Speeches of Benjamin Harrison, Twenty-third President of the United StatesHarrison, Benjamin
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Speeches of Benjamin Harrison, Twenty-third President of the United States
Harrison, Benjamin
Harrison, Benjamin, 1833-1901; Speeches, addresses, etc., American; United States -- Politics and government
Let us exalt patriotism and moderate our party contentions. Let
those who would die for the flag on the field of battle give a better
proof of their patriotism and a higher glory to their country by
promoting fraternity and justice. A party success that is achieved by
unfair methods or by practices that partake of revolution is hurtful
and evanescent, even from a party standpoint. We should hold our
differing opinions in mutual respect, and, having submitted them to
the arbitrament of the ballot, should accept an adverse judgment with
the same respect that we would have demanded of our opponents if the
decision had been in our favor.
No other people have a government more worthy of their respect and
love, or a land so magnificent in extent, so pleasant to look upon,
and so full of generous suggestion to enterprise and labor. God has
placed upon our head a diadem, and has laid at our feet power and
wealth beyond definition or calculation. But we must not forget that
we take these gifts upon the condition that justice and mercy shall
hold the reins of power, and that the upward avenues of hope shall be
free to all the people.
I do not mistrust the future. Dangers have been in frequent ambush
along our path, but we have uncovered and vanquished them all.
Passion has swept some of our communities, but only to give us a new
demonstration that the great body of our people are stable, patriotic,
and law-abiding. No political party can long pursue advantage at the
expense of public honor or by rude and indecent methods, without
protest and fatal disaffection in its own body. The peaceful agencies
of commerce are more fully revealing the necessary unity of all our
communities, and the increasing intercourse of our people is promoting
mutual respect. We shall find unalloyed pleasure in the revelation
which our next census will make of the swift development of the great
resources of some of the States. Each State will bring its generous
contribution to the great aggregate of the Nation's increase. And when
the harvest from the fields, the cattle from the hills, and the ores
of the earth shall have been weighed, counted, and valued, we will
turn from them all to crown with the highest honor the State that has
most promoted education, virtue, justice, and patriotism among the
people.
NEW YORK CITY, APRIL 30, 1889.
_The Nation's Centenary._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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