g of a political canvass, to write or dictate a speech and
hand it to the press associations, to be printed in the newspapers
only after the speech is made. This is done for the convenience
of the press and to secure an accurate report. The speech at
Cincinnati, thus prepared, was not read by me, but I spoke from
briefs which enabled me to substantially follow it. Subsequent
speeches had to vary according to the nature and mood of the
audience, or the political subject exciting local interest and
attention. At Cincinnati I gave a comparison of the principles,
tendency, and achievements of the two great parties, and the reasons
why the Democratic party wanted a change in the executive branch
of the government. I contrasted the aims and policy of that party,
at each presidential election from 1860 to 1880, with those of the
Republican party, and expressed my opinion of the effects that
would have followed their success at each of those elections. I
stated in detail the results secured during the last four years by
the election of a Republican President. These included the resumption
of specie payments, the refunding and the steady reduction of the
public debt, the faithful collection of the revenue, economy of
public expenditures, and business prosperity for which I gave the
causes, all of which were opposed or denied by the Democratic party.
I entered into detail on the measures proposed by the then Democratic
Congress, the motive of them, and the ruinous effects they would
produce, and alleged that the changes proposed were dictated by
the same policy that was adopted by Buchanan and the active leaders
of the War of the Rebellion and by the corrupt power that controlled
the city of New York. I replied to the charges of fraud made as
to the election of President Hayes, that the alleged fraud consisted
in the judgment of the electoral commission created by the Democrats
that Hayes was duly elected. I narrated the gross crimes of the
Ku-Klux Klan and kindred associations to control the elections in
the south, and the attempted bribery of an elector in Oregon.

This speech was arraigned as bitterly partisan, but it was justified
by facts proven by the strongest evidence. I have recently carefully
read it, and, while I confess that its tone was bitter and partisan,
yet the allegations were clearly justified. At this time such
fraud and violence could not be practiced in the south, for the
tendency of events has q