Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-08-03
Horace Greeley's Speech at Lynchburg

Horace Greeley's Speech at Lynchburg.
On Thursday night last, Horace Greeley, the
able editor ofthe New York Tribune, delivered
a lengthy speech in Lynchburg from which, as
reported in the Lynchburg Nrginian, we make
the following extract which will be read with
interest:
"He commenced by expressing in warm
terms his sense Of gratitude to the people of
Virginia for the many kindnesses and courte-
sizes he had received at their hands since he
had been among them. These evidences of
friendly feeling he would always cherish in his
memory.
In regard to the political situation of the
State, he took occasion to express his unquali-
fed disapproval of those measures sought to
be imposed by the extremists, looking to the
Acknowledgement and disability of large ele-
ment of the people, 1t was in truth no hard
ship to a man of intelligence and education,
that the law disabled him from sitting as JUS
tice of the peace, but the community suffered
hardship in being deprived of such man. s
services Prescriptions must be banished, he
had always maintained, SO soon as the public
mind is Gained down and feels secure that they
can be safely dispensed with Such had been
the decision of the American people. He
thought that the trainers of the Virginia Con-
stltutlon, In going beyond the Reconstruction
legislation of Congress, and imposing more
stringent disabilities, had acted unwisely. He
did not presume to judge their motives, or con-
denim them. Perhaps they thought it was
necessary to adopt such measures. But the
people had decided that no class should now be
ignored and deprived of its proper voice in the
government of this free country. He thought
that Governor Wells ought to have repudiated
the proscriptve clauses Of that constitution =
1t was a hardship that the negroes, who were
in large numerical minority, and in still
larger minority in point of property and intel
ligence, should have been induced to vote in
bulk for these measures, which the better edu-
Gated OF their own party leaders did not APP
prove, and did not vote to sustain. Mr.. Gree
ley said he had seen and couversed with Gov.
Walker, and he believed he would render ex-
act justice to all. Col. Walker would do what
err; he would divert the attention and thoughts
of the people away from the bitter feelings and
memories of the past, and direct them to the
development and improvement Of the mineral
and agricultural wealth Of the State. Walker
would secure the rights of the colored people
faithfully and honestly. He would not ask
whether a man had voted for or against him
but what was the laac, and what rights were
guaranteed to each man under the constitution.
And while his efforts would be directed as the
people thought they should be, to the removal
of disabilities and the restoration of all good
citizens to the exercise of suffrage, he would
also see that those were secured in their newly
acquired rights, who had recently been sub
iected to still more stringent and invidlous
disability.
He should be supported by the sympathy
and cooperation of all classes of the people,
He had most difficult task before him. Walk
er, he thought, would have more difficulty with
the men who elected him than with those who
opposed him. There would be old prejudices
and diverse interests to oppose and embarrass
him, but he believed Walker would secure a
fairer and grander destiny for Virginia than
had ever been realized by her. He looked to
the material and practical considerations and
not to political differences What the people
of Virginia needed was not SO much Northern
capital, or immigration from abroad, as unity
and determination among her own people tc
develop their own resources. Of course CAPT
tai was needed, hut the power to improve was
in the hands of the people themselves He
had just been travelling through the State with
an earnest and watchful eye, and regretted to
see such blasted and ruined crops of corn
People would say that the season had been very
dry and hot, and that might be so but dry
season ought not to occasion the destruction Of
any crop. People, he argued, were put here
in the world not to yield to the caprices and
whims of nature, but to study SO as ultimately
| to control them.
He had passed by thousands of farms where
little labor in damming streams and ditchine
water so as to irrigate the SOIL would have
saved crops that are perishing now in the SUM-
Millions of acres might be rescued and made
fertile by the streams that flow from among the
magnificent hills and mountains. An old and
| experienced farmer Of West Chester county
New York, had expressed as his opinion thai
water was the cheapest and most efficient fer
tiizer Such was also the speakers conviction
and experience He had travelled in Lombar-
dy, Italy, where every drop of water is con-
verted toward improving and enriching the
SOIL So in Utah. The Mormons found il
| twenty years ago desolate spot in the wilder
ness There were no rains there in November
but by utilizing the rilIs and streams, they had
made their fields able to produce and sustain
great crops of grain. This is what Virginia
must do, aboriously and systematically, till
with scientific agriculture and other improve
ments, her products may be quadrupled. He
had also observed that the ground was not
properly ploughed. He had noticed many
places where proper ploughing and cultivation
would have been the salvation of the crops -
Fertilizers were not properly and sufficiently
applied An application to the fields Of these
bare hill sides, of one dollar .of gypsum pei
acre. would realize at least three dollars per
acre on the yield This was the reconstruction
that Virginia needed, more than any political
Reconsideration