Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-08-11
General Blair's Speech atOmaha, Nebraska,

July 10. 8tD-sa 4
am here to acknowledge the compliment
YOU have paid me. [ assure you that value
the compliment. I am well aware that 1t is not
paid to me as an individual, but rather as one
of the representatives of that cause to winch
you have shown yourselves SO devoted. lAp-
plause.1 tits cause, my fellow citizens worthy
of your greatest devotion, and Of your highest
enthusiasm. 1t is the cause of free government
and constitutional government in this country,
and am satisfied, my friends and fellow citizens
from the enthusiasm and feeling manifested
here tonight and elsewhere where have been,
that this cause is destined to great and glorious
victory in the next election in November. Great
applause. .a9f99 . -.@l -.
I feel, my fellow citizens, that we are destin-
ed to achieve great victory in behalf Of our
free Government and free Constitution. ! feel
to-day, not alone from this manifestation, but
from all we have seen during the past year in
the elections where the policy of the Radical
party has been condemned by overwhelming
majorities Of the people Of the United States,
[cheers] land notwithstanding this condemna-
ton by the people-these reckless people who
achieved power upon totally different issue
from that which is now before the people, have
in defiance Of the popular WILL in defiance of
the votes of the people of whom. they were
simply the representatives, urged forward these
measures to completion in the hope that they
could bind the hands of the people Of this coun-
try, and wrest from them the power forever
Applause. .ar ..3
/ Yes, my fellow-citizens, they have by these
measures put under foot all the people of eur
race in ten of the Southern States they have
bound a million ofpeople to the earth with their
bayonets, and they have put onthe top of them
this hideous black barbarism [appiauseI, and
my fellow citizens, feeling that they have lost
the confidence of the white race, both North
and South, they propose to overcome the charges
cast against them at the North in thefree States
during the last year by the minority OF the
South, whom they have made supreme over the
white race there. and the question comes up for
your decision-for the decision of the whole of
the people of this country-will you permit a
minority in both sections composed of the white
race Cheers That race, my fellow-citizens,
that glorious race of people whose history is the
| record of intellectual progress among mankind,
Che only race that have ever shown themselves
capable of establishing and maintaining free
government A voice-The Blair family, l
suppose The Blair family will be found on
che side of the white race. Cheers. The Blair
family can never be deferred from taking that
stand by any man who wishes to assail the fair
white race of this country by mixture with the
blacks. Applause My fellow citizens, it is
not my intention to detain you by any lengthen-
ed remarks. [Cries of go on''l [ knew very
we'll that what had to say would not please a
certain set of people, and will say further, that
[ did not intend to please them. Loud cheers.
If any one displeased that we, the Democrats,
intend to restore the Government and the Con-
stitution, they may make their DEGREES now, for
/ tell you, that after November you viii not be
able to hear one of them speak. Applause. But
[ am for giving them the largest liberty of
I do Of hot how
should be gagged as they are now endeavoring
to gag eight millions of our people in the South.
do not think it will be the policy of the Demo
cratic party when it comes into power and re-
establishes the Government to prescribe free
speech anywhere in the country 1t has always
been their policy to give the largest liberty to
all men to use the most perfect freedom of
speech, for without it we cannot maintain our
| free institutions. But these things are exceed
ingly distasteful to our Radical brethren.
Throughout the South they put the gag In the
mouth of those people whom they have trod
under the military heel. Men are arrested,
thrown into prison and tried by military COM
missions, in defiance of those constitutional
guarantees of the rights of free speech, right Of
trial by jury and the right to be tried before his
peer and the judicial tribunal for any alleged
| offence Where are those rights now? They
have been stilled, trcdden down, and yet we
find men in this country who can stand up and
| defend those acts of atrocity. fCheers. My
fellow-citizens, I thank you for your attentive
audience; this is gratifying spectacle to any
man who loves liberty and the Constitution
This enthusiasm is sure harbinger of our sue
cess next November. Cheers. And that sue
cess under the lead of the distinguished gentle
| man who has been chosen by Democratic Con-
vention as your candidate for the Presidency,
is certain to restore to you the Constitution
handed down to you by your father. Gentlemen.
| again thank you. Cries Of ''go on. - l find
voice reach the confines of this immense crowd,
and, thanking you from my heart for the kind
ness which you have shown me to night-thank-
ing you still more for the enthusiasm you have
shown fer that cause in which [ am now engag-
ed along with you, l now retire. Loud
| Cheers