Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-11-02
speech of General Blair at Mont
ai' gomery.

General Blair, who is in Montgolu-
cry, Ala, as one Of the Sub Ku- Klux
Committee, made telling speesh on
the evening of the Goth. We make
the following extracts:
Feloae- Cih=ens There are some
questions growing ont of the position
Of the South which feel called upon
to mention, but with difidence, and
disclaiming any purpose of giving
anything like advice to the people OF
the South but have read in letters
and speeches by distinguished meh OF
the South, which touches all the
south, and all who synrathize with
the South in other quarters OF our
country. 81 have Seen it proposed
that in the next D mccratic Conven-
ton to be held for the nomination OF
candidate for President of the Uni
ted States, the Soutl. forbear to take
any part, whatever; that the South
should decline to be represented,
but should ACCEPT whatever candidate
the Democrats Of the North may sse
proper to offer. l dissent entirely
from the proposition. think | may
here enter the protest OF every Dem
ocmt in tile North and West. Ap-
plause.
Tac triumph of the Democratic
party is the safety of the South, and
who should guard its safety but the
Southern men? If they FAIL why
may not others also fail. Ny fellow
citizens, a triumph which will relieve
YOU is the thing which the South looks
to, and looks to alone. They have
no questions of personal favorites to
be advanced to them. All Democrats
are alike. Their choice will fall upon
him who is most likely to carry that
banner in triumph. If the South
fails to give US the benefit of her wise
counsel il she fails to send her prn-
dent and wise men, who will go there
with an eye single to success; if they
leave the Democracy of the North to
struggle for nomination amidst the
contending factions OF the aspirants
she will withhold from US the benefit
of the wisest and most npartial coun-
sci We can have. If she should ab-
sain, even though it be upon the
ground stated by some OF the distin.
guishcd gentlemen who advocate this
course, and who sa7 that their pres
encc in the Convention in 1868 was
laid hold of and used to the destruc-
1ion OF the Democratic party, l tell
YOU their absence now will be claim
I'd as ~ refusal to act with the North
ern Democrats, because they have
adopted the new departure.
II will be claimed that the spi.it
of rebellion still fingers and burns
under the smouldering ashes, and it
is lighted into new fame of indig-
nation because the Democratic party
Of the North, or large portion OF
them, have assumed. for reasons which
seemed good to them, to make certain
concessionsin their platform it would
be su!cidla, it would be destructive Of
their very best interests. l do not
know how we'll it is known, but to
those who care for my opinion it is
known that l am no friend of the
new departure, but l believe in the
patriotism and the purity OF the lno-
tives of that path; but while | shall
still hold to the opinions which l have
heretofore expressed, and shall not
yield one inch Of my own convictions
as to the constitutionality of TIE
usurpations of the Radical party, ]
ain willing to fight the Radicals in
any shape the Democratic party may
determine upon. -
/ believe that the new departure,
so far from being a good policy, has
proved disastrous, but what the party
adopts as its policy l shall maintain
without <urrendeling my own con-
victious. l believe that policy has
failed to give success IN the elections
of this summer and autumn, and for
the reason thar it was q confession
that we must make concession in
order to draw to us others who had
heretofore acted against US; but IN
making that concession it failed to
place candidate: Jetore the people il,
harmony with that platform. Thus.
wtile some Democrats were distin-
guished Tor this concession, no Repub-
lic:ns were conciliated
Now, my iellow-citizens, to my
view the future does not look gloomy |
even under the losses we have suffer-
ell this summer and autumn. | have
not single feeling o; dependency.
1t Is vel understood th,t the Re-
publican, party Contains lnitse'l see *
of c;.su";.,rl,,. OF bitterness. nl r,va
nv, nni 'l.Sali,c,ion, anl il Is. natural
il tl..-r r:rllr,.,,4rs elections ii.a'
t''.sr 49,, "i!"," the u IL. i'u'lo'l =:
Genrlal i,ral,I >hnul'!altel.i,t 10 i.""l
tri. v-i.u" wi:lil l.:e,r :'a!i." IL
c.,ivr Il ri ,n.ir .nticucr u."v L,
(, .:rd 81 ,ri ,.; l.l, 1T mination.
kncW very well that lls nonlina-
{: on " i ncr D. defeated at least
1nat is NY solemn conviction; til 1t
lie is now dictator III the Republican,
party. and that he aspires to be in the
country at barge. l believe that he
Will dictate his own nomination; but
then, my fellow-c citizens, l know that
some Of che most courageous men,
who stand highest in the Radical
party, will leave the Republican par
ty when Grant is nominated. When
they fail to defeat his nomination,
they will take good pains to defeat
his reelection again. Instead of 60
ing for new departure. l would pre-
fer to 90 Tor IL man who represents Il
new departure. | would prefer to
give That guaranty to the disatfccted
Republican rather than to go back
upon my own principles. | would
prefer to make " choice Of Repuhll.
i