Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-30
preliminary Meeting in CovingtOn.

CINCINNATI, April 29.-The Liberal
Republicans held meeting tonight in
Covington, which was attended by
some three thousand persons. Mr.. ID.
L. Phillips, of Illinois, addressed the
meeting, in substance as follows:
He arraigned the administration as being
responsible for the diSOrganiZed condition Of
affairs in the south, and as uphOlding the car
petbaggers in misleading negroes in order to
obtain universal power and universal plum
der; for creating debts that prevent immigra-
tion. that impose burdens without eqiValent
values that almost bankrupt the State. He
charged that men, who could not In the North
have been elected constables, had gone south
-carpetbaggers, who had no social standing
at hOme-and had been elected Congressman
and United States Senator's, by assOciating
with and wheedling negroes, by being, in the
phrases of the day, "sweet on Them" that the
national administration honOred such men
by giving them Office when kicked out Of
their places. lie declared that never until
few years ago had military officers been de-
tailed to II civil offices while retaining their
rank and pay, and that Siclkles, a Colonel in
the regular army, had been detached TO rep
resent the United states at Madrid.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Phillips's re-
marks, Cassius Nj. Clay took the stand
and said:
he had addressed a Kentucky audience. Since
then great changes had taken place in all
lands but in none greater than in this. Per-
hans the colored citizen who sat on his
right had been a slave. Had he thought all
that he had done for emancipation and
equal rights, before long was to end in cen
tralizatiOn, he would have considered his
time wasted. He had advocated the abolition
OF slavery on two grOunds-its rightfulness
and its expediency. Five million slaves had
been the South's weakness in the war. 1t had
prevented industry. machine hops, skilled
labor and machinery from being brought into
use Possessed of these the South might
have stayed in gone out of the
Union at choice, and would not have
BODY police Of the Administration prevented
industry and reorganization, but the sOver-
eighty Of the STATES survived. The govern
nent was founded ON the sovereignty of the
States, and IL could not have been intended to
destroy any state. There was no necessity FOR, I
nor Justice in, reconstruction that destroyed |
the sovereignty of the States. Those who
but Kentucky and the whole
South stand on this platform. He would say
a word TO the cOlOred voters Of the South. i
Was il to their interest to persist In remem- 1
bering that they had been slaves and that
they had had masters? Il was wrong to keep
up this war ofraces. Suppose they should sup
BOrt the party OF scall0Wags. The time
may come N the changes of the parties when /
they might suffer in the legislation. He ad- |
vised them not TO let slip the present OppOr- |
tunity to secure the reconciliation and death |
of sectiOnalism- He was for principles and |
any good man would suit him as candidate
who stood ON his principles.
The meeting was addressed by other
distinguished gentlemen, in short
speeches, accusing the administration
of personating extravaganza and OPP
preston.