Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-04-13
Meeting OF Csutr~I Gina ~

a. 4NNAAAAA
@. d. Carr, W. d. Weir. Aid Becktel
: presented Or. J. f. Lynch, G. G. Cram
sey, W. J. Cramsey, John Kirk, Sr., d.
Young, A ". Martin, Capt }. D. Lewis,
Capt. \. S. Green, Capt W. c. Poston,
Judge J. Williams. Mr.. Dennis pre-
scented W. c. Johnson, w. d. johnson,
r. A. Williams, Thos. Fisher, @. A.
Kane, Thos. Jones, Joseph Uhl. On
motion, the foregoing were admitted to
membership.
Alderman ]. X Becktd moved that
JudgeJ. Williams De requested to adj
dress the meeting.
In responding to the request, Judge
Williams spoke substantially as follows
It certainly cannot be expected Of me,
tonight. to do more than make q few
remarks-being almost the last member
initiated. / have been along time on
the stage Of Lfe-almost forty-fve years,
and have not been wholly unobservant,
during this long period, Of the political
changes passing around me. j have
been at Washington during the
sessions of Congress, with two exceptions,
for nearly thirty years as Commissioner I
Of Indian Affairs, my official duties re-
quired my presence, and as an auditor
and spectator I knew most Of the public
men there c0ngregated. ] was there,
too, and saw, as 1 may say, the winding
up Of governmental affairs, just before
the Inauguration of Mr.. Lincoln. I was
SO fortunate as 10 know the great Web
ster, Silas Wright, ID genus ona of that
day, who held up and sustained the ark
Of the covenant Ofour country until they
passed away full Of years and honors. /
cannot but remember with regret the
difference Of the political draDaatis per-
s0Rac then and ROtc. I was there in An
drew JRckson's time, and knew the noble
men surrounding hiBl-eonscript Fathers
as they were, and worthy Of the high
trust reposed in their hands-and was
an eye witness Of proceedings in
Washington constantly up TO 1850. Be
fore that time old men might learn prse-
teal lessons Of wisdom, and gam useful
knowledge from the droppings Of the
Political sanctuary; but when / went
there in 1859, and contrasted the indi-
viduals there with those 1 had formerly
known and v~enerated, 1 could not help
feeling anxious f~orebodings Of the ca
lAmities soon to overshadow our country.
I felt the mental giants had departed
and fanaticism had usurped the place of
craftsmanship; political tricksters in the
hallowed seats OF Silas Wright-a Ben
ton and a Calhoun And we all see
what has come Of it. am almost a IA
matte on the subject OF believing We
were ordained of God to be one land and
one people, and yet these men !
now in Congress are forgetting
all this, and catering solely to ]
local political prejudice, and their own
political preferment; and thus it is, (or a
time only, a disruption of IA country is
the practical result. When 1 was sent
to Kansas As q judge, there was no dis {
union thought OF, the northwest was con- {
servative, and agricultural peace and (
prosperity prevailed throughout all the c
OF the West; but soon unholy
dlssentions were commenced, and those
great men who had 50 long and so q
successfully guided the ship Of State had
passed from the scene, and in their q
places were the higher law, self-ordsined =
High Priests who have brought us 10 4
what we are. They brought in their t
plug ugiies, shoulder hitters and q
rascals Of every hue, not to extend the :
interests of civilization or national pros
perity, but 10 initiate the state Of things
since resulting, and which We all have had :
such deep reason to deplore. The trans d
Of this period, the political differ h
snces and animosities in the early days a
Of Kansas. Who a estimate how much ,
influence they exerted toward producing
the late deeply 10 be deplored civil war
These men were shouting for the
Union,1 "the Union, " but hgy
did not fight themselves. Oh
no! but only clamored for others
10 DO the fighting-to sustain
the pernicious dogmas they advocated i
Well by the exertiOns Of better men, the
Union IS restored and at once they re-
to the higher law doctrines, and wish s
10 place them above the Constitution and .
the laws-reproducing the irresistible ri
,oufictu between the North and South, o
and would draw not geographical line u
7nly-but a classifying Lne-bstWeen the =
doctrines born Of the devil
and not unworthy Of the sa-
.anic paternity. They were the first
yiolators Of the Constitution by armed
array, and are still true to their antece-
by opposing the emlnently patri-
DtlG course Of President Andrew John
.on nov. They are the present dis
lniouists-or secsSsigRists-if you
win. for they were eager to have S
.he South brought back into the =
by force Of arms, and nor
hey say the States Of the South
must stay outflow long, God in his in :
mite wisdom alone can tell. Like many ],
,thers in Washington at the time, l did
everything 1 could to prevent the eX- Z
,eriment Of secession. / had been a !
ma Arrays, but am now and
ever have been an advocate for the r
South's having all the rights guaranteed
1v the Constitution, and TO which they -
again as fully entitled as before the d
ate unfortunate outbreak. 1 believe q
President johnson viii ultimately be ,
sustaiasd by the country in all his wisely RI
~
,onepjyed measures, and have also the ]
moral support o. the greatest nations OF 8
ne world. Ihave always believed there a
God IN Israel, and since Andrew y
johnson has been occupying his present Z
position am sure Of it. HE'S proving G
himself the worthy successor u ARdrew /
Jackson
On the conclusion Of Judge Williams :
remarks, on motion Of Col. Grace, the
meeting adjourned to meet next Thurs
F,- rF~l-t ~ - O'clock ;