The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1860-01-18
The Reception Of Mr.. O'Conor's
Speech.


We nave noticed with some degree 0
attention the reception extended to IN,
bold aud truthful speech ol Mr. O'Conu
al the Union meeting, by me AboltlonistS
and We must confess We have been some
what disappointed No paper has yet an
derlaken to reply 10 1t. The Daiiy Time,
has been busy telling lis readers that no
body al the North, or at least only yer,
suaj number agreed WW NJ: DCr0pr
tut 'm, -p,ry J, no rrasah Wy tl'y
should not agree with nm. The Tmr,
seems to be labonng under the dtlu,lu
that northern people viii never believe
that i; Is right tor the negro 10 remain III
the position assigned hlm. If the Time
supposed they would ever believe tins, we
do hot doubt from lis well known ability
TO ge, on the popular side, it would very
soon he advocating " slavery as Justify as
it now does an,l-savery. But thi, really
has nothing to do with the question. Ii
Mr. O'Cunu0r ; sentiments are wrong. If
they cannot be maintained we should like
10 see the Times set ltstlf to answering
them.
One thing about the reception of this
speech is worthy Of remark. No northern
man before has ever dared 10 speak out
boldly for the South who has not been de-
nounccd as a dousAfacc," "an Office
seeker" ga trucking politician" and
every othrr opprobrioas eprlct which the
Abolition vocabulary could furnish The
caaracter of Mr.. O'Conor, however is 50
pure and ii. nroachabIe---so far above all
subseryiency to party q patty enolomcn's,
that no journal in this city. wacre he Is
known, has dared to utter such vile
slander Even the Tribune, hab ually 30
reckless in It's assertions, says:
Mr.. Charles O'Conor has been all his
mature life resident of our city, and en.
joys the respect and esteem of all who
know him. Always Democrat in poll
tics, he has refused several important Off
CeS aud never solicited one, SO that he can
always afford 10 be candid anc to say Just
what he means. Never trimmer nor
twaddler, he has arisen, without the aid Of
eminent oralorlcal power, 10 the head OF
our Bar, by his rare facility of percrlving
and seizlny the vital point OF the case lu
hand and holding fast to that
Again, in referring to the position "f
Mr.. O'Connor, it says;
The Republicans hold with our Revo.
lutionary Fathers that slavery is cssen-
TALLY mnaural, unjust, and pernItlous,
therefore 10 be confined within the mar
rowest legal limits whether as 10 space or
time The Sham Democracy hold the
peculiar institution" to be eminently
jus,, humane, benefccnt, therefore TO be
dii'nsed and rerpetuated. Mr.. O'Conor
sees that here Is the turning point in the
controversy, and that to seek to evade or
obscure 1t Is 10 enter virtual cognovlt and
in effect give up the contest. So he takes
the bull square by the horns, and demands
"A verdict on the merits. We do not think
he can finally win. because his premises
we deem unsound but he strikes square
from the shoulder, and at all events does
not mislead nor befog his hearers"
The Evening Post, too, believes that
Mr.. o OConor spoke his real sentiments,
though we think that journal has hereto
fore held that no northern man could be
honest in his support of negro slavery"
1t is evident therefore, that change is
coming over the Abolition papers They
have been forced to admit that northern
men may believe in the right and Justice
of the social institutions of the South, and
yet DC honest. This Is an important ad-
vance, and we chronicle it with pleasure,
The bullying, browbealing process is at an
end, and the ,imd WHO were afraid o. be-
ing put under the ban of dishonesty by
their neighbors, can now take courage
The Abolltonists have given up the idea
that they possess all the religion, morality
and honesty at the North an have con-
ceded that northern or pro-slavery"
man may, after all, be something be sides
:" doughface,' or an office-seeier,' or
" interested in Southern trade" &c. The
world moves -.M,w York Day Book.
.