The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-10-11
MR. oIARKE's SPEECH.


: tive in Congress. spoke here Saturday
night. pursuant to notice.
At An early hour large crowd assem-.
bled At the new Court House, where the
meeting was to be held The room is un-
finished, but temporary seats bad been ST
ranged by some Of the citizens. It was
BETTING thst this 'lempls of justice"
should be dedicated by meeting of the
people in favor of Freedom. Our young
Congressman made the room and galleries
ring with his eloquent appeals ia favor
of justice 10 down>trodden race.
Mr.. Clarke commenced bis address by
expressing great qualification at the i'm
provsment and advancement of the Neo-
sho Valley since his visit last fall. So
rapid had this improvement been in some
localities that he hardly kusw where he
was. He WAS prouder than ever ne had
been before of being citizen of Kansas.
and expressed the opinion that by the
next cersus-I87O-Wo would have at
least three Representatives in Congress.
aud that Kansas would take her place by
the side of the great Central States of the
UuiOn. He dwsls in glowing terms upon
the failure of the whole State.
Mr.. Clarke gave as a short sketch Of
sfflirs at the South and at the National
Capital. He told US there was no more
peace 10 the South now than Wbeu the
rebels surrendered to Grant and Sherman
This was owing to tina traitorous course
of the President, who had favored the
rebels in every possible way. aud used
his exertions to make the rebellion hon
orabls. He touched upon the impe ach-
msnt question, and assured the audience
that Andrew Johnson did not hold his
place by any act of biz. intimating tina,
if his vote could have ousted him he
, would have been out of the Presidency
} long ago. He thought the danger to the
country Was more imminent to-day than
When The rebels fred Oh Sumter, OF when
the battle of Gettysburg was fought
Nothing but the prompt action OF Con-
gress would prevent the President from
etfscting the ruin Of the country.
! He urged Oegro suffrage upon the PEG
pie with great esrnestnsss. One of his
frs. votes in Congress. and of which he
was the proudest, was that in favor OF
, snfranchissment of the blacks of the
District OF Columbia. He alluded TO the
last municipal election in Washington as
evidence of the wisdom of that vote.
The question now befole the country was
one OF doing justice to the blaeks--,o lbs
only loyal people 10 the South Il was
= question as to whether We would place
the means Of protecting the Government
in the hands of the only loyal class at the
South He appealed to the people Of Kan
sas to SO act. on this importan question,
that be would not be met, when he return
ed to Congress, by the reproach from
such rebels as Erastus Brooks aud Fer
/ naado Wood, as That his radical people
we're not wiling to enfranchise the blacks
lie was of the opinion that if the Rspub~
lican party refused TO do this &C: Of JUS
tice, the Democratic party would take it
up, and gain the victory on this issue
This we think true prophecy. He paid
tribute to the action of the colored peo-
pie in our late struggle. With all thsir
ignorance they knew enough to love lib
erty and be loyal-hence it would be safe
20 give them the ballot. History could
not furnish parallel of the magnauimity
an devotion to country exhibited by the
blacks toward 8 government which had
always oppressed them. And the negro
vote is important now, because be did not
believe the Republican party could sue,
coed in The next Presidential election with
out it. ~
He closed by paying tribute to the
Republican party. Hs believed in it, and
could sss nothing but ruin in its over
throw, and therefore exhorLsd the psople
10 union. he spoke of the female suf
frage, temperance and Sunday issues "a
likely to distract the Republican party.
aud hoped the people would bs trus 70
the party Notwithstanding these m.nor
Questions. Hs thought the contest now
going on in the State over the female
suffrage question would result in good.
and honored the champions who had come
here from the East to discuss it. He
was in favor of the observance of the
Sabbath, aud of temperance, having been
temperance man all his life. but it was
better to throw these issues bshiud Us a,
present than to suffsr the defeat Of the
party.
Mr.. C!arks's effort was altogether
conciliatory, and gave general satisfaction