The Shasta courier., 1872-10-19
SPEECH OF
COL. WILLIAMSON.

VVAs WlLLlA4SUNs
Col. George Williamson, of Louisiana, is
native of South Carolina, and has always pro-
fessed the peculiar political sentiments of the
of the South. He was member of the State
Convention that passed the Ordinance of Sc
cession was an officer in the Confederate Army,
and at the conclusion of the was elected to
the United States Senate from Louisiana, but
was prevented from taking his seat in that body
by the operation of the Reconstruction meas
ures of Congress- In June last two State Con-
ventions of the Democratic party were in session,
representing the Reform Democrats and the
Regular Democrats. Of the former he was
President In order to harmonic the factions
joint Nominating Committee was appointed
from the two Conventions. This Committee re-
ported his name for the Office of Governor of
the State. The report was unanimously adopted
by the Reform Convention, when he received
note from the other asking, in explicit
terms; whether he would support Greeley, if
nominated for President of the United States
at Baltimore. To this he answered unequivo-
cally, ''Nor' The Regular Democrats, there
fore, refused to accept his nomination and the
result was that he declined to run for the Office
that he might not destroy the unity of his party.
The following is substantially the language
earnest and thoughtful manner, to state his
reasons why he intends to support Grant and
Wilson in the present Presidential campaign.
He was listened to with close and respectful at
tention during the whole time he was speaking
being many times enthusiastically applauded.e
Arising amid great applause, he said
GENTLEMEN dislike to break in upon the en-
thusiasm of this meeting by saying what / have
to say tonight But feel called upon to state
the reasons why ! think it is the duty of Demo-
Gratis, and Southern Democrats in particular, to
support General Grant in the coming election.
I hope that may not be deemed egotistical,
if say . few words regarding my own history;
but I think it necessary, by way of preface in
order that my sentiments and position may be
fairly understood. / am no renegade from my
own home; am no traitor to my own State; all
the sympathies of my own nature bind me to
the people among whom l was born and with
whom now live. You will hear no words from
me to disparage in your estimation the people
of the South
You could scarcely expect native of South
Carolina, as I am, to be in favor of the re-elec-
ton of President Grant; you would scarcely ex-
pect one who was educated politically in the
school of which Calhoun was the chief to be
an advocate of the principles professed by Gen
eral Grant; yet I am
A NATIVE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
was an original Secessionist, member of the
Secession Convention, and abided by its results.
for which I entertain no regrets-for which 1
never have felt any regret. Yet fellow citizens,
I feel it to be my duty to cast my first vote
since the war for General Grant; [great and
prolonged applause j and why? because l
think it would be dishonorable for me to vote
for Horace Greeley. [Applause.]
have studied this question carefully and
with desire to do what is right. have tried
faithfully and honestly to determine what is my
duty, and / can come to no other conclusions.
In the face of the advice of my friends, whom l
respect, in the face of the advice of friends in
my own State who predicted injury to mypoliti-
cal prospects, in the face of all that could be
said against my opinions, found it to be i'm
possible to see how man educated as had been
and situated as I was, could with honor to my
self vote for Horace Greeley. do not pretend
to be over sensitive; but when l think that my
honor will be sullied by doing an act such as
this would be should I support him for the
Presidency, feel that never can and never
will do it.
When Horace Greeley was nominated by the
Cincinnati Convention when he was after
ward indorsed and nominated by the Baltimore
Convention, and when the Office to which was
nominated in my State was offered for the pur
pose of inducing me to see that it was for the
best interest of the country to elect Horace
could not see it in that light.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MEN IN
THE SOUTH
Who think as do on this subject; who like
myself, seeing that the alternative which is pre-
sented is whether we must vote for Horace Gree
ley or General Grant, will do the honest thing
and vote for Grant. Applause-
When the war was ended we had lost all but
honor, but that was intact. When the peo-
pie of the South, who have lost all in the strug-
gle, are willing to vote for man who has never
fought them like man, but who has used his
talents and powers in vilifying them and in
misrepresenting them, in stirring up dlscord
and strife, then they must have lost their honor,
and that hope will never be said of Southern
men. do not think that they can vote for this
STRIFE the harvest of which we have sadly reaped.
Ever since 1840, until he has become an
aspirant for the Presidential chair, he has con-
inually misrepresented our people and our
character. If he had come upon the battle field
and fought us as did General Grant, we might
have forgiven him for this; but the man who
stood a long way behind the line of soldiers and
muskets, trying to make the people believe that
the people of the South were barbarians; that
we were unciviized, and that our women were
not virtuous-him, we cannot forgive.
This miserable low bargain, made to sell ont
our party and principles, is SO obnoxious that
that it stinks in the nostrils of all Southern men
who profess to be honest and honorable.
It is said, fellow citizens, that Greeley went
ON the bail bond for Jefferson Davis; but this |
was, after all, small affair. It might entitle |