Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-08
GEN. FRANK BLAIR'S SPEECH.


cial, of the I'd, contains the following
able and eloquent speech of our candi-
date for Vice President, delivered at that
place on the evening of July 3lst:
FELLOW CITIZENS OF KANSAS: con-
gratulate myself on my good fortune in
having to address so large and enthusi-
astic an audience as now behold. do
not assume to myself that this is a per.
sonal compliment to me. am too well
aware that, on the contrary, your pres
ence here tonight is rather due to your
devotion to the great cause in which we
are all engaged, and in that sense ac-
cept it as a greater compliment than If 1t
was mere personal ovation.
The cause to which we are devoted, and
of which | am one of your representa-
tives, is one worthy of your most pro-
found devotion. 1t is cause in which
the enthusiasm which see here tonight,
so far as have observed, has prevailed
throughout the country. 1t is the cause
of popular rights, the cause of civil gov
ernment, the cause of constitutional lib.
erty. Itis the cause the worthiest of all
for which man has arrayed himself in
times past, and twill become you, it will
all of us, to evinoe our devotion to that
cause which has showered upon the nation
so many blessings since its foundation.
This cause is ia PERIL This cause has
received from the party in power the most
violent shocks; it has been undermined,
and is almost on the point of being over
thrown. But the people of the country
are ralying to defend this cause, the
holiest and best in the world, and in their
might l confde, in their strength am
willing to abide. They alone can rescue
this nation from the impending peril, and
it is for you, and all citizens of this coun-
try, who cherish republican liberty, who
love Democratic institutions, to come up
as one man and sustain the best and
holiest cause in the world. Applause. ]
lido not speak merely empty rhetoric
on this subject. / could advert, and | will
advert, to the particular transactions by
which this cause has been brought into
peril. call your attention to the aggres-
sions which have been made by the
Radical party, calling themselves Re-
publicans, upon the fundamental prin-
ciples of our government, those great,
underlying principles on which all civil
liberty depends. They have sought by
various measures WHICH the Constitution
has prohibited to entrench themselves in
power in this government They, losing
the confidence of their own race, losing
the confidence of the white people, have
sought to give the power in portion of
the States of this Union to another ele-
ment-the black race-hoping, after
losing the confidence of the white race,
to maintain and perpetuate their suprem
acy by giving political power in ten
States of this Union to the black race.
Applause and cries of shame shame ]
Now, my fellow-citizens, | take the
broad ground that the white race is the
only race in the world that has shown
itself capable of maintaining free institn-
tions and free government [applauseJ J;
that nowhere, in any country or at any
time, have the black people shown them
selves capable of establishing or main
tanning a constitutional government, or
any other kind Of government Pro
longed cheers.] Yet the people Of the
Southern States have been disfranchised
and the ignorant blacks-the same peo-
pie that the Republican party had de-
clared were imbruted by slavery--whom
we all know to he ignorant-whom we all
know to be i-bsrbarous-whom we all
know have never been capable OF ere
ating, establishing or maintaining free
government-are made to predominant
in all those States. Not only are they
made to predominant in the Southern
States, but the three or four millions OF
semi barbar0us blacks have the entire
control OF those States, and send twenty
Senators to the United States Senate,
while the four millions of white people
Of New York send but two Senators. 1t
would take New York, Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, ana
enough Of the other great States OF the
Union put together, contsining twenty
millions Of white people, to counterbal-
ance the three or four million blacks in
the South, so that the negroes are not
only put above the white people Of the
South, but above the white people of the
North, also; aud three or four millions
of blacks are made equal in the Senate Of
the United States TO more than twenty
millions Of the free white people Of the
North. Cheers, and cries Of shame
Fellow-citizeBs, we all very we'll know
that this is a political trick TO keep what
is known as the Radical party in power.
They don't believe in il themselves
They voted il down in the State Of
Kausas by 10000 majority, but, not
vithstanding the people have voted
down negro suffrage in this State, your
two Senators and Representatives still
insist upon sustaining the State govern
ments erected on the negro vote Of the
South.
You dos'. understand the danger in
whfrh our fnrfstufsona ara frnra the IL.