The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-08-13
Speech from a Georgian.

The Hon. James L. Seward re-
sides at Thomasville, in Southern
Georgia, but a few miles from the
Florida line. He is we'll known in
all that country called in Georgia
the Wire grass Region, and posses-
ses great influence. He has been in
the Congress Of the United States.
and in 1858 beat General Bartsow
(killed on the rebel sido at first
Bull Run) for that office. He is d
thorough Georgian, a man of great
popularity, superior social position
and high popularity.
An Atlanta paper says:
Mr.. Seward addressed the peo.
pie of Atlanta yesterday evening,
and had the Hall Of Representa-.
tives crowded 10 hear him. The
manner and bearing of the audi
ence was in striking contrast with
that addressed by Toombs. All
present were struck with. the diff.
ference. Mr.. Seward speaks with
great energy and vehemence, and
from the manner in which all hung
upon his words, it was evident that
his opinions are sought for with
eagerncss. He open thus:
"FELLow, ,CITIzENs-I appear be-
for you as a Georgian to speak TO
Gcorgians; to address you on the
great questions before the country.
| desire to wound the feelings of
no ono. l wish to address your
reason, and not your passions. Do
you know that you are upon the
eve OF o revolution2 l tell you it
is 80. l was in tho Charleston
Convention when the late revolu.
tion was inaugurated. l opposed
secession then, and was denounced
for it. What is the result? To-
day we arc tho poorest people in
the world. If Generals Toombs
and Cobb made SO sad o mistake
then, | warn you not 10 follow
thom now. You followed them
through four years Of bloody war,
which has left our country filled
with widows and orphans, deprived
OF means of support, and our peo-
pie q conquered and oppressed
race. But | forgive them and will
not say that they wege not patriot
it; but they made mistake. While
at Washington in 1861, they were
continually sending telegraph dis.
patches advising Georgia to secede.
don't charge them with crime;
but | do say they made q foul mis-
take then, and are unsafe leaders
now. Public liberty is lost, and
how shall VIC regain it? We arc
q conquered people, and must &C.
cept such terms as the conqueror
dictates. l assert that Andrew
johnson put worse terms upon us
than tho Radical party has ever
imposed. He appointed a provis-
ional Governor; u convention was
called; the ordinance of secession
annullcd; Legislature and State
Government provided for; and what
followed? Why, Andrew John.
son actually required, at the point
of the bayonet, that we should abol'
ish slavery after it had boon abol
lshed by military power and The
proclamation6 Of the President.
HIS VIEW OF THE SITUATION.
"The construction acts of Con,
gress were not the first terms sub
mitted TO the people of the South
We rejected the first and moro lib
eral terms submitted 10 US, thu
still showing o spirit of opposition
TO the Government. The reason
why these reconstruction laws Wer,
: imposed upon US was, that thu
; Northern people believed the South
ern leaders were opposed to recon
) struction. All of this has been tn,
result of the teachings Of such mel
as Toombs, Cobb, and Ben Hill.
. "1f you accept the constitutions
! amendment, known as Article II
. you will, by that means, put tn
Z suffrage question in tho hands Q
r the people of the State.
!, THE NEGRO.
~ do not look upon the eniran
D chisemont of the negroes in th
same light as Toombs, Cobb an
a other leaders of the Domocrati
/. party do. They take the positio
4 that tho enfranchisement Of th
d negro degrades the white man.
@ "The elevation Of the negro doe
not degrade the white man. An
J, l tell you, colorcd people, if tn
4. North says you have the right I
If vote in the South, and admit 20
n to the rights of citizens, you hav
d the right to demand that they az
,t init you to tho same rights an
It privileges in the North. l don
admit that tho Southern poop
are inferior TO any race on Il
r earth. We arc conquered, and IL
2. North has put harsh measures u