The weekly standard., 1870-07-20
|Maay Myeekly Sta,taata
W. A. SMITH u CO.,
PRoPRIEroRs.
SPEECH OF
MIR. SAMUEL F. PHILLIPS,
- f"scOrd, CaDarrus County, July4t 1870.

- lsscOrd, CdJarrus County, July 4th, 1870
After some Introductory remarks, Mr. Phillips
SAID, in substance:
allow me, in the first place, to enter a.protest
-salhsG the heat and intcmpcrancc which for two
" more years past have marked political discus
= elons III North Carolina Without presuming to
nalcipate any considerable effect from the
epeecncs shall make during this canvass,
f.Suture TO hope that whatever may be accom-
n'sneo, shall bc in the interests of peace, and
snc return OF an era OF good feeling Two years
~, Ut the time OF the creation of tina. difference
upon political questions which now divides our
SUsuihunity-aud ~ to great extent, ever SINCE
~. inc wcapous, and, NAV add some of the ar.
uhccs OF rhetoric were rcsorted to, in order TO
eAci0e the Indignation of one class OF our people
esainsl the other. There was altogether too
~ ~nucn power and persistence in this effort for its
20 .Ssils Us not TO be considerable. An unpTrccden.
- alienatioa has been created. In various
s1.oniinunitieS, including sometimes whole coun-
-, matters have proceeded 10 even greater ey-
Iehes: submit for your consideration the
esoposition, that the thunderbolt is not more
.uIaIy inc offspring of the general high tenn
t'cratere ofthc long summer day, than the recent
peculiar felonious 0utragcs upon person and life
-.se OF me widespread alienation aud i'll temper
loouced in the way that have mentioned. l. do
gee pretend that the rhetoric the ransacking of
~, dictlonaries for terms OF invcctiye and abuse
red ne .sriiiging Unto vogucsot new tcfnis of
corn and dcrision, are the only causes of this
unhappy state of things. Prior TO the introduc-
t,en oi these modes OF speech, the condition of
.re community was ripe for such kindling. Dis
appointments occasiOned by the recent war, mis-
fluctuations in regard to the most important
ulatteTs oil this life, in every department, sorrow
oser tue marry dead eyaspcration under military
Iuie, and ap prchensions in respect to the cOntin
uancc OF liberty; not to omit the depressing ef-
iect oI a recurrence of bad crOps-had produced
such ST ate OF things ought to have rendered
wise men cautious in administering the stimu-
iant Oh tnvective- Unhapply this caution was
nos ex libited. Flame Was applied to the infam-
soie ale, aud our community ever since has
oecn In state of cODilagralion. | submit that
WI fever there may be OF peculiar outrage and
nsdeuce amongst US, especially where such yio-
ncc has political character, is largely due to
me manner in which political discussions have
oeeu carried on amongst us, upon the stump,
and by the press, within the last two or three
years. am told by those who believe ii, and
who do not intend to deceive, that dumb terror
mrs been struck, ofpremeditation, upon one po-
ntcal party in whole counties, by organized
oands, moving by night armed, uniformed, and
IN disguise recent very able opinion of Chief
Justice Pearson delivered in Il case of alleged
crime, not political, defines felony as being,
an essence, an attempt to cvadc the law have
tn-reiorc TO add, calmly, that these Organiza-
lions are, in the strictest sense, felOnious. The
theme is one which invites to inScctiyc, hut in
The spirit which l invoke, refrain, although
I do not fear to give offence in any portion of
North Carolina by denOuncing crime and crimi-
nails. The community has not so far departed
from old landmarks as that any respectable part
Will resent the application of fit terms TO men
who SO far as they can, are cOnfOunding every
thing, ana introducing assassination as Ordi-
nary weapon in political controversy. A little
consideration will convince everyone, whatever
be his political connexions, that this organiza-
ton is no less than an assault upon the great
spirit of liberty herself, for tie most part in the
: fceblc person OF that iberty'S youngest born;
and If such assaults go on, it is not doubtful
that she will clap her wings and fit
nIe I regions iss ess Rn ana pe0
self that they are not to go on. 1t is my dearest
wish that they be put down by public opinion
which, here, and now, will arouse itself to meet
that which is deadly foe to all that the public
holds dear. As one good step in that direction,
let us cleanse the fountains, by returning to that
old moderation and tolerance which marked po-
litical differences and discussions in North Car
olina ten or more years since. Let each do what
he may, however little, to restore that kindness
of feeling, the absence of which, occasioncd to
great extent in the way have mentioned, has
led TO gross outrages upon the person, to assas-
siratiOn and to reign of terror, which, although
themselves horrible evils, are to the community
especially fearful, as the omens of a state of
things indefinitely worse, as leading with an ab-
solute certainty. TO general anarchy, or, as
alternative only less dreadful, to strong govern
ment.
Dismissing this topic, let US turn to the politi-
cal questions of the day.
