Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1868-10-09
Speech OT Gen Frank i. Bidir at
a Democratic Mass Meeting in
PtttSb IRA.


PtttSb Hrg.
FEILuw ClrIzENs.- Its impossible TO ex
aggerate the Importance uf tie issue peudii &
this contest. The multitudes tina, assemble
~ listen to the public speeches attest The
thorough appreciation which the people
have II The Importance aud vital cons, qneu
ces OF this election. ! shall net, Therefore,
feel myself at liberty To make any prehml-
nary remarks before coming TO the discus
sion Of those questions gu which the real n
terest is centered. sm sure no persona
{, nsderstiuns with regard TO the mrrits vi
any OF the candidates can have any Influence
with the people in making up their decis.
ion rs compared with the principles
which are involved. The real Question is,
how shall We best restore peace, confidence
and Prosperity 20 the country after this lOus
ana exhausted struggle, aud which p ,licy is
best calculated 10 promote this end 7 The
people viii decide, with their unerring
Judgment ia favor of that policy which com
mebds itself To their goud aud discrlminal
ing senses, without regard 10 the populari-
y Ot the candidates put forward TO repre-
sent the different pohcies proposed. / be
lieve that prescription, perseC utlon, disiran-
chissment or arbitrary despotlsm has never
in the history OF the world, produced peace
IL has been tried siuce the dawn of b story
aud if II has ever pcudueed peace it has nev
er produced prosperity.
After sliuding TO the grievances of Ire
land the speaker proceeded ia iorcible Ian
| guage 10 depict tue condltIon of the South
ern people, contending that new ireland
was being made IN this country by the tyr
annlcal oppression of the Radical party
lie characterized the measures of Congress
as eKrravagant Al the expense Of the tollne
millions oI the country. He drew length
eIleu compSrision between the policy o
| tue Republican and Democratic parties
| denuunclng the former as hostile 10 th'
Interests Of the country and sdyocst
! Ing Jhe latter ~ entirely benehclal. He ask
| ed, was The wauIon extravaganza ou th'
part Of the government calculated to resi- OF,
the the prosperity Ot the nation, already y
buideDed with an enormous public debt
| the interest OF which amounted. tU iDtuiI ely
more thau was necessary to maintain th'
government AutvrlUr To Ibe war The deb
contracted Tor tue maintenance OF the I'm
ION should Oe paid 10 the last dollar but II
the manner OF It's payment there was = wld'
difference in sentiment between the tw
gfeSt parties OF the country. The polio!
advocated by the Democratic party Ia thl
roslJr CT was the pay meDt Of the debt accord
|
deOt was cOnirActed--psyment of the den
in tue same kind Of money which was ad
vanced 10 the government. The pay men
oi tho debt in the same kind OF money i
which we pay all our other debts paymen
OF the debt Ia tue same currency which tn
pcn,luns were paid 10 the disabled soldiers
The WIDOWS and the orphans Of those VIII
gave their lives for this country. The bond
hulder had NO higher clam upon this gov
eTnmenI than those men who saved IN
country. lie had no more sacred deman
than the widows aud orphans OF the tAle
soldiers. fCneersl The boudholdcrs loan
cd To The government groenhscks, not wort
| AT the time one half Of ahelr value now, an
the contract was To pay hun IN the sam
muney, the lawful mOuey Ol the government
II the Radical. policy Was To maintain 10 tn
| country its standing Armirs, Its freedmen
bureau and OJher wssletul extravag ,nce'
together with the SUN necessary To pay tn
interest upon the drpt, he result would Il
exactly what the result las he, u since th
war. Instead Of dnnuuitiOu, each yrs
via add To ". Sucn policy, he continued
would eyentuate IA the bankruptcy Of III
country, ana entire reputation Of tue deb
Now, on the uther hand, the Democrat
policy proposed 10 reduce the naii"n4l deb
o. dispense with all unnecessary inst,tI
tiuus aud enable the country to pay vi
portion of It's debt each year. BY the So
lbg thus made, credit aud confidence wl
be rustorrd, tne lawful currency to q
could Drum Of gpld estaulished, and thl
saved, The honor Of Ibe country prOtectc
euAble the uStion To pay itS debt, rel'e'
the people oi taxation, aud restore tie cou
uy ~ prosperity, nnng Win II the blessing
, uf peace and iraternsl tcehng. tCneers
G.ptral Blair sad he had been deuoun
cd y, his oppOuents as man wlliug Ia r.
new the rebellion as rvvUlutiouiht, AT
no would, therefore, he ptrdOu-d, he hJ
I'd, IT after having beon detamed Ia the
? midst be should say something IN deteu'
b OF the position he had heretofore taken, a.
| Wb,vn had been made the ground sOrk
, ,ncn A serious charge. Tho occa ,iun Shi,
: mad given rise " the outcry and clam
against hin, aud had been taken up by
grades OF orators beio gng to the Radio
| PARTY, Distinguished sen dors, GOVERNS
-. (,oysruurs aud tx Secretaries OF W.
: Was a letter addressed 10y him prior tot
' meeting of he DrmorrA'lc C"uNenii0r
lebeersl-deciAring that 10 hi, Judsm NJ
Reconstruction Sots passed oy CohkH
were unconstitutional, null aud Noid 4
these acts had heen 81 decided by Tue
preme Court OF the Uuited States, ca
o, gauized uuder the Consti' uuon 70 =
n,,on m, carstitutionaltiy of all acts o. Z
grrs. and that the President, who -
sworn, 10 maintain and support the Con
tu,ion. aud could not, without violating 4
oath. permit these acts in palpable Va
t,on the Constitution TO be executed
's The speaker thvn minutely 'xsuinecie
r,constfuct,on acts, which be- drmly
~ mitted we're directly Rntagon's,ie auf hr
in open drhauce 10 the constitutional,
CONT nded that the reconstruction Ectsad
supplanted cigil government in ton sles
: Of ne Union aud substituted miliiaTyes-
Is poti,m M IT'S place ,hat they had absh-
ed the right of trial by jury, aathe
IN rigbt of kabeas c0tpus, ~hieh, BY tha as
ol The constitution should never be suspd-