The New York herald., 1870-08-13
WASHING
WASHINGTON, August -. 1870
Address Of Attorney General Akcrman 10 the
60uthern Republican Associntios.

A0OHeoo 0I AttOfuoy 0eU6r0l Akernau 10 tno
6outhern Republican Associations.
A large audience assembled tonight at Lincoln
Hall to hear address rom Attorney General Aker-
man. Many ladies and prominent gentlemen In OIL
cial stations were present He commenced by say
Ing that the meeting was called by the Southern Re-
publican Association OF washington, composed OF
citizens Of that section sojourning here, whose OBJ
jeet was to show sympathy aud give aid 10 their
political friends at home He could not refuse
to extend encouragement to men engaged
In such cause The contest commenced III
Iseo; ard having ended, so far as arms were con-
cerned, the work Of reconstruction and rehaolllta-
lion OF the Southern States began. Two leading
prominent doctrines were proposed by Congress-
First, the nationality O. the American people re-
presented In the government at Washington anu not
ar the respective State capitals; second that all In
habants Of the United States should stand
equal before the law in Their political rights,
without regard to use an established and settled
familiar phrase, go race, color previous condl-
ton Of servitude.n TO large portion of The people
OF the SOulh these doctrines were unacceptable,
being al variance with their preudces ana political
creed; and falling In The halls or legislation lhey
staked the decision on the field OF war, and are
bonud 10 accept the result. Mir. AEernan then
anayzed the various elements OF which lhe psb-
hcan party was comDoscd and also those which
enter into the democratic organzaton-the latter In
Guiding the majority, who Yield 70 the secession
movement. lie could not agree 90 the proposition as
for new issues altogether. What might be sup
pOsed obsolete In part OF the country was LIVING
In another. =, lie WISHED The proper repre-,
a settled thing, and wished Tie esiab.
lshmo1t ana confirmation Of equal rights to all
men except SO far as they might forfeit them by
ganizad against these doc rines AMI endeaY0r 10
bring contempt upon those VINO believe IN the doc
trines must we staid up 10 them cnergelicaly ana
bsyng 'st their sH DEAD Vii @ inc dosrne Of Secession
lie In its grave where secession IS supposed 10 lie
dead But do not oury ,hs living as II tney were
dead; for to be buried alive Is supposed to he
o most terrible fac so lax as he knew
the Northern sta,es substantially concsde tntt those
rights are established. Not so with the democr.tc
political leaders in the Southern States, with few
exception. They have declared they VIII never
submit TO any other construction OF che constitution
of the United States than that put upon il by the
state rights ad coates, and not az construed by
Marshal, Story, Webster aud jackson, who opposed
the doctrine that fell by the swords OF Grant and
sherman.
Mr., Akerman aliudei TO the views Of Alexander
H. stephens, 10 embodied in his book, which was in
general circulation III the Southern States, the OBJ
Ject or which publication was To show that seces-
sion was right ana that Reconstruction was mon
str0us. Tho speaker said there was such thing as
political perannuai0n, and In TINS connection lie
commented upon the aphorlsm OF the author, that
.centralism Is Imperialism" In order TO show It's
abs urlty in the sense intended, rearking that the
government at the ought to be strong enough
to sustain itself against ali oes, foreign ana donea-
TIC. government not strong enough for such
lie did not expect mlracllous conversions; men do
not readily yield their opinions. These can be
changed only by line upon line and precept upon
pleccpt. Bring them to the test Of reason and SEQ
whether they are right; bring them TO the test OF
houor and see whether tney are 1air. The Calhoun
politicians Southern champions OF 1850 and 1851,
who went TO war on the issue mat II slavery went
down tae former slave woild be on equality with
his MASTER. Now that the reope have decided
the quest on, what becomes Of their honor
II they 40 not abide the resutY He then
alludei TO the predictions made by these same
n N III
rors OF st. Domingo II there should be sudden
emancipation. When slaves were transmitted to
their doors more carefully, and examined
their firearms to see whether they were
by the torch OF tie ,ncendlary or the knife Of the
assassin. But the torch was never applied the
KNIFE was never drawn. The dwellings OF The people
were as safe ever and their persons as secure.
Men found TREY could leave th If wives ana
cnidren iu,t as see secure ,ar as they a ad N N 1855;
nsurrection but it never came. They We're
also told That freedom Would ruin the negro
a sSS ons uonsrcs 's csnfeTred cvl rsnta on the
negro, ana afterward the elective franchise and
the right TO ho!d oflce which In advance were
denounced as tending to ruin. The rivers run TO
the ocean. Cotton and corn ana wheat grow. Men,
women and children go about wlthont danger. SO
made these stormy predictions do not cease
TO SOW their seed SO long us II 1ails into the
are in co.opera tion with The sOweIs. He would say
that with the exception OF o few outrages OF an
unusual character perpetrated by certain iaWless
parties there are few portions OF the world where
tie masses OF the people live IN greater comfort
and I've IN general better condition than IN the
is trampng down the people. he had seen the
people In the towns and villages and rural districts,
and could give as his deliberate convection that
none enjoy greater comfort than the people OF
Gaorgia, and everywhere are s,Ins Of increased
PROSPERITY. There were di'hcuities in , the
they were confronted hy dupocated, unreasonable
prejudice; second, large majority OF the wealth
third, very large proportion OF the voters have
been arIayed in arms against the doctrines repub.
Leans oppose. 1t was hard for q soldier TO give up
the cause for which he fought, though some have
done so. He wished they could all rise above this
feeling and say it was not. They learned a useful
lesson, and after the fight TO love the flag
OF their country and to extend their national sympa
tjes from the Quito the lakes and from the Allan.
tic TO the Pacfac. Mr. Akerman said republicans
were without diniculty IN their own ranks, and
while audng to their errors, he repei:ed ISLANDERS
to which they had been subjected. Among
constitution Of Georgia was framed in 1887 and
1868. 1t had been charged that the convention was
composed OF negroes and s oapeJ The
seventy-fve were natives Of Ge rgia, fortysx
natives of other Southern States, making l2l. or
or these. twenty-six, fourtecen were
and there were only about a dozen Of what are
called ''carpet-ba2gers" In that bOdy The public
had been told much about this government in Geor:
virtually affect the prosperity Of the people. In some
OF the Southern States the Legislative bodies have
gone too far in providing for the futuro before
providing Tor the present and 10 pledgng the public
credit unwisey. lie also alluded to the fact that,
while the republicans were blamed for patronzing
the s0-called tbaggers,n the democrats mad
done the same thing when 1t suited their interests.
lie suspected the democrats objected more to hat
In the carpot1ag than 10 the carpeJbagger him.
SELF ....-. ... ......
Mr.. Ackermon concluded by defending the repub-
licans OF the South from the charge Of DO.
a rIV n
the legislation Of the Confederate Congress, which
wrecked the cause of the rebellion, ana as to the
carpet baggers, iC was known that there were men
In that Congress assuming to represent States,
on the territory OF which they were not al
lowed to tread-tho States or part OF the
States from which tney came being In possession OF
Union troops.
Mr.. Ackerman was frequently interrupted by ap.
plauase.
Quarterly Statement Of Receipts md Expen.
ditures.
The following are the receipts and expenditures
Of the government by warrants for the quarter end