American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-09-21
Why the South Support. Greeley.

Why the South Supports Greeley.
Extract from the N. Y. speech OF Hon. R. N. T.
Hunter, Of Val
More than seven years have elapsed
since the war, and the South, abso-
lutely within their power, has been
ruled by their will, and still if she
goes one way it seems sufficient
reason for them to go another.
Fellow citizens, the South supports
Greeley and Brown upon the issue
1 have been discussing. OF course,
if elected, they will expect from
them pure government, some re-
form in the civil service, and a bet
ter regulation of the vast patronage
of the General Government. Be-
yOnd these objects of general well
fare they expect nothing of which
ever heard. They look for nothing,
SO far as I know their opinions. of
sectional or exceptional good, but
of such transcendent Importance do
they regard the peace of the coun-
try and the local self government of
the States, SO tar the Constitution
has provided, that they willingly
pass by the consideration of all
other subjects, highly interesting as
they may deem them. They will
not neglect the attainable for the
unattainable, especially when they
think they have within their reach
objects of such importance as those
1 have described. It used to be OBJ
jected to the South, and particular
ly my native State, that they were
not practical. We have learned
some wisdom in this regard. A
more practical, and in some respects
a wiser, people than the whites of
the South you will hardly find in
this or any other continent. 1t is
more than two years since the peO-
pie Of my own State, finding that
they must either give up the right
of self government or adopt con-
stitution opposed in many respects
to their interests, their habits, and
spirit, wisely adopted that Consti-
tuition and placed its administra ton
in the hands of q native of your own
State. They have escaped the
debts and other enormities prac-
ticed by carpet-bag government, and
their Governor has been II ne, not
only to theirs, but also to his obli-
cations to the General Government.
We sacrificed much in the way of
interest something, too, in the way
of feeling, but we have saved more
than we have lost; and now, if by
electing Greeley and Brown we can
secure the peace of the country and
local self-government, as designed
by the Constitution, we will certain
.ly aid in doing it. We will not sac
rifice certain goods because we can
not attain all we desire. If any one
wishes to ascertain our motives for
preferring Greeley to Grant, here
they are, and obvious enough.
There is no cat in the meal tub-nO
reserved purpose concealed from
the world. Can any man familiar
with the history of Virginia, or with
the opinions and temper of her peo-
Pile, doubt where she would stand
in q question of popular sovereignty
and the rights of self-gOvernment
in the people' Proclaim where you
will that there is danger to these
rights, aud you will find her people
rallying to the rescue. Let it be
known that there is a question be-
tween republic and an empire, the
right of the many or the few to gov
ern. and you will there is life in
the old land yet; on that political
battle field You will hear her old
slogan, "Sic Semper Tyrannis." as
she stands with her heel uplifted to
stamp OUT the life of despotism, and
her arm thrown back to strike for
the cause of popular sovereignty.
The South has neither sought nor
taken any lead in these questions.
1t is the Liberal Republicans who
have done so; and, believing them
to be right to this extent, we follow
them. We will aid to elect their
and if he is true to his
pledge he will fulfill his obligations
to us. We will claim nothing from
him to which he is not pledged, or
which does not flow legitimately as
a consequence from these pledges,
nor will we demand any violation of
his good faith or consistency.