The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-10-12
Continued from first 2o0ge.)

Continued from first oage.)
now; for in. the olden time was an
humble but jealous friend of KEN
tucky's noblest statesman, Henry Clay.
CApplause.1 loved, I trusted, and
followed that man for many years, and
sore was my heart when the news came
that our fondest anticipations were
blighted and he was not chosen Presi-
dent. But what matters it? The fame
of Clay is worldwide, and he is rever-
ed and beloved by millions of his coun-
trymen, and will be for generations to
come. What matters it whether he
filed one Office or another, or no Office?
The Office does not make the man; it is
men like him that glorify and dignity
Office. Well, our friends passed away,
the generation of which he was one
passed away, and there came dark
days over our Union, days of hatred
and strife, and violence and disrup-
ton, and it looked as though the sun
of the American republic had forever
gone down. Despots exulted, aristo-
Gratis exulted. Well, then they said:
"You see what comes of your free in
stitutions; they are played out; witness
your great model republic" Well,
years passed on, there were reverses,
there were disasters, but there was still
the faithful American heart, and after
q time all came round, the Union was
restored, the old flag was triumphant,
and the people, the American people,
were brought together.
Well, from that hour said let us try
to be friends again; yes, better friends
than we were before. We have suffer-
ed, we have fought, but the cause of
the trouble has passed away. Slavery
is dead; there is no more reason why
we should fight; let us try to be hereafter
countrymen and men who love and
honor each other. So in that spirit,
with that purpose, I labored on for
some years, scorned by many, misun-
derstood by others, called a renegade,
and honest people believed that had
absolutely turned my back on all the
principles, all the ideas ofny better
life. I think they were mistaken, my
friends; I think new circumstances,
new conditions, new duties presented
themselves in the new republic, that
renovated republic which has been
founded on the overthrow of the Con-
federacy; that there are different obi
cations, different duties from those
which were current thirty years ago.
I tried to forget, and to cause others
to forget, passages in which there was
only bitterness and nothing of profit to
either section Or to any class of people.
I tried to make my cOuntrymen re-
member only what shall be-what
must be in the better future which 1
am quite certain is opening on this peo-
ple-that future of concord and of peace,
of mutual reliance and sympathy,
which was not known in the old time.
Why, many time I was told fifteen
or twenty years ago you can come
down to the South and nobody will
hurt you. said why should anybody
hurt me-? There was never a moment
wished ill to the South, and never
sought to do them harm. Why should
you tell me will be protected in the
South? have never been there be-
cause my duties did not call me there,
but felt certain always that no gen
on me, and don't believe they would
let blackguards do it. They were talk
ing as if it were but charity to let me
pass through. That has passed away.
Fellow-citiZens, you may have been
of the most effective Confederate SOL
diers of the late struggle, and you may
travel all over this country, and think
no one except very low, vulgar persons
will offer you any insult. 1 travelled
to tho furthest part of South Texas last
year, and was everywhere will receiv-
ed. think every Northern man who
went South minding his own business,
md giving nobody cause of offense, was
treated, not perhaps so we'll rs was,
but his person and property were just
AS sacredly respected rs mine were.
Now, then, we have opened up Il new
era in this country. There was 4 time
when it was not so that every Northern
man, whatever his principles, could
travel through the South. Now they
can do SO, and am glad of it. 1t does
seem we have come to u time when, 1
hope, we may say, let all that has made
the alienation between us perish. Let
us think no more of our triumphs in
the late struggle; let us rejoice together
that these triumphs have tended to
produce good to the whole American
people. There is liberty ut the South
and at the North; now let there be
fraternity South and North. Why
should we call together multitudes Of
soldiers, exulting over victories won in
the last struggle, and then to rake up
MI the evil it has done in that struggle,
as though they We're characteristic of