The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-25
Genera, n,.,r,. Speech at Omaha

General Rlafr's speech D"
Nebraska.
On Thursdsy last Major-a General FRANK
P. Blair was received, on his way 1uf'hsr
west. by the citizens Of Omaha in immense
numbers. After felicitous welcome oy
the Mayor, General Blair spoke IS foll0Ws'
am here to acknowledge the compn.
ment YOU have paid me. l assure you tnAs
I value the compliment. l am well aware
that il ia not paid to me as an INDIVIDUAL:
but rather az one of the representatives ol
that canse to which you have shown your
self SO devoted. Applause. is 8 Gus,
my fellow-citizens, worthy OF your sre".ss
devotion and of your highest entnusIa uan
It is the cause Of free government ana coz
stitutional government in TINS country ny
and | am satisfied, my frlenos anu
citizens, from the enthusiasm
and feeling manifested here to-nlgnt,
and elsewhere where I have been, Sla'
this cause is destined to great ana g1o-
rious victory in the next election IN NO
vember. TGreat applause feel my 1el.
low-citizens, that we are destined to acnle'e
a great victory in behalf Of our free gov
eminent and free Constitution. l feel TO-
dav. not alone from this manifestations bur
from ali we have seen during the past year
in the elections where the policy OF the
Radical party has been condemned BY oyer
whelming maiorities Of the people OF tne
United -fcheersl and notWithstano-
inc this condemnation by the people-these
reckless people who achieved power upon q
totally different issue from that which is
now before the people have IN denance 81 os
the popular will, in defiance OF the votes Oh
the people whom they were simply the re-
representatives., have urged forward these
measures to completion, In the hope tnat
they could bind the hands Of the people OF
this country, and wrest from them the power
forever. TApplause.] Yes, my fellow-cltl-
zens, they have by these measures put un.
der foot ell the people Of our race IN ten OF
the southern States; they have bound a
million of people to the earth with their
bayonets, and they have put on the top OF
them this hideous black barbarlsm-l ar
plausel-and, my fellow-citizens, feeling
that thew 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 the free 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
ND for YOUR decision-for the decision OF
the whole of the people Of this country
will YOU permit minority in both sections
composed of the white race-[cheersl i
that race, my fellow-citizens, that glorious
race of people whose history is the record
of intellectual progress among MANKIND
the only race that have ever SHOWN
themselves capable of establishing and
maintaining free government. A voice
" The Blair family, Supposed The Blair
family will be found on the 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 mix
ture with the blacks. [Applause.] My
fellow citizens, it is not my intention to de-
tain you by any heightened remarks.
[Cries of C. Go on.''] l knew very well that
what / had to say would not please GER
tain set OF people, and / will say further,
that I did not intend to please them.
Loud cheers.l If any one is displeased
that we, the Democrats, intend to restore
the Government and the Constitution, they
may make their DEGREES now, for tel! you
that after November you will not be able to
hear one of them speak. Applause. But
I am for giving them the largest liberty OF
speech. / do not intend nor desire that
they should be gagged, as they are now en-
deavoring to gag eight millions of our people
in the South. ! do not think it will be the
policy of the Democratic party when it comes
into power and reestablishes the Govern
ment 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 tree
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 commissions, 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 stifed, trodden down, and yet we find
men in this country who can stand up and
defend those acts of atroclty. lCheers.l My
fellow citizens l thank you for your atten-
tive audience this is gratifying spectacleto
any man who loves liberty and the Consti-
tuition. This enthusiasm is a sure hardin
ger of our success next November. Cheers.
And that success, under the lead Of the dis
tinguished gentleman who has been chosen
by Democratic Convention az your candi-
date for the Presidency, is certain to restore
to you the Constitution handed down to you
by your fathers. Gentlemen, | again thank
you. [Cries of "Go on."] find it impos-
sible, my fellow-citizens, to make my voice
reach the confines of this immense crowd,
and thanking you from my heart for the
kindness which you have shown me to-
Notwithstanding you still more for the en-
thusiasm you have shown for that cause in
which am now engaged along with you, ]
now retire. Loud cheers.
n