Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-07-05
GEN. ]. l. ALOORN'S SPEECH

LDlIOhb bbLlC LEDObh. hltuOub az
tempting TO report the speech of Gen.
Alcorn, will give the principal points,
as l promised in my note to you, pub
lished in the LEDGER on Saturday last
Gen. Alcorn left the city next day after
the speech in question was delivered
and l have had no opportunity of pro.
curing from him any statement in refer
ence thereto, and, therefore, l can only
give an imperfect synopsis Of what he
said on that occasion.
I will premise that Gen. Aloorn had
been invited by number Of the citizens
of Memphis to address the people on
:" the important issues of the day" not
as partisan, but as = Southern citizen,
vitality interested in all that concerns the
people of Memphis, in common with the
whole South.
AS l stated in my note, asking the
people to hear and understand before
they condemn 7 believe, but few
thoughtful men would differ materially
from the positions taken by Gen. Alcorn
in his speech, as | understood it. He
expressed the opinion that the Southern
people were not noD in condition to
affiliate with political parties in the
North, and gave reasons which it be-
hooves the people of the South to coH-
slider well before they involve themselves
with party organizations at home or else
where. He reviewed the causes and con.
sequences of the war, and clearly defined
the situation of the South, resulting from
defeat The South, he said, had bastled
bravely in defense Of her rights, con-
scious Of the justice of her cause, but she
had been overcome by superior numbers,
and she stands in the attitude Of con-
quered people, at the mercy of her late
victorious adversary, who, as all other
conquerors have always done, claim the
right TO dictate the terms of restoration
to peace, and the exercise Of our wouted
privileges as citizens and States of the
Union, which has been destroyed.
1t will be soon enough, said General
Alcorn, for us to unite with political
parties in the North when we shall have
been fully restored to our former politi-
cal relations with the Government of the
Union. We are yet held as rebels against
the Constitution and laws of the coun-
try, and we have not yet satisfied our
Northern conquerors that the spirit of
resistance has been thoroughly subdued
in our hearts. They look upon us as
evildoers and workers Of mischief, and
they are afraid to trust us with the rights
and powers we once enjoyed, and, IS
they think, uhwisely and wickedly sban-
doned He adverted TO come Of tho rea-
sons why the party iu power are unwil-
ling to trust us. The great contest be-
tween the old national parties had re-
suited in the overwhelming defeat Of the
Democratic party in the North, and all
parties in the South had united in rebel
lion against the old government of the
Union, and wsr between the two sections
was the result That war was conducted to
a victorious conclusion by the Republi
can party, with Mr.. Lincoln as the head
In the hour of triumph, by an inscrutible
Providence, Mr.. Lincoln was swept from
the stage Of action, and Mr.. Johnson took
bis place. The failure OF the Confederate
cause carried with it the State Govern
nents and when the South laid down
her arms, she found herself in state Of
political anarchy, without the protection
Of law, except the military law Of the
United States, which the triumph Of their
arms had established over the people Of
The States that had rebelled.
In referring TO the two parties in the
North, be said that they had heartily |
united in making war upon the South,
md in that view neisher party had any /
peculiar claims upon the eonquered |
south and in his judgment, as the whole |
south, without distinction Of party, had /
lecome responsible for the rebellion, so |
he whole North should be held respon- /
lible for the blood that was she'd 10 this /
connection General Alcorn read an ex- ]