The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-08-06
EIGHTEEN CENTS A WEEK

eyery citizen to respond, and answered
the State gave the order to sheath the sword,
7 .obeyed the command. I am now fighting
for her cause and her interests In peace,
as I fought for them in war; and, 1enoW-
citizens, in my opinion, grave as was tne
struggle in which we were then engaged, anu
terrific as have been the consequences 70 us ID
many places, the interests involved IN the con-
test in which we are now engaged are even
more momentous. I believe that upon the
success of the cause depends the life or death
of the constitution, and that II we are success
full we can re-establish the gorernment OF the
constitution and Union. But if we fall the
Democratic party fails. then, in my opnlon, we
shall see the great republic Of Washington go
down into that grave which has closed over so
many of it's predecessors. I believe that it iis
the duty of every man to strike again for MS
altar, freside and country.
You have all doubtless heard Of the Conven-
ton which recently assembled IN New YORK.
When the South was invited to take part IN lts
deliberations, made up my mind that every
Southern State ought to be represented, feel.
ing that we ought to meet the Democracy OF
the North face to face;-to talk with them, and
show that we were earnest and sincere In our
protestations. am glad to say that my e1pec-
taions we're more than fulfilled. We we're met
on all sides and by all classes with the most
cordial kindness and most generous considera-
ton. They all welcomed us back, encouraged
us with the highest hopes, and assured us that
they would stand by US, and that they intended
to secure The victory. Not only we're we 80 met
by the delegates. in the Democratic Convention,
but also by the members Of another Conven.
ton, who, If any distinction can Il be made
where every welcome was so warm, met US
even more cordially than the others. This
Convention was composed OF men who had
fought us for four years, and had met US on
more than one hundred bloody fields. They
came to US not as enemies, but as friends; and
extending to us the hand Of friendship, they
said: 'You were fighting for your States as we
we're fighting for our States. You believed
THAI YOU we're right as We believed that.we were
right. We fought only for the Union and Con-
stit1tion, and now. believing that our ends
are gained, we wish once more, stand
ing by the altargs- Of our country and
around our countyIs flag, to fight IN the
cause Of the constitution, liberty and Iee gov; gSs
of fellowship; and I, who yielded to none in
my devotion to the Lost Cause-l who believed
that our cause was right-accepted for myself
and nv people that right hand Of fellowship 10
the same spirit in which it was offered.
[Cheers.] Itold them that we were speaking
with no double tongue-that when we said war
we meant war, and when we said peace we
Gel
This was the way in which We were met in
New York and when ali difficulties were kind
ly smoothed away, we had but to con-
suit together and determine upon the
principles and platform on which we all might
stand and work together with unity of purpose
and feeling. AS you probably know one dele
gate from each State was appointed to form orr q
we-for had the honor to be one OF that COM
mittee- met and entered upon the discussion.
there appeared many points Of difference.
Though aiming at the same end, there were
different means that. might be chosen: We
discussed the platform one whole night, as
men who had the same interests and the same
cause at heart. We discussed the matters as
brethren, and not one harsh word was spoken.
There we're men OF the North, OF New England,
the West and the South, and all, without one dis
senting voice, announced the noble platform
on which we stand. This platform was SUBJ
mitted to the Convention, and there, too, it
was adopted without dissenting voice; and
we now call upon you, the whole South, and
the whole Union, to come forward and ratlfy it
with the same unanimity with which 1t was
ratified in New York. [Cheers
What, gentlemen, is that platform, and what
are those principles? We declared that the
Reconstruction acts are unconstitutional, revo-
lutionary and void. Unconstitutional, because
| they subverted the free government under
| which.we Lived. and in this Union, founded on
| the consent Of. the governed, subjected ten
States to the power Of the bayonet; because
they stripped the Chief Magistrate Of his legal
prived the Supreme Court of it's rightful juris-
diction, had threatened to strip the court Of oil
its power. When that court had decided that
these acts we're unconstitutional, Congress- in
terfered, extended it's hand, and would not al
low the decision to be declared until after. the
Presidential election.
We of the South had not done more than to
say that their acts we're unconstitutional, had
asked for decree Of the Supreme Court, and
the decision been adverse to our cause. We
declared the reconstruction acts revolutionary,
because they revolu6oniZed the government
of the country, because they had placed ter
States under a military despotism, because
they threatened the subversion Of the supreme
judicial tribunal Of the land, and because the
party now in power in Congress intended o
| through them to retain by force what they
had acquired by frauds.
| Will not the Radical party which proposes tc
seize the government meet US with the base
and bold imposition Of charging Us with being
revolutionary No later than yesterday saw
that the Radical press had denounced me as 6
rebel and revolutionist on account OF some
thing I had said. Now defy them to put tbeil
finger on one word, or single place in which
have said anything that can be SO construed
said in Charleston that the plank denounc.
| ing the Reconstruction acts as unconstitu.
lional, revolutionary and void, was enc which
we had put there; and say 30 again. This IS
not the first instance in history in which 9
party intending to seize the government and
overthrow the liberties Of the people has
charged its opponents with its own designs.
We arc Eot seeking revolution. We only ask
for our States the same rights that Massachu-
sets enjoys. We merely demand the right to
regulate our own a1Iairs. We do not seek war.
We want peace, to builiu our desolate places,
to restore our affairs, to regain our prosperity,
to bring forth our energies, and to re-estabhsh
upon a firm foundation the republic OF our
fathers. That is what we want, and it is only
that which We aim at.
The Radical party charges us with being rev.
olutionary. They say through their standard
bearer, lei US have peace. Now, fellow-cit.
zens, what kind Of peace2 There is one kind
Of peace which comes from the Godhead it.
self-the peace which passes all understanding
There is another peace where the white-robed
angel. after the din Of war has ceased, broods
over the smiling land, and declares that all are
brethren once more. But there is yet another
peace: The peace which the kite gives to the
dove, the wolf to the lamb-the peace Of death.
Let the Radical rule be firmly fixed, let them
once grasp the reins Of government, and that
peace Of death will prevail forever in this fair
land Of ours. Not only here will it prevail, but
from Maine to California, from the Atlantic to
the Gulf. The peace Of death-because that
government for which our fathers fought would
60 down in blood, anarchy and confusion, and
upon it's ruins would rise the empire OF the
despot, It is then in the interest OF peace