Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-01-04
TRANSITION.


Secretary Boutwell, lcetured on Wednes-
day last to a large audience assembled at
the Mercantile Library Hall, Boston, upon
THE Transition Period of the Unit cd
States"
He said that if the years of our national
life were divided into periods of ten years, b,
the decade now closing would, undoubt-
edly, prove The most important. T be
seventy years previous to 1860 had be IN
a constant struggle between two hostile
powers Of civilization in the nation. He
had reasons TO believe that had there
not been persons of ominence 10 defend
slavery before tine adoption of the Federal
Constitution, the system would have be sn
destroyed. Everybody believed that it
| would die out; that it was local in its
1 character, and destitute of power. I he
trainers Of The Constitution recognizing 1t /,
gave it political power in the Government. 4.
! The Introduction OF cotton as the staple o |
the slave section soon gave it a new iIn-
I portance. Slavery was not denounced,
but tolerated at that period. Subsequently
it was attacked and defended. when it
/ presented new aspect. 1t was inevitable
I tha- in free country an investigation of
the system by the people would end in its
destruction. In the contest for the mas
/ teFy each section in its way succeeded;
/ The South, by its wealth centered in few,
/ aided by the Constitution in gaining con-
I troll of The Governments; the North, byits
I industry and enterprise IN developing its
( vast commercial, mercantile and industrial
resources. Thus, when the war came the
North was rich in material; and, had the
South been compelled TO rely on its own
resources, the contest would not have
lasted more than two and half years. 1
| When the representatives of the South re-
linquished their seats in Congress they
abandoned the power they had gained.
The result was the destruction Of slavery
the adoption Of the XIIIth Constitutional
Amendment. and the subsequent ratinca-
ton of the XVIII 10 secure the advan-
tages gained by the &IIIth. The ratifca-
tion of the XVIII Amendment will secure
to all the equal right 10 elect and be elect
ed to office; not social equality merely,
but the equality which abplishes the dis
tinctiOn between the citizen and the serf.
exem plifying the great truth that "all
men are created equal" Mr.. Boutwell,
said there was misunderstanding in the
public mind as to the Specification of the
words right to be elected to public en-
ployment." II was simply that by law a
citizen was not excluded. The right ex-
isted in the people to elect him who was
best able to perform the duties. Those
wise men who threw themselves upon the !
people for their suffrages by popularity, !
openly or Indirectly sought, IN cOntradis-
tinctiOH 10 those who were sought for by |
the people. to meet the great public emer- |
gencies. Popularity gained IS in the irst !
Instance Was disgrace TO its pOssessorS.
in the latter case, glory. The lecturer
classed in the latter class the l2te Mr..
Stanton, who, he claimed, did as much to
secure the Union Victorg as did any SOL
der who fought at Gettysburg, and whose !
character should bs held up for the inojta-
ton OF the coming men. The great events |
of the decade have furnished to the Deo- |
pie, North and South, white and black |
equality OF opportunity. The South mad /
been opened to system of pub I
lie instruction, the advantages of
which could not be adequately estimated,
The public sentiment of the North. aided /
by the mUniticence OF the late George |
Peacody, was opening schools, which, by |
me education OF the masses. viii prove in 1
after years the sustaining prop of the Re- |
public Ii matters not if the rich ia
Withdraw their children, it will not preiu- !
dice the system. The labor question had |,
been agitated recently to 4 great extent "a
the North. Something had been done for /
it 10y opening up the South, rich in las an- |
riculiural, mining, and river resources 81
ready revealed, or THEFT Use made possible |
by the events of the war, 1t was Times |
sible that there should be equality of con
dition, though something had been ac-
cOmpllshed toward il. The revoIution of /
l7I0 broke the chains that bound rs to
England, but il left d subject class. The
last revolution elevated all. Ii was true.
the Secretary remarked, that the events
OF the past ten years had felt their Diff
cultl6S IN the loss of commerce the craa I
tion of vast public debt, and a system
OF taxation that was deemed burdensCme. |
FIacing Whatever estimate yCu please !
upon these difficulties, even the largest !
amount, there is still upon the ledger I
larger balance TO the credit of the nation. /
IL Inc country remained at peace (and
mere was no indication TO the contrary, |
the puOllc debt would be soon considera-
bly, reduced, and its final liquidation
would not be very remote. It had been |
asserted, air. Boutwell, said, that Amsri- !
cans as nation were grasping-anxious !
Tor extension of territory. This assertion
ne desired TO emphaticslly contradict, for
Wl'hih the past twenty-five years the gov
ernment has repeatedly rejected profiered
territory, heinstanced Mexico, which was !
once IN possession of The United States
troops, out the government accented only !
Il iew outlying States, and paid for them |
literally. The Sandwich Islands. he had |
reason 70 know, had been rendered wears
ago, and other islands have from time to
time been offered and rejected, We take
nothing by oppression. Other nations
take by force of arms, ours ~ force of
IDEAS. II by such force others desire to
loin US, we VIII consider their proposals
There should be nothing in our public
debt TO prevent such an extension by
peaceful means. We should reduca Il !
during peace, that in the event of another
war our credit would hold good. Taxa
iion Is an evil that should 5e reduced as
quickly as possible; but there are greater
svlls. With US it meant the reduction of
A debt; with European nations the sup
port or standing armies. In alluding 10
he destruction of American commerce. bv
me war, Mr.. Boutwell, said that none
doubted what the remedial course should
be, though no platform could be devised
20 accomplish its restoration-the union
)f government and people. In CLOSING. he
said that there was "A future for America
hat could be better comprehended now
han in 1869 England's American colo
Mes are yet to accept the American idea.
which has spanned the continent. bring
ne the Pacific under commercial control
which has conquered the worse and set up
he better. Tie disbandmsnt of her
'rmies when the war ended was an inn
lortant proof Of her stability, as was
heir assembling when il first began; and
he world will soon learn that a govern
nent by the people, for the people, is for
preferable TO a government Of the people
Igainst their wishes,