No it was victory OF the people, Of the
Democratic and Conservative party,
John J. Jacob or no John j. jacob.
Why, ne tells you himself he was not
known. The contest is peculiar one
and is being carried on to learn whether
the State can be carried for Grant or
Greeley in November. But first let us
speak of the constitution. 1t became
necessary that the constitution adopted
by a vote OF $1,000 or 1900, and
under which the long line of tyranny
aud outrages had been perpetrated
should be entirely and completely chang
ed. The constitution now offered to you
is the only one on which all the people
OF this State have had an opportunity
to vote. You remember how if a man
desired to cast his vote against the
adoption OF the first constitution he was
driven back bybayonets Of the soldiers.
The new constitution, say is the only
one ever made for your State by the
entire people of the State, and it is your
duty to see that it looses nothing at your
hands. .


Let any one compare the new Con-
stitution and the old. Under the old
Constitution there has never been law
passed by the Legislature declared IN
constitutional by the Courts. They
dare not do it. The moment Judge
we're to attempt it, of goes his head, so
much for Buckingham" and another
goes to the bench in bis place, more
willing and subservient tool. Under
the proposed Constitution such state
of things is impossible.


Colonel Hoge spoke of the home
stead law and the idea advanced by
some i. that it will destroy credit. 1t
will do nothing 6f the sort. Illinois
has directed that most liberal home.
stead law shall be passed. The pros
perity of the State depends upon the
immigration into the State, and
emigrants always enquire at the agen.
cies abroad in regard to the homestead
laws OF the States in which they desire
to live. They regard such law as i'm.
portant, aud reason why it is put in the
constitution is that the constitutions OF
the different States are known and the
general laws are not. But says the ob.
jector, that provision destroys credit
and prevents the collection OF debts.
This is nonsense. 1t only provides a
way for doing that which mancan do
any time in another way. AS it is now
man has only to 60 to an attorney or
scrivner and by little deed Of trust
make over to his wife and family his
property.


Col. Hoge turned his attention to Ma
tional politics. He urged the election
of Greeley as the only means to save
the country. The Democratic banner
can afford to be folded for four years, if
thereby we can save enough OF this
country to govern with constitutional
government After speaking Of Grant
and the one term principal, at first pro-
fessed and afterwards repudiated, he
said it called to his mind case nearer
home. was, he said, the President OF
the Parkersburgh convention, and sat
there all day and looked in the eyes OF
1000 as honest men and Democrats as
ever gathered together, and any man
who says they came there to consum-
mate a bargain before made, states that
which is falsel falsei


Mr.. Camden has stated how some Of
the counties sent their delegates. In
Berkeley county We selected thirty del
egates and fearing that the county
might not be fully represented in the
Parkersburg convention, we opened the
doors and resolved that all Democrats
Of our county who were in Parkersburg
at the time should be admitted as dele
gates, and never in private CONVERSE
ton, in the court house, on the store
boxes. did 1 ever hear a Democrat say
he wanted John J. Jacob elected.


II you vote for John J. Jacob do you
vote Democratic ticket? Shouts Of
No! no! Don't you vote a Radical
ticket? Shouts Of Yes yes 1t is
the old story of Isaac aud Esau and the
mess of pottage, and l tell you, gentle
men, though the voice is the voice Of
Jacob, the hand is the hand OF the
Radical Esau, whose claws are hid, but
who, as soon as it can be safely done,
Will again fasten upon thethroat of the
liberties OF the people. 81.
Col. Hoge's speech was received with
rapturous applause.


Colonel Hoge was followed by Hon.
c. Boggess, who in an eloquent speech
of an hour referred to the past history
of the State and the struggles of the
Democratic party to free the people
from the chains the Radical party bad
fastened on them, when men OF our own
race and color were denied the rights of
citizenship and almost the right to life.
He showed that the Republican party,
after fastening on the people Of the
State . constitution that compelled the
Judges of our, Courts to decide
that no law passed by partisan Legis.
lsture could be unconstitutional, had
l.:.L.L "a .s-axo xa,istinn oil ATTAIN Mt q