Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1885 — LOGAN AT BOSTON. [ARTICLE]

LOGAN AT BOSTON.

A Rousing Reception Given the Illinois Senator at the Hub. The Treachery of Democracy to Oivil-Serr-ioe Reform Denounced—Republican Success. Predicted. [Boston special to Chicago Tribune.] Gen. Logan is to-night the guest of the Norfolk Club of this city. The General, Mrs. Logan, and their sons arrived from Portland about 2p. m. -The railway station was crowded with admirers of the Illinois Senator and cheered him lustily when he stepped from the car, where he was met by a committee of the club and’'taken to the Parker House. As the carriage containing the Senator was leaving the station a poorly dressed'individual standing on the sidewalk opposile caught Gen. Logan’s eye apd instantly raised his hat Gen. Logan, with characteristic courtesy, recognized ths greeting by completely uncovering his head and bowing as if to a distinguished assemblage instead of to one humble person. This little act was the signal for three more cheers, which echoed in the ears of the visitor as he was driven away in the direction of the Parker House. The guests were given a lunch on arriving at the Parker House, and soon retired to their rooms. From 5 to 6p. m. a reception was given to Gen. Logan in the parlors of the Parker House, where about 250 prominent men were presented to the General and his wife, whose presence was requested in the re-ception-room. Among those who paid their respects to the visitors were Gov. Robinson, Lieut. Gov. Ames, Senator Hoar, Congressmen Long aud Ely, the Speaker of the House and President of the State Senate, ex-Gox. Bourne, and Congressman Spooner of Rhode Island, and a large number of prominent gentlemen. Soon after 7 o’clock the company entered the dining-room. The President of the club, the Hon. Asa French, one of the Commissioners of Alabama Claims, presided, with Gen. Logan on his right and Gov. Robinson on his left. After excellent speeches by the presiding officer and Gov. Robinson, Senator Logan was introduced. Gen. Logan on rising to respond was received With cheer after cheer, and two or three minutes elapsed before he could be heard. The General began by making some complimentary allusions to Massachusetts. He referred to some of the eminent men of the old Bay StaM; he spoke of the remarkable change iff public sentimeat on some important questions during the last thirty years, and then passed on to a consideration of some phases of the present political situation. He said: “First, let me say of civil-service reform that it is the child of the Republican party, but unfortunately has been put out to nurse with a stranger, and if not dead now looks 'sick’unto death.’ When the law was pAsed the intention was to put into the positions to which the law applied such persons as were found to be best qualified to perform the duties required, and also to retain in position such persons as were well qualified and found to have faithfully performed their duties. The law is now being construed, however, to the effect that a person who voted the Republican ticket at the last election committed a crime against ‘the peace and dignity’ of the Democratic party—a new offense—heretofore unknown to law of politics—to wit: ‘Offensive partisanship.’ A man may have rebelled, or, being in the North, may have sympathized with rebellion against the Government; he may have sought to negotiate with foreign powers for its overthrow; he may have striven to ‘ham-string’ it at the most critical moment of its desperate struggle for existence; he may have attempted to destroy its beneficent influence; he may have tried to make our institutions a by-word and a mockery among the nations; he may have terrorized voters; he may have suppressed or destroyed the ballot, or fraudulently perverted its true intent and meaning; he may have assisted in enacting laws under whose free operation freedom became a delusion and personal liberty a snare; but these do not seem to prove him to be an ‘offensive partisan,’ provided always that he voted the Democratic ticket. Shall a man who has been true, oven at the .risk of life, limb, health, and fortune, to the Union, to freedom, to the sanctity of the ballot, and to that spirit of progress which is acceptable in ihe sight of God be amenable to the charge of ‘offensive partisanship’ for exercising his right as an America© citizen? Is ibis the character of the man who is offensive to the Democratic party? Do we not see the civil service principles twisted, warped, and most wretchkdly deformed, in place of the service being, as was promised, reformed? I object, for one, to the prostitution of the public service in the name of reform. I insist that there should be candor and fair dealing in the matter of making removals from office. If our political opponents propose to make removals from all the offices I say that, instead of trumping up frivolous and unjust charges against Republican incumbents as a justification for their removal, they will announce that they are to be turned out because thej' are Republicans, and their successors are to be appointed because they are Democrats, Sir, tear away the mask of reform and let the face of Democracy come forth. ” After reviewing the record of the Repubican party the Senator continued: “Mr. Chairman, the Republican party is not dead;, jt lives the life of the vigorous and strong. It will be returned to power by the people. It is the party of the people. Protection to our home and free labor demands it; the restoration' of true civil-service reform demands it; adequate appropriations to aid the system of free schools wherever needed demand it; the promoting of our home industrial interests in all proper ways demands it; the necessity for the enforcement of the right of every voter within our national boundaries to* cast his ballot and have the same fairly counted at all national elections, and to give to each man that equal and adequate protection before the law to which he is entitled, require the return of the Republicans to power both in Congress and in the Executive branch of the Government; and in order that the financial system established by the Republican party may be preserved—that the revenues of the country may be protected against unwarranted claims upon the Treasury.” Speeches were also made by Senator Hoar, the Hon. John. D. Long, ex-Gov-ernor Bourne of Rhode Island, Henry Cabot Lodge, ex-Collector Beaid, and others. The appointment of a successor to Collector Robertson, of New,York,] shows that there was no “principle” in the reappointment of Postmaster Pearson, while the satisfaction expressed over the Postmaster's case, and the meek acceptance of the violation of civil-service reform in the other inStanee, shows hwhat a contemptible craven thing the mugwump spirit is.— Indianapolis Journal,