Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-10-26
SPEECH OF JUDGE THURMAN,
OF OHIO.
His Interpretation Ofthe "Re-
action"
The Financial Question Dis
cussed.

candidate for governor of Ohio, ad-
dressed the people of Allegheny City, on
the night Of the 10th inst. He answered
the question, what the late victories teach,
and discussed the financial question as
follows:
What is it that makes Delaware, and
Maryland, and Kentucky cling TO us as
their great hope in the dark future with
which they are threatened ? What is it
that has given us our gains in Indiana,
Illinois, Montana and Colorado To me
it seems that the answer is plain. To me
it seems that the meaning Of all this is:
first, that the American people are not
prepared to surrender constitutional gov
ernment; secondly, that the white race
is not prepared to surrender its manhood
and all its glorious traditions and be-
come serfs Of the black race thirdly,
that the magnanimous and sensible
people Of the Republic are not willing to
see the South converted into Poland
and governed by military despotism
fourthly, that they are not willing to see
the material prosperity of their country
destroyed in order to perpetuate the
power of party; filthy, that they are
not willing to see the land groan for
thousand years, perhaps, under a burden
of debt and taxation, such as this world
never before saw, when it may all be
honorably paid within the lifetime of a
| generation, without Reputation and
without injustice; and finally, that they
are not willing longer to commit our
destinies to rulers whose corruption has
squandered our treasury, given away our
property, and brought us to the very
verge of national bankruptcy. This, it
seems to me, is the lesson of the hour,
and ] thank my Maker that we have
learned it before it is too lat Parties
have oftener fought for men than for
principles, and our opponents are now
seeking to inaugurate such contest
once more. They overlook the fact that
our victories this year were achieved by
battling for honest principles and honest
measures, and not for men. They over
look the fact that the times are too Sc
rious for the people to abate one jot of
their wisdom, one spark of their patriot
ism, one particle of their common sense.
No, my friends, let us be governed next
year by the honesty, wisdom, and patriot
ism that have marked our course this
year, and 1868 will see the temple of con-
stitutional liberty, a good government,
stand erect in the land, with all its glo-
rious and beautiful proportions, and with
light on its altar that will burn forever
more.
Now, my friends, let me address you
briefly upon some of the questions that
have been discussed this year, and which
will be equally pertinent, perhaps, in the
year to come. And, first, this question
of reconstruction, so.called-the recon-
struction of the Southern States. Why,
my friends, what do these men mean by
talking about the reconstruction of
States2 Have we not constitution,
aud does not the constitution construct
our Government And what, in the
name of heaven, have these Radical
rulers to do but to obey that constitution
and no reconstruction is necessary.
They call it question of reconstruction
There never was such misnomer in the
world. They ought to call it question
of destruction. Applause. Destruc
ton of States, destruction of individual
liberty, destruction of the countrys pros
perity, destruction of every principle
that ever made America glorious, or ever
encouraged the hope of the peo
pie for the future of the country. LAp-
plause That is the kind of a question
it is; a question of the destruction of
civil liberty and not a question Of the |
reconstruction of the States. But there |
is one thing more of this so called recon
struction. 1t is question whether one
third of this republic shall be placed |
under the control of the negro race. 1t
is question whether ten States of this |
Union shall be surrendered to the negro. |
1t is question whether by disfranchising
white men and enfranchising negroes,
one-third of this republic shall be placed |
under the control of the black race, and
not one third alone; because, put that
third of the republic under the control Of
the black race and it becomes balance
Of power in the country, and will govern
the whole republic, from Canada to the
Gulf, until the people, becoming dis
gusted with this degrading joke, shall
bring about that terrible conflict, toward
which the Radicals are precipltating their
so called negro friends. [Applause.l
Now, my friends, one thing that ought
to be known in this city of Allegheny,
and in the city of Pittsburg; one thing
that ought to be known in every North
ern home; to every man, woman and
child in the North, is the effect which
this Radical policy has upon your
pockets Why what is it which keeps
the States of the South almost in a con-
dition of starvation 2 II is not a year
since you we're sending them provisions
TO keep life in their bodies, and the
reason oft is that people are kept down
by this Radical despotism, so that they
have no heart and no hope to work and
improve their country. Why, my friends,
what heart has any man there to i'm
prove his land or to increase the wealth
of the country, when be does not know
but at the very next session Of Congress
Thaddeus Stevens will drive through a {
bill to take away his land
aud give it 10 the nigger2 What heart
would any Of you have to improve your
lands, houses and farms il you we're
not sure you would be allowed 10 own /
them six months2 No man would do I
it. Aud what is the CONSEQUENCE Il is
this: that Of the two hundred and !
millions Of taxes paid uh-
der the internal revenue law, during the =
last fiscal year, The State of Pennsylva-
MIA has paid more than the whole ten /
States OF the South. The State Of Ohio {
paid Eve millions more than the whole !
ten Southern States, and the State Of {
paid still more. Those 1
Sistes hat under good government