The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-11
THE CANVASS IN THE SOUTH.

Bpn Report of General Robert Toombs,
Cedar Town spccch-The "Oracle of the
South' Hns spokcn-"T The Noblest Roman
or Them Alp Arrnigns General Grant for
Want Of verncity ind Various Crimes and
h1isdemeanOrs-A Grand View Of the Pc.
hticai situation by n Southern Luminary.
At the democratic mass meeting In Cedar Town,
Polk county, Ca, on the 25th August last the Pres
Gent, MI. W. F. James, introduced General Toombs
~ follows
MR.. JAMES, INTRODUCTION.
IL gives me Infinite pleasure TO present the noblest
Roman OF them alone whose fame fills both hemi.
spheres who adorned the highest civil stations who
bied In the lost cause, who followed its hearse 10 the
grave, who preferred exile TO oppression when the
naR traled In defeat and became exile I'm foreign
1ands. But he Of length returns to the home OF his
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Is ON his native heath with lips,
thank God unsealed, and he Will now speak Tor
hnsef a. In better days when you and were free.
j nave the honor TO present General Toombs.
~ SPEECH or Mr.. TooMBs.
General Toombs said
LADIES AND GENrLEMES-r have come with plea
sure at your bidding to take counsel with you on this
OCCASION concerning tue public safety and the pre-
eervaton OF public liberty. In dscharping INV hmm.
Pc part on TINS interesting occasion, would initiate
assembly OF his countrymen without first calling
Npon the gods Of his country and imporing Of them
proach upon the cause OF truth detrment ~ that
bf his country feel to-day prouder OF the PEOPLE
OF my native State than have done al any other be-
mod OF my life. have seen them under all the yclss
tpdes ordinarily incident 10 men and nations, from
the brightest prospects down to the lowest depths OF
misfortune and misery; but to-day they exhibit o
moral grandeur for which I bow with humble
thankfulness to the Great Dispenser Of
human affairs who inspired them with q
fortlude and herosm equal to the perils which sur
round them. You have felt all the woes all the BIT
terness winch triumphant wrong could infict upon
you. The government Of your choice has been over.
thrown thousands OF your fathers, husbands BROTH
erA and sons have persisted In ts defence: your land
has been ravaged, your property destroyed, your
wives and daughters insulted, you have been strip
ped OF the commonest rights OF freemen, subjected
Ior years TO an insolen and brutal military despotsm
winch mas crowned It's own infamy and filled the
measure OF your wrongs by an attempt hitherto un-
known In the annals OF national crime, to make your
slaves your masters. Yet nnd amid all these crush.
ing caianities, throughout all of our borders the
uxed purpose, the uncomfortable will never TO sur
render the inaliena5e rights of men, and old men
middle aged men, young men. lovely matrons and
bl0OmlnR maids everywhere gathering together To
cheer 10 animate, to bless those who SIN Mead for
right and justice and stu worship at the atar 81
truth. Great cheering) VINO can witness those
scenes and doubt the power, the immortality the
divinity OF truthS Who can doubt but
That freedoms battle once begun
Bequcatbcd BY bleeding sire TO SOP,
Though batted OIL lie ever wonY
I come to-day 20 urge You to grid on your arrpor
90 do your duty in this great conflict, not with the
sword. I would that the sword might be sheathed
Gus an ally and defender. | prefer peace. / want
peace: I want rest. Nearly sixty winters have
shed their SHOWS upon my head; nearly thirty
OF these years have been spent In the public
eervfce battling against these same enemies of
the rights OF the people, OF the states and OF
the principles OF the constitution OF 1851 can
therefore, honestly say with General Grant, "Let
us have peace.n Aks he but "holds the word OF
promise 90 the ear an0 breaks t 20 the nopen Peace
~ lo TIE child either OF wrong, OF VI oDpresson VI