The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-11-18
GREAT SPEECH OF JUDGDENT
DELIVERED AT
Holly Springs, 3Iiss., Nov. 1859.
IREroKrED FOR THE MEMPHIS 1vAkscHx-l

Holly Springs, M1ss., Nov. 4eMS8o.
REPoKrED FOR THE MEMPHIS AvAlScHE-
fELLOW-COUNTRYMEN / az 70 be
succeeded By General Lowry an Judge
Morris the candidates for the offic OF At
rorney General, who will address "a in the
evening. viii endeavor TO be as ctcise a.
possible in my remarks. do not iknnd 10
occupy all the time which has beenllotted
70 me, neither do l intend TO followfhe ex-
ample of Gen. Alcorn, who has adressed
you in what logicians call the Gd cGdnduna
ruLgEs style, which means in a maner to
captivate the vulgar. He has told Yu that
there are laws on tie statute book # Mis-
sissippi which operate against the por man,
and which are calculated TO drive hil out OF
the state. He has also told you tina these
laws were made under the slave code which
is fact. But if these laws were unjust
then, they surely were unjust when General
Alcorn was member of the Legislature. TO
which he was repeatedly elected life hd
the rights of the poor man at heart as be
says he had, he should have changed from,
as he says it was necessary to do. and en-
deavored to have these laws wiped trtm the
statute book. Gen. Alcorn has told you thst
these laws belonged TO the time of slavery
but since you colored men have become free,
Ia 1865, he was member of the Legislature,
and why did he then not do something for
you. AT that time. when You had become
freemen, why did he not have those laws
wiped out? Why did he not change front
and demand that you free colorei men have
Justice? That was the time to change front
as he had an influence over that legislature.
because it was that Legislature that elected
him Senator of the United States. He must
have had influence in that Legislature, be-
cause he was elected by the membes TO the
United States Senate, and he becsme the
bod of r.nlSfinol oufi Of In
Legislature and reflected their views. Per-
haps it was not time to change front.
don't intend to impugn the motives of Gen.
Alcorn, but he has little ambition, and oy
that sin fell the angels. That is the reason
he has to use Gd cdptdndun1 arguments, which
are easily understood even by the oolo'ed
people now before me. tell General AIcorn
that he must be more careful in chaiging
nis front so as not to show the enemy what
he is about. He has referred 70 a cetain
deputation going to Washington. crawling
upon their bellies to the President. 1hese
gentlemen did not crawl; they went here
as erect men from the State of Mississippi
They went there owing TO certain remrks
made by Gen. Ames. wrote 70 the PPsi-
dent that he must feel disposed that ney
were sincere and honest in what they lad
said, and this was received without remark
They did not go to the President and ear
me from his reluctant grasp to be their an
didate for Governor of Mississippi. win
now refer to what Gen. Alcorn did in on
nection with the committee of sixteen Who
went to Washington TO endeavor TO disfRn-
chise thirty thousand of the leading citi1ns
of Mississippi. Although member of tiat
committee, Gen. AlcOrn did not go there or
certain reasons; but the reason I was selet
ed by the party to be their candidate was
from motives OF gratitude because WORKED
all in my power TO defeat the constitution
that was to disfranchise thirty thousand ,f
your best citizens. Gen. Alcorn, as hare
said, did not go to Washington with tie
committee of sixteen. of which you know
so well about, but he gave his aid in helpiIg
to pay their expenses. He did all he coud
until the constitution was repudiated, ard
now he asks you to support him. In tie
course of his speech, Gen. AlcOrn advanced
other propositions which l Will take up AMI
answer as go along. l will refer to tn,
twenty thousand colored majority to which
Gen. Alcorn alluded, and he claims that the
African race received their freedom from
the party to which he now belongs. l in
tend to anihilate that proposition. l cannot
quote poetry as he does; but let us look at
this question of gratitude on the part of the
colOred race and TO the war which took place
bet cen the North and the South, and here
let me tell you that your freedom was grant
ed because it was military necessity. This
is the last time 1 will see you in this canvass
and 1 want to be plain in my remarks, so as
TO be understood by you all. say that the
purpose of the war was not to free the
slaves, but it became a military necessity
Turing the war, and hence the slaves were
made free. A political war had been raging
for twenty-five years or longer in regard to
he territory that was 10 be occupied by the
,laveholders and their slaves. 1t was not a
natter regarding the question of slavery.
put simply question in regard TO territory.
As Gen. Alcorn well knows. 1t was the
that the fRrrifnFU nia1 hx-
slaves was becoming too large, That was
he question which occupied the minds of
The politicians and not the abolition of
slavery. The question of the emancipation
If the negro was not argued. l will illus
rate this by saying that l represent the
North and Gen. Alcorn the South, and as the
south became rich and wanted TO go out of
he Union, | say you can't 90. Gen. Alcorn.
md he says / will 60. l caunot whip him
because he is there standing with the frame
Of Hercules and his black eyes flashing like
hose of Jove, and l say TO his negroes if
you will help me TO whip Gen. Alcorn.
whom cannot encounter in single conflict,
will set you tree. | know that If do not
10 this, that if / strike him, that his slaves
between whom and General AlcOrn there is
/ bond of love and affectiOn-will strike me.
Therefore, i offer them the boon OF freedom.
which is to them matter of life and death.
They support me, conquer and give them
heir freedom. Now with your help get
General Alcorn down. and l say to him, i
will not let you up until you giveme guar
intee that they will be free. Then he will
lay, what must il be and reply, in order
hat they may be protected in their freedom.
rive them the right to vote, and he agrees
o it. This was the question between the
North and the South. and therefore your
freedom became military necessity. and
your right 70 vote necessarily followed.
fou helped to get your freedom. You put
is said, your master, Gen. Alcorn, In the
lust In order TO assist me. Such was the
question between the North and the South.
rhe South wanted to leave the Union. and
he North wanted to get the cotton. the sugar
md the other articles grown in the South.
md YOU helped the South to get them, so
hat it was simply question ofbargain and
ale, in which the right of the conquerer
vas used to make you free. Now when
aid that I wanted YOU to whip Gen. Alcorn
md YOU helped me to do it, do not owe
'ou any thanks because l gave you your
reedoni, and in return you give me your
assistance. lie is simply question of dol
ars and cents. If it Is pretended that you
ret your freedom on the ground of human
ustice then you ought TO have been set free
ong ago. But they did not believe 40 and
therefore, you did not get your freedom un-
ii you helped to whip your masters. You
AVE only God to thank for that freedom.
A colored man-Wnl you take our free
lon from us again!
Judge Dent-C@txinly not. There Is no
power that can again put you back into
lavery. l have told you the true condition
II affairs and that you are indebted TO mo-
,ody on earth for your freedom. Now, you
lnow how the Devil puts on the habits Of
he preacher sometimes, and uses the habits
IS a cloak. and say that General Alcorn has
,ut on the habits of the Radical party for
he purpose of working out his ambition.
me Radical party is the cloak and he is the
Devil. [Roars of langhter.l There is moth
ng in common between General Alcorn and
will not say for what purpose, As don't
want to say any more about his ambition
n all his movements it has not been shown
hat there is anything between General Al
orn. Major Vasser and the Radical party.
lie only uses ft rs the DEVILS cloak. These
Radicals know General Alcorn's ambition