Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-09-21
SENATOR sCHURz,s sPEECH,


from Missouri, delivered in the Capitc
in this city yesterday, BY invitation o
many of the leading citizens, irrespectiv
of psrty, of the city of Nashville. WheI
we say that the speech was equal to th
exalted reputation Of the distinguishes
deliyerer, that lofty IS were the anticipa
tions of those who were familiar witt
his name and fame, those anticipation
were fully realized, we say nothing NOR
than is true, and can say nothing highe
in compliment.
Senator Schurz has not the fervid elo'
quence to which Southern audiences are
accustomed to listen, and yet he quickly
attracts the attention of bis auditory, ani
closely retains il from beginning to end,
The large audience which cordially
greeted him yesterday on his entrance in
the Hall of the House of Representatives,
sim, II paid the respect that was due to
80 distinguished q stranger, but for ths
rap. attention which enchsined them
throughout his long speech, the credit is
due to his really great ability.
Senator Schurz is evidently and
eminently scholar in the
highest sense of the word, and he is
more, he is a pbilOsophic statesman.
Wi h his philosophy he has, too, con-
siderable degree of practical knowledge
of the world. Yet with all his shcol-
arship, With all his philosophic states
msnship, with the considerable degree of
practical knowledge of the world which he
has, he is lacking in that pre-eminent de-
gree of practical American craftsmanship
which msde our great lights of the
psst the great lights that they were.
Republicanism, we do not use
the word in its partisan sense, is not
to be learned from books. While books
unit no mar for the active duties of life,
the statesmanship of American republi-
csnism cannot be learned without an
iutimste mingIing with the people, a
thor ugh knowledge of their convictions
and their impulses. Without this knowl-
edge, their convictions cannot be changed
and their impulses controlled. Without
the sbility to take advantage of their
convictions and impulses, and SO manage
them as TO promote the greatest public
good, the highest grade of craftsmanship
cannot be reached.
1t will be seen from the reading of
Senator Schurz's speech, that he states
his propositions clearly, and argues them
with candor, with esrnestness and with
great ability. Without seeming effort
and with no attempt al display, he ap-
pears to direct himself to the unim-
passioned Judgment of his hearers.
We cannot to day elaborately review
the lengthy speech which we heard at
tentively, but have not yet had the oppor-
tuni,y of giving that careful perusel which
it deserves. We may ssy, however, that
the Southern people do not concur with
him in his views as TO the origin of the
war, and enactments subsequent to the
war Slavery was the pretext of ambi-
iious demagogues who occupied the
chairs of statesmen, and it was pretext
most successfully used, but was no more
the cause of the war than the red flag of
the Mstadore is the cause of bull fight.
Slavery existed when the Constitution
was formed, and continued TO exist until
after the death of Wright and Wood
bury and Webster, and yet Hancock,
Hamilton, Adams, Jay, Franklin and the
lster great men of the North whose
names we have mentioned above,
never dreamed of that 'tirrepress-
ible conflict" between free and
slave labor which modern Repub-
licauism discovered. This however,
must pass without discussion. 1t is not
an issue of to-day, and only necessary to
refer to in order to preserve the truth of
history.
The views of the speaker on general
amnesty, local lf-government, civil ser
vice reform, the tariff, payment of the
national debt, irredeemsble currency,
monopolies, land grants to corporations,
will meet with the hearty concurrence
of all the people of the South outside of
the Grant party. Indeed there is very
much, which we cannot specially mention,
throughout his speech that will receive
the hearty plsudits of his Southern read
era. His views upon the Ku-Klux out
RACES aud the importance of Southern
clrcumspection and well doing, was most
attentively listened to and highly COM
meDded. His impressions, however, of
the extent of the Ku-Klux outrages are
greatly exaggerated by false reports. But
that only gives strength to his reasoning
on the subject. Unfortunately, the few
who are guilty of such crimes are not
fuch as read or as are reached by argu-
ment.
Tae evils of the day, IN the estimation
Of tie Senator, can only be reformed by
tue organization of third party, new
organization to be composed of all the
sgood snd patriotic men in the country.
The theory is most excellent, but the
difficulty of carrying it into practical
operation stares us in the face TIE
corruption of existing parties, and the
recessity of new and pure organizations
have been the theme Of politicians from
'he days of Washington to the days of
Giant. BEt unfortunately, parties are
rot built in day. They are the growth
of wears If we could see how we could
get all the good and pure men of the
Union who favor General Amnesty, Civil
Service and other administrative measures
advocated by hr, Scburz, in.o the same
,,s-4v to-day we should favor il rerard-