Our great men; or, The leaders of the nation

Book i OUR Gi;eat Men

OR THl

LEADERS OF THE NATION.

BY

C E. BUTTOLPH. Pn. B.

The Loomis National Library Association:

No. 2 Cooper Union, No. 1114 Main St.,

New York. Richmond, Va,

COPYRIGHT BY Williams, Buttolphs and Johncton.

Preface

MERICA makes her own rulers. Her great men come from the people, are of the people, and are citizens as well as rulers. Am such they should be more closely united to the masses than the rulers of other nations are to their subjects. The interests of one are the interests of ail. In legislating for their constituents they legislate for thcmseh^es. Good laws and the proper execution of them are advantageous to all alike. The men who have won a place at the front in the affairs of government are the servants of the people; they hold a great trust, and the eye of the Nation is upon them to see the trust is not betrayed.

The object of this work is to draw into a closer relationship our great men and our people. Great questions of principle can be better known by a study of the men who advocate those principles. In this volume the author has endeavored to give impartial biographical sketches, together with extracts from their best speeches, of the leaders of the Nation. A knowledge of our leaders is indispensable to the intelligent American citizen, while to the young — those who are just becoming interested in the affairs of government, who are just on the threshold of active citizenship— this knowledge is especially important.

4 PREFACE.

The American people can truly be proud of their leaders. They are not without faults ; for who are faultless ? But no other nation can produce more able statesmen.

Trusting this work will serve the purpose for which it was intended, and that its readers will glean some few grains of useful information, we leave it with the people.

C. E. BUTTOLPH.

Januaey 1, 1887.