Senator Thurman At Home

SENATOR THURMAN AT HOME
Informing His Townsmen what the Cry for Strong Government Means.

Senator Thurman arrived in Columbus on Saturday afternoon to enjoy a brief respite from a five-month stay at Washington. His friends serenaded him in the evening, calling out the following speech:

"My friends, it has been said that every Presidential election is a crisis in this republic, and, though it might be doubted whether in the past that remark was so absolutely true that there was no exception to it, yet it must be admitted that in later years every Presidential election, in fact, has been a crisis in our affairs, and no one can tell how long it may thus continue to be. But of one thing I think we may be absolutely certain, and that is the Presidential election of 1880 will be regarded, as long as the history of this country shall be read and studied, as a crisis in the republic. And why do I say this? I am not accustomed, it is not my wont, to magnify things. Why, then, do I say this is a crisis in public affairs? Because, my friends, in my serious judgment, the election this year will go far to determine whether substantial liberty and substantial free institutions shall longer continue in America."

Judge Thurman then spoke for some minutes upon the phrase so often repeated by the opponents of the Democratic party, that "we need a stronger Government." The meaning of this was that we should have a stronger national Government to rule over the whole people of this country. The people should be content with the Government as it has existed for three-quarters of a century, under which we have flourished as no other people have flourished. There are only two modes of giving strength to a Government. One mode is fraught with beneficence to the people and safety, security, and prosperity to the state. The other mode means despotism over the people and means ruin and ultimate destruction to the state.

The first is to so constitute your Government and so administer it that it will challenge and receive the affection of the people who dwell under it, that they shall not merely obey it, but that they shall revere, esteem, and love it. A Government thus supported by its people, whatever may be its form, however few may be the powers expressly conferred upon it, is one of the strongest governments upon the earth, if not the very strongest.

Such a Government our forefathers thought they had ordained for the people of the United States, and such a Government the Democratic party has always advocated. The other mode of strengthening a Government is to strengthen it merely by force; by great standing armies. This point was dwelt on at some length, and illustrations of the results of such governments were given by reference to the rule of Great Britain over Ireland, the Empire of Russia, &c.

The application made of the principles underlying these two forms of government was that the former mode was that by which the Democratic party sought to administer the Government while the Republican party resorted to the latter mode.

He concluded as follows: "Now, my friends, in my judgment, the great question which is to be solved is whether or not the strength of our Government in the future shall come from the affections of the people, or whether it shall be that strength that despots, and despots alone, employ. There is much more that I might speak to you about—of the necessity of reform, of the necessity of economy, of the necessity of lowering taxes, and all these subjects with which you are more or less familiar. But I promised you that I would not weary your patience, and I hope you will not allow me to weary myself."

Again thanking the crowd, he retired, amid enthusiastic applause.