The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-12-22
From the Atlanta (Ga.) sun.l
GENERAL FRVNCiS P. BLAIR.

This distinguished gentleman, up
on request, addressed the people of
Montgomery, Alabama, last month.
We regret our want Of space to
give our readers the speech in foil,
made by him on that occasion. We
can only give two extracts, which we
take ftom the report OF it as it appear
ed in the Montgomery 4doertiser.-
General Blair's antecedents are well
known. He was q Jealous and able
War Democrat in the great contest of
arms against the right Of State to
secede from the Union. But rs soon
as the Southern States laid down their
arms III the maintenance of that cause
and resumed their obligations under
the Constitution, he, with equal zeal
and ability, maintained that the OBJ
.ject of the war, on the part of the
Federal authorities, was accomplished;
and that the Union being restored. all
the oeaIes were clearly and justly en-
titled TO rtpre jentation in both
Houses ofthe Congress ofstates. With
that, "kIse acar issues," about which we
hear SO much, ended. The results of
the war were all accepted, in good
faith, by all the Southern States. Ever
since the neac aear after that, iDaugu-
rated by the Radicals against the
Constitution, in What is known'as the
Reconstruction measures, Gen. Blair
has been, and still is, rs will be seen,
Jealous co-operator with all those
who contend for the rights of the peo-
pie, and Of the States, under the Con-
stitution. And so are all consistent
Northern War Democrats. 1t is i'm
possible that it should be otherwise
But neither time nor space will allow
now TO say more, either of the speech
or its author. The extracts referred
to appear below: A. IL. S.
II do not know how well il is
known, but to those who care for my
opinions, il is known that | am no
friend of the New Departure, (pro-
longed and enthusiastic applause and
cheers But believe in the patriot
ism and purity of the motives OF those
who have chosen that path: but while
/ shall still bold to the opinions which
have heretofore expressed, and shall
not yield one inch OF my own convic-
tions as to the unconstitutionality OF
the usurpations of the Radical party,
| am willing 10 fight the Radicals in
any shape the Democratic party may
determine upon. (Long and hearty
applause.) / believe that the New
Departure, SO far from being a good
policy, has proven disastrous; but
what the party adopts as its policy, ]
shall maintain without surrendering
my own convictions. (AppIause.) y
| believe that policy has failed to
give us success in the elections of this
summer and autumn; and for the rea.
son that it was confession in open
court of our inability to carry the
elections upon our own principles :
it was confession that We must make
concession in order to draw to u,
others who had heretofore acted
against US; but in making that con
cession it failed to place candidate,
before the people in harmony with
that platform. Thus while som,
Democrats were disgusted at thi,
concession, no Republicans were con
ciliated.
Now, my fellow citizens, to m,
view, the future does not lool
gloomy, even under the losses W,
have suffered this summer and au
tumn. l have not a single feeling o
dependency. (Applause.) It is wei
understood that the Republican par
ty contains in itself seeds of discon
tent, of bitterness, of rivalry, and O
disaifection, and it is natural in thes
preliminary elections that those VIII
antagonize the denomination of Gen
eral Grant, should attempt to hol,
their position within their party, i
order that their influence may be use,
to defeat his nomination. / kno,
very well that his nomination will no
be deteated-at least that is my so
emn conviction; that he is now th
dictator in the Republican party tina
he aspires to be in the country q
large. (Applause.) l believe that h
will dictate his own nomination; bu
then, my fellow-citizens, / know tina
some OF the most conspicuous, abl
and courageous men, who stand higl
est in the Radical party, will leav
e the Republican party when Grant
Y nominated, and burn their ships.-
: (Applause and laughter.) When the
: fail to defeat him for the nominatio
: they will take good pains to dete,
q his reelection. (Renewed applause
a "There is one point, my felow-cit
]. zens, in which the parallel fails to hol
g out. The suffering of Chicago is a
most redeemed by the exhibition ,
the boundless charity of the people
" this whole country and OF distal
J, Europe. They have been allowed I
want for nothing that the world
s wealth could give them. 1t coul
not restore their dead, but has gene
g ously fed the living And whe
these vile malefactors from all par
/ of the world, forgetful of humanit
II crowded thither to plumber Il
wretched sufferers in Chicago, Il
It whole world has said that, when tn,
:" were stricken down by the hand
= violence, without trial, it is well don
y There was no exhibition of this syr
l. pathy for the suffering South. (Se
20 sation.) This picture of suffering,
,, endurance, of disaster in brave pc
D pie struggling to hold together Il
D bonds of society and almost peris
e ing in the effort; assailed on eve
h side by the heartless and tho guilt
|. notredeemed by that grand trait
N humanity, of generosity. and of ma