Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-01-25

lCdLeu 10 uU6rdIY CONTESTANTS GOBLS
and orators hOcked to the spot from
the remotest quarters. The rivalry
engendered in these contests for fame
and greatness produced intense eX-
element. But when the umpires
made their award the vanquished
poets dedicated Odes in praise of the
victor, and the defeated aspirants for
-oratoricaI superiority delivered ora
tions to their triumphant competitor.
This kind of chivalry has been re-
vived in Missouri. On Wednesday
last a United States Senator was
elected at the capitol Of the State.
General Frank P. Blair and Hon. J.
B. Henderson were the candidates.
The great popularity Of the aspirants
produced intense excitement. As we
have already announced, General
Blair won the prize, and in honor of
his success his numerous, warm and
enthusiastic friends Of st. Louis gave
him a banquet, which for splendor
has never been surpassed on the
American continent. Among the in
vited guests was the Hon. ]. B. Hen
derson, and the fitting between him
and General Blair showed a chivalry
and q magnanimity which impresses
the country with a high admiration
| of their characters. General Blair
| spoke of his competitor in the highest
and kindest terms, and in reply Mr..
Henderson, among other things, said:
Why should I not accept terms of
peace-I q private citizen-and he Occu-
I Dying the prOudest station known among
men, that Of Senator of the United States,
a position which I am satisfied Frank
Blair will never d~ishOnOr? ICheers.l /
am sorry that his other competitors are
not here tonight, for 1 am satisfied they
would speak of him as I speak of him.
We were scarcely competitors against
/ Blair. Sir, he is iuVinCible; al that we
could do was to place the salient points
of our interesting lives in the hands of
our friends only to be used in case of our
death. Laughter The leading points
which we caused to be displayed upon
our respective elections 1 suppose viii be
used sometime during the session by our
n h4AaAALALE 4LNCAA1 III A4NAbAALA up Jul E1
litical funerals. Laughter But, my
feIlow-citizsns, this is rather not an oc-
cssion for levity, but one for more serious
deliberatiOn.
Gen. Blair, the gentleman you meet to
honor, deserves fully all b consideration
implied in this splendid entertainment. !
was u of his competitors for the place be
now holds, but in the contest l was treated
with kindness by all, by the public press,
by the members Of the legislature and by
the people of the State, and no one treated
me with more marked kindness and con
sideration than Gen. Blair himself. Those
who intimately know Gen. Blair expect
ed nothing less. He is a man of decided
opinions, earnest, Jealous, with great in
tellect and purpose and such men must
make enemies. They are the men who
commit errors in the common language
Of the world, but at last, they are the only
men on earth who achieve great and sub
stantial good tor mankind. In social life
he possesses that magnetism which draws
around him friends and them as with
"hOoks Of Steel as was said of the good
Antonio.
"a kinder gentleman treads not the
earth" Iflittle snimOsities spreng up In
the contest among friends, let them be
forgiven and forgotten.
"Tis easier for the generous to forgive,
Than for O1fsnse to ask it,
IT, therefore, in the heat ( debate or the
rapiditv Of utterance at any time on my
part a word has escaped to wound the
feelings, I make the aBlendeh honorable and
crave forgiveness. AS for myself, l can
not harbOr malice and l know / am not
troubled
"With the malignant envy which turns pale,
And sickens even il a friend prevail"
General Blair goes to Washington to
represent the fifth State in the Union, in
which stands the fourth city in the Union,
destined soon to be the capital OF the
greatest nation on earth. LA~pplause.l
His duties are Onerous, and he will re-
quire the support and sympathy OF all our
citizsns. Whatever others may do, / for
one extend 70 him my pledge Of warm
personal friendship. Ny determination
is TO weigh his acts in the scales Of the
tenderest kindness. Should he fail to
meet the expectations Of his friends (but
to General Blair there never was and
never can be such a word rs fail. ZAP
plsuse No one would regret it more
than /. If he succeed, and success in my
judgment is his Inevitable destiny, I shall
rejoice with an exceeding joy.
May ali his acts in this highest council
chamber known among men, be guided
under divine Providence by his past love
Of country, by continued devotion to the
principles of liberty.
He has my blessing. May u Heaven
ly Father bless him.
These are the brave words Of a
noble man. They remind US of a
scene, long ago, swhen a van
pushed brother placed the crown
upon the head Of his rival with his
blessing and the offer of his life for its
defense. Such noble and high hearted
magnanimity has had no parallel
since the olden time, when aspirants
for military glory joined in the praise,
and public festivals given to him who
had been declared the most gallant
and daring in battle. But we
were prepared for this lofty
generosity on the part Of MI.
Henderson, because in Congress,
and especially in the effort to impeach
Andrew Johnson, not for the public
good, but for vile party purposes, he
proved that he was an honest man,
feared God, and held sacred the obi
cations of his oath, to do justice and
maintain the Constitution Of his coun-
try. For this act Of patriotism
the press vomited against him the
blacklist calumnies. But now no one
raises a hoarse notet to mar the general
chorus Of praise to the lofty spirit
who broke the ties Of party, when
they sought to drag him down to the
common level. Honored be the name
of Henderson, the American Senator
whom no bride could corrupt,
favor seduce nor threat intimidate.
Let the great part he played in the
impeachment case be always remem-
bered. How he stood firm when
others quailed, and sacrificed their
convictions to their interests and
their fears, is a chapter that might
disgrace our annals, if the virtue Of
Henderson and those who stood by
him did not redeem the picture.
The Impeachment and il. results
viii live as n of the great civil
events of American history, and
prominent in it will always be the
imposing figure Of J, b, Henderson, !