The Republican party, fellow-citizcns, Is the
party at present in possession of both the State
and NStiouaf 6uveFgli <ests,=At the ness election
the Democratic party hopes to possess itself OF
the Legislative Departmental the State Govern
mcnt, and to effect something considerable in its
progress towards depriving the Republican party
Of the control of Congress. State Lcgisla-
turc is to he chosen, and the political character
oil seven members of the House OF Representa-
tives, and of one Senator OF the United States
is to be determined. The contest between the
two parties is to be carried on before the people,
in the old way. Platforms Of principles have
been laid down, and discussions are had upon
the stump.
have examined the platform of the Conserva-
five or Democratic party, and think, and am
here to maintain, that it specifics no good
ground for continuing the division amongst the
people which that party occasioned two or more
years ago.
the opposition has called no convention to lay
down principles for the present campaign. |
think it will be found that this is an important
omission, considering all the circumstances
Then, when VIC turn TO the Address of the
members of the Legislature, by which it is i'll
tended 10 supply this defect, VIC find three dis
tinct points for observation:
1. That party which seeks to overthrow the
National admins tratiOn of affairs, is entirely 81
lent as regards that administration by the per
sons and party now in possession.
9 That the only point of difference between
the two parties-that very question which ere
ated the present division between the people
two years ago, has in terms, been abandoned.
& That topic-Imcan that OF public cxtray-
agance and corruption, is sought to be erected
into party badge, by gentlemen who, with two
years. opportunity, and through space OF some
SOOO octave pagcs of journals, have failed at
any one time to exhibit such badge; who re-
vrTse the old rules of wisdom, and offer us
,ro,Is for acts,-an Address upon slip OF news
nancr instead of solid yotes, spread upon these
i,aacs which the Constitution requires to be
PRESENTED as the authentic guides of the con-
stitucnt when investigating the conduct of its
representative!
which the Democratic party finds itself IN 1870.
could have been relieved by convention called,
and sitting according to the regular discipline
of party organizations. Its condition is prob
obIv at the very least, incurable Certainly,
botyever. its friends ought TO have rcsorted to
thc most powerful remedies. They will always
he subjects OF sclf-reproach tor having omitted
anything that promised restoration. They were
nnder necessity of announcing to the people
that the doctrine which callcdlthe party into
cv;stence had ceased to be their doctrine; that
what they had in solemn Convention pronounced
w 1855 TO be an "all absorbing" and an "unal-
terablen principle, mean, their opposition to
the political equality of the colored man, had
;tsclf been absorbed and altered! Certainly in
nrder TO gain public assent, this change ought
" have been recommended by a body no less
digDifed, no less frequent and full, no less au-
,horizei than that which deliberately announced
the principle they annulled and abandoned. A
,.rtv called into cIistencein in order to combat an
idea' must remnin, during its existence, and By
~ srixteuce, standing threat against that idea,
nd as we'll against the peace and order which
nsts upon that idea 1t is vain to deny this.
We know how this party originated. We were
nreseut at its birth. we saw gentlemen CO.
Pnoratc in this who in long lives OF honor
opS useIulness, had never CO operated be-
ana, anu The question at issue was SO Overwhelm-
;Ug that party rivalres OF thirty years. party dis.
mt L5 the memories of hnndred party contests,
ES the solemn convictions that principles ad-
anu tnS and nursed by one and another, had re-
ff,ed in the greatest harm to our society and
SUI ;nstitutions gave way like fax before The
Sa,ne In Convention composed oi the great
nd hest public men OF North Carolina, wht
aid not toss about adJectives In tne temper
u,nnthful rhetoricians or under the excltemen
the stump, this principle wac said to be "al
o,trh;n~n o, and ''unaltcrablc." Their hair wal
80 with old experience, and they had seen IN
em.JoGo,,s in the very basis OF things. occasionet
aM he war and the surrender, still they held Il
Dy III nh;ng in politics as, in the nature OF thing
0n1saItcrablc,' 0n1 and they were candid enough t
,ncc IT, | shall have occasion before
ainsc TO remark upon this again, but ailud
edit If now i'll order TO make good what
10 ~ assertcd,-t il at the end OF bre
nav nav years, the "all Absorbing was reall
wv 0IsOrbed in the supposed party cxi
10 loc;cs of 1870, and for like reason, the " ur
ge.nnr.ahle'' was to be altered 1t ought to have
ai.ed alien done by convention OF delegates repre-
oeen etin% "a as usually, the larger number Of III
sseonnties, sei and commissioned by instructions t
couh .h;s very thing! That might not have game
40 iin;t crcdence in the new confession OF faith
iInp With this lesson in their ability to alter, VIII
fo, We not apprehend that another presto change
may Syssore us; and that by reverting, in til
Course Of one or two more years. to their vow p,
OF ,he colorcd man, they may, by proving th
Oh olnot .n TO be a mere suspension of active oppos
pre- in hopes of a better state of things for the
non n,an,s ~ convince us. that when their chiefs
opJe oJenn council say that a position is uRdltera6t
s. ;s so; at least by any rrass-'reeting OF MI