Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-30

SOLO the Ihmiiy vi hine n"P NV
slavery. These were the sentiments
that existed in the North in our early
days. When the Constitution of the
| United States was formed, when the del
egates from the different States met in
convention, the question Of slavery was
there, and it was asked when shall the
slave trade be put to an end? Georgia
SAYS now; Virginia says now; South
Carolina says, not yet; Connecticut,
not yet; Rhode Island, not yet !;
| Massac chusetts, not yet; and New Hamp-
sbire said. not yst-the slave trade is
I profitable. Laughter. Ifyou will read
Minots History of Massachusetts,, you
will learn that the great business OF New
England was at one time the manufac,
ture of rum-pure rum Glaughter]; and
when they made rum, they took it to the
coast of Africa and exchanged it for
slaves. [Laughter.] The slavers landed
their cargoes on some unfrequented
shores of the Southern coast, and forth
with the entire South was charged with
completely in the slave trade. But they
do not at the same time tell you that the
slave ships are fitted out from New Eng
land ports-that they glide out to sea on
their nefarious voyages beneath the shade
of Bunker Hill. Loud applause and
laughter.] The political power of our
country is in the hands of the free States
The population of the country increases
at the rate of million year; of this
increase the North receives over seven
hundred thousand. This large majority
of the yearly increase has given the
North her strength in the confederacy.
How came the North by this excess of
the increase? At the outset we were
eoual--then we were all slave States.
Now, what led to the abolishment OF
slavery in the North, and thus gave us
the basis of our present strength l
will tell you, my friends, and you all
know it to be so. The Democratic party
under Jefferson inaugurated the wise and
beneGcent policy of inviting the laborer
of the Old World to plant himself down
upon the great and fertile plains of our
country. Under this policy the emf
grants from Europe focked to the North
ern States, because they found in their
soil and climate, and in their instilu-
tions, more congenial home So you
see, my friends, that it has been under a
policy inaugurated by Southern states
men--a policy which found it's most
bitter opponents at the North =
that our section has become all
powerful in the government. We
have now majority in the Senate, in
the House of Representatives, and in the
electoral college; but the census of 1860
will show that two-thirds of the members
of the House of Representatives, and
an overwhelming majority in the Senate,
represent free States Is this time, and
and are these the circumstances under
which an 'irrepressible conflict" shall be
waged against the people and institutions
of the weaker section When the South
was strong and we were weak, they fur
nished us 20 precedent for the course of
action we now propose to pursue against
hem. [Cheers These being the truths
which history teaches, and standing
here, as l do, at the very head waters of
the mighty Mississippi, whose arms lock
our country together, teaching US per.
petual lesson of fraternal love and
union, beg you to pause before you
enter upon a sectional warfare, which
will rive asunder those whom God
has Joined together. [Cheers.] Before
you do this, look at history and see IT the
South has ever hesitated to uphold sim
gle measure which was calculated to ad-
vance the whole country; although 10
doing so they have. built up the North
instead of the South. There is an in
stinctive difference between the two par
ties. The Democratic party is a let
alone party; the Republican party is
meddling party. Deafening cheers
II is great deal easier to denounce
other people for their sins than to reform
ourselves; it is great deal easier to OBJ
tain political power by infiamlng the
passions and prejudices Of our neighbors
by denouncing men thousand miles
away-than 1t is to gain influence by
governing our walk in life by
the principles of justice or the die.
tates of sound patriotism. Cheers. ]
Il il not true that the reverse OF
this has been hurtfu! to the morals of
our people, and burtful to the pulpit lot
which | speak with all reverence), and
10 the holy doctrines which should issue
from the sacred deskf lCheers Is It
not too true, my Republican friends, that
a rife for Kansas or curse for the South
has weighed more in the political scale
than private virtues or public service Z
Tremendous cheering Whence comes
slavery 2 We have seen who prolonged
il Now, my friends, do you ever stopt to
inquire who upholds IT'D It is sustained
by the firm Of Weaver, Wearer Il
Planter and two Of the partners live up
North. [Cheers aud laughter Every
one knows that but for the looms
Of New England and Old England 1t
could not live day. The loudest denun-
Citations against slavery are made BY
men with cotton shirts on their back.
The most fervent pulpit exhortations
against slavery come from men who wrap
themselves for repose At night in cotton
sheets Who lay their heads upon cot
ton pillows, and 20 70 sleep thanking
God that they are better than the men
down South Laughter 1 was
called npon some years ago, While Gov
ernor Of New York, By deputatiOn cs
Qnakers from Great Britain 10 lay before
me Ssiimony against slavery. As
they WED, hstened 10 them We
Afterwards tell into . conversation, end
The question arose, Why The people Of