SPEECH Delivered at Meriden, March 25, 1871, opening the Connecticut Campaign. FELLOW-CITIZENS: I SINCERELY thank you for the honor you have done me, by appointing me the presiding officer of this meeting. The question this spring, my friends, is not who shall be the next governor of Connecticut, but how great shall be his majority. The people of this State have already elected in their hearts as their next governor, the Hon. James E. English, and the only question to be decided on the first Monday in April is how large shall be his majority; and hundreds of Republicans in this State are saying that James E. English is good enough Governor for them, and that they have no desire, and much more no expectation, of seeing him defeated. A most bitter feud has sprung up in the ranks of the Republican party, and Ulysses S. Grant is surely and steadily tolling the death-knell of his party. He has descended from his proper position as President of the United States, and lobbied with Congressmen to disgrace and degrade some of the oldest, most spotless, and faithful members of the Republican party. He has secured the removal of Charles Sumner from the chairmanship of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, a place which he has held for twelve years with great credit to his country, and has secured the appointment in his place of the most corrupt politician in America, Simon Cameron, who, the "Springfield Republican" says, twice bought his election to the United States Senate, and whom Abraham Lincoln removed from his Cabinet for corruption in office. General Grant has also lost the support of the whole German element of the West by his refusal even to see Carl Schurz, the eloquent and gifted Senator from Missouri, when he called at the White House upon official business. And all this, gentlemen, because these men would not bow the knee to Ulysses Grant, and vote for the annexation of San Domingo. I hope that the people of this Congressional District will send to the next Congress a gentleman who, caring nothing for Presidential frowns, will have the courage to speak, as Stephen W. Kellogg has not, the true sentiment of a vast majority of the people of this district in opposition to that infamous scheme, urged by a White House lobby, for the annexation of the remote and worthless island of San Domingo, whose inhabitants are in no way fitted for a successful and happy union with the people of the American republic. To annex it would be a worthless expenditure of the people's money, and dangerous to the perpetuity of the institutions of our common country. The people of New Hampshire on Tuesday last proclaimed in thunder notes their disapproval of the annexation of San Domingo. It only remains for Connecticut to imitate the glorious example of New Hampshire, by electing as Governor, by three thousand majority, that honored gentleman, James E. English, and by sending to Congress four true Democrats. SPEECH At the Meeting of the Committee on Humane As briefly stated in Tuesday's "Republican," the Committee on Humane Institutions met in the afternoon at two o'clock, in room No. 16, Insurance Building, Hartford, to take action regarding the petition for an investigation into the affairs of the State Reform School. The full committee were present, Senator Charles W. Yale, of the Sixth district, being in the chair. Ratcliffe Hicks, Esq., appeared for the petitioners, and addressed the committee. Mr. Hicks began by calling the attention of the committee to many changes that ought to be made in the laws relating to the Reform School, and pointed out the great superiority of the laws of Massachusetts relative to such institutions over our own laws; among others, that the office of superintendent and treasurer should be separated, and not held as at present by the same person; the law should be so changed that the teachers and all officers should be alone appointed and removed by the board of trustees. In support of these propositions, Mr. Hicks claimed that these powers vested in one man clothed him with too much authority, deprived under officers of their independence, and made them fearful of asserting their rights. After dwelling at length on these points, Mr. Hicks took up the question of contracts, and claimed that these should be put in writing, as otherwise the State might suffer great loss by the death, removal, or resignation of the superintendent or other officer. A detailed report of the expenses and receipts should be made, so that each item would explain itself. The reports should state in separate items the amount of salary paid each officer, something never done here, although it has been the custom in other States. The tax-payers have a right to know how much their public officers are paid. The attention of the committee was then directed to the report of the superintendent for the past year, and Mr. Hicks claimed that there were many items of expenses which had for some reason been omitted from the report. There were $1,200 for flour, $600 for cattle purchased, and $2,200 for the superintendent's salary. Mr. Hicks next dwelt upon the fact that the superintendent is the bestpaid officer in the State of Connecticut, as, according to the best information, his salary is $3,000 per year, with board and house furnished by the State; also servants, horses, and carriages, — which |