Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 10.djvu/136

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS

good for the greatest number of citizens. There is not a precinct m this vast nation where a Democrat can not cast his ballot and have it counted as cast. No matter what the prominence of the opposite party, he can proclaim his polit- ical opinions, even if he is only one among a thousand, without fear and without proscription on account of his opinions. There are fourteen States, and localities in some other States, where Republicans have not this privilege. This is one reason why I am a Republican.

But I am a Republican for many other reasons. The Republican party assures protection to life and property, the public credit, and the pay- ment of the debts of the government, State, county, or municipality, so far as it can control. The Democratic party does not promise this; if it does, it has broken its promises to the extent of hundreds of millions, as many Northern Dem- ocrats can testify to their sorrow. I am a Re- publican, as between the existing parties, because it fosters the production of the field and farm, and of manufactories, and it encourages the gen- eral education of the poor as well as the rich.

The Democratic party discourages all these when in absolute power. The Republican party is a party of progress, and of liberty toward its opponents. It encourages the poor to strive to l)etter their children, to enable them to compete successfully with their more fortunate associates, and, in fine, it secures an entire equality before the law of every citizen, no matter what his 108

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