cuss questions which have not heretofore been much considered.
They told the people that the old issues were settled, and that in
this canvass in particular, there would be no propriety in
discussing the record made by men during the war; that the war was
over; that bygones ought to be permitted to be bygones; and they
started a considerable number of subjects for discussion, which I
claim are either unimportant matters, or are matters which are in
no sense party questions. For example, Judge Ranney, in a very
elaborate speech at Mansfield, of great length, discussed perhaps a
dozen or fifteen topics, almost all of which are in no sense party
questions. For example, he talked about the land grants that had
been made to the railroads, particularly to the Pacific Railroad,
during the last few years, and of the subsidies of money that by
law have been given to the railroad companies. Now, this is but a
specimen of the topics discussed by Judge Ranney. It is enough to
say, in regard to the railroads, that they were voted for
indiscriminately by Union men and by Democrats--peace Democrats and
war Democrats--and that they were finally made laws by the
signature of Andrew Johnson. They are in no sense, therefore, party
issues; and the only purpose of discussing them is, so far as I can
see, to mislead the people, and to withdraw their attention from
the main issues before them.

Judge Thurman has discussed the subject of a standing army. He has
spoken of the great expense of keeping up a standing army, and, as
I think, has greatly exaggerated the sum requisite--naming two
hundred and fifty millions as the annual expense of it. I suppose
that is three or four, or perhaps five times as great as the actual
amount: but I do not stop to argue that matter with him. I say to
him, in regard to it, that Democrats voted for it in both houses,
and it became a law by the signature of the president whom he
supports. It is not, therefore, a party issue.

I can not, in any reasonable length of time, even name the various
topics that have been discussed in this way. Perhaps none has
attracted more attention than the subject of finances, and the main
issue presented by our Democratic friends on that subject has been
this--namely, that it is for the interest of the people