Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-08


on his conduct and language.
/ call your attention TO the report made
BY Gen. Grant when sent by President
Johnson to the South to investigate the
condition ofadhirs there. He then stated
that the people OF the South had submit
ted 10 the terms imposed upon them by
the Government and that they were fitted
to return to the rights Of citizens in the
Union. Since that time be has seen
proper 10 change his attitude on this
question. do not impugn his motives,
but we are all liberty 10 look at the iacts.
When the Radicals we're keeping the
States out be recommended their admis-.
sion. i know very well from General
Grants former position that he has no
affinity for the negro. Neither has Gen.
Sherman nor Gen. Sheridan. They have
no hatred toward the people Of the South.
Look at the terms Gen. Sherman gave
Johnston at the surrender in North
Carolina. II all goes to show that these
military leaders, who are now or
rayed against the Democracy, in
their hearts believe in the doctrines OF
the Democratic party. They did then
and h y..lo now. But will tell you the
secret-what has brought them to the
Radical party. 1t is their military in.
stinct, which tells them that the Radical
party is in favor of despotism in this
country, and without having any affinity
for the negro or hatred for the white
people of the South, they felt that the
Radicals were in favor Of erecting
despotism, and they knew full well that
that would give additional consequence
to military men. That is the secret Of
these men srraying themselves against
Democracy, against constitutional lib
erty and against the civil institutions of
our country. CONTINUED applause. We
have hopored these men as no nation has
ever honored its heroes before. We have
given them the loftiest positions, but
they are not content; they would make
themselves dictators over all the coun.
try. And now is the time for you to
show yourselves as ready and capable of
prostrating these would-be dictators as
YOU were in prostrating the rebellion
I'VE are ready.] / know you are ready.
know that, while you cherish the SER
vices they performed for the government,
you are not inclined to surrender your
own birthrights--tbe birthright Of citi-
zen and freeman. Applause.
A voice-What about the Copper
heads2
Gen. Blair-I think these Radicals
have made the name "Copperhead re-
spectacle by their greater treason against
the Government think that whatever
of prejudice may have existed against
those who were called "Copperhesds "
during the war, because of their sympa-
thy for q people who, however wrong,
have made themselves memorable for all
time, will have been forgotten, and their
sins will have been forgiven, when the
Radicals, who have undertaken to de-
stroy the liberties of the whole people,
to subvert our institutions, to put down
the great principles upon which civil
liberty alone can be sustained, who
sought to perpetuate their power by ap-
pealing to the ignorance Of degraded
race OF beings, will be held up as ,ex-
amples for continual execration. APP
plause
The Radical party will be overthrown.
The people are in no temper to submit
to the domination of party who seek
to maintain themselves by calling to
their aid this ignorant and barbarous
race of men. Applause,
/ may be accused of appealing to your
prejudices. / do not appeal to your
prejudices. | appeal to history. l ap-
peal to that which ought to guide every
statesman. 1t is impossible to make a
nation prosperous by giving the reins of
power into the hands of race of people
who are incapable of guiding any nation.
You have repudated that doctrine [yes,
and will do it again], and you ought to
do it forever. [Applause. A man is
unworthy himself, if he is classed as
white man, who will put the black man
over his own race, and no one bat a
demagogue would do it.
If the Radicals felt secure in their OPP
position they would be centent to appeal
to their own race of people for support
to the people who created this Govern
ment, who maintained it and carried it
forward to uuexampled prosperity. They
would be content to appeal to the intelli-
gence of the white race. But no, they
know they have forfeited the confidence
Of the white race. They are conspirng
against the most cherished institutions
of our country. They are giving the
franchise to that ignorant race whom
they know to be incapable, and at the
same time are disfranchising the intelli-
gent white people of the country, and
their doom is sealed [Applause.l
But, fellow-citizens, there are others
here from whom it is your right to hear.
[Cries of "go on, go on" There are
gentlemen here who have but recently
been nominated for high positions in
your State-gentlemen who, / believe,
will be elected by the people of the State
and they have a right to be heard, and
you have a right to expect that | will
give way to them. Having claimed your
attention for the length of time have,
now surrender it to men from your own
State, after thanking you for your very
kind attention to mo.
Three rousing cheers were given for
Gen. f. P. Blair, jr., the next Vice Presi-
dent, upon his retiring.