The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1867-01-31
THT WEEKLY CLARION.
60 A1corn before the Lesis-
lafure. -

.,,,.v remarks, in which he stated he
was well aware of the censure that
has been cast upon him by many Of
the people of Mississippi, spoke in
substance as follows:
T,ba diffarences that have existed between
ma in the days Of the buried past shall be
CONSIGNED to the grave, unless 1t shall be.
fonnd necessary torevert to the same in vim
5;cafion of nv honor-when there will be-
blows to give as we'll as to receive.
He reverted to the fact that he had been
assailed by the press and many Of the men,
bers of the Legislature and citizens of the
State, for the sentiment contained in his
published circular, and he now proposed to
prove these positions to be correct.
He told bis audience that soon after the
close of the late war, q Committee was APP
pointed by Congress to inquire into the true
political feeling of the people of the South,
and that Ex-Governor Sharkey, Of this
State, was called before that Committee, to
testify in relation to the people of Missis-
sippi. 81
After an eloquent tribute to the states
manship and wisdom of Gov. Sharkey,I he
proceeded to sum up the evidence adduced
from the witness before the Committee
that Gov. Sharkey told what he believed to
be the truth when he testified that from the
elections lately held in the State OF, Missis-
sippi he believed the people of the State
still had decided Partially for secession
principles-reverted to the fact that the
Hon. A. II. Stephens, of Georgia, had testi-
fed in like manner as to the political feeling
of the people of that State-and called the
attention of his audience to the fact that
Gov. Sharkey and Hon. A. III. Stephens were
al ,1ovo ind fo
Press ana by the people for giving wrong
representation of the political status OF their
States But the people of the North be-
lieyed what had been stated by Gov. Shar-
KEY, and they were DESTROYS OF leaving out
an element that would create dlscord In the
administration of their Government-that
it was not in accordance with nature and
sound wisdom to admit into the temple
those who sought to ruin and destroy the
same It devolved upon the people of the
South TO show that they really desired
Union, and that they had changed their
opinions of the right of secession. This he
asserted in his Circular, they had done, and
for this assumption he was abused by the
press and by the people. He offered as ev-
idence to sustain his position, the action OF
the State Convention that repealed the Or
dinance of Secession-that declared that
the act was void. Again, all persons who
were elected to Congress by the people ofthe
State were opposed to secession at the COM
mencement and remained SO until the end
yet, Notwithstanding, the conclusive
grounds he had for the opinion expressed,
he was, and is told that he does not speak
the sentiment of the people of Mississippi
that he has libeled and traduced them. The
Press has assaulted him with bitter denuncia-
tions, and he feels that he stands in an en-
barrassing condition-nevertheless, he will
tell the truth and hide nothing. He stated
that he sought not the high and honorable
position to which he had been elevated by
the Legislature of the State-that he was
elected in his absence, without his knowl-
edge, without an intimation on his part
that BE desired the Office. True he appre-
ciated it-but he sought it not. He could
not afford to use deception-the course he
now pursues, and that he may hereafter
follow, will be the path that he beives
right, and if the people of the State do not
desire his services, he wished to 60 back to
.Coahoma county, where he had resided so
long, where his happy home was located,
and where he had friends that were SO in
deed and in truth. - - E4a
The people had objected to his remark
that thesecession doctrine was one of woe.
Tell me, says the speaker, was it doctrine
OF ioy 4 7fotCwhat Is It You object that
I called it an accused doctrine-say was it
and eloquent tribute to the memory OF the
thousands of the brave soldiers of the South
who lie on every battle field from the iron
clad hills of Pennsylvania to the turbid wa
ters of the Rio Grande, reverted to the
memory of his own son, who fell In the
cause of the South and to-day sleeps ina
Southern soldiers grave-to the thousands
Of women and children made widows and
orphans by the scourge Of war--called the
- kl,4 fn he
amount of poverty that is discernlble
throughout our land-our houses burned and
our plantations almost ruined-our towns
made desolate-and then asked-Has this
doctrine proved blessing to you and to
your children7 He sympathized deeply with
his fellow-countrymen and had In bye gone
DAYS answered the demand of his country
where duty called although his Judgment
was opposed-was not ashamed of his record
He had been accused of asserting that Sc
cession was the work of the South. 1t was
true. He did say it and would bring wit
ness to the stand to prove his assertion
correct. He read extracts from the mes
sage of ex-Gov. Pettus, in which he boasted
that the South did bring on the war-also
stated that the Legislature only two years
ago, in their own proceedings, boosted OF
the same.
He had been accused of having said that
than with the Democratic party of the North.
1t was true. He asserted that the Radical
party were better friends of the South to
day, than the Democrats ever have been
since the secession of our Representatives
from the Halls of the National Capitol-he
spoke of the fact that Democrats, as we'll as
Radicals were arrayed against us in the late
war, and that the old leaders of the Demo
cratic party in the days of long ago, were
- - ,< he
party-said that the people of the South had
nothing to expect from the Democratic par
ty of the North-that it would ever desert
them IN the hour of need. tsYta8
His advice was to form no party-no coall-
ton. He asked-What has the Democratic
partv done foryou2 Why, in the debate on
the Constitutional Amendment SO lately
submitted to you-it was moved to strike
ont the Sd section, thereof that section
which is the most repugnant OF al others IN
the said amendment, and every Democrat In
CONGRESS voted against the proposition.T
Again, on the resolution offered in> the balls
Of Congress: That Treason against the " ..
Government is crime and ought to be pun
ished, every Democrat voted for the adop-
tion of the resolution-you need have no
hope from that party, but make one for
stand by and on the Constitu-
tion-hold the power you possess ~ your
own hands.
He asserted that the Radical party was the
only party that would succeed in this coun-
try-that they had the power 10 their own
hands and knew how to keep it, He SAID
Gov. Sharkey was abused and villlfled lor
asserting that there was secession teeHng
still existing In the South, and himself was
abused and traduced for saying there was
not, yet the people of the State, in ConYen-
hon assembled, declared the act OF secession
null and void. Did not the Convention rep