New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-07-25
Mr.. BoutweIi's speech.

"
Mr.. BoutweIi's speech.
Duty Of Repabllcsns-The Stake fn this
Contest.
Below we give a portion of the mastery
speech OF Secretary Boutwell,.
When the war ended two great results
were sought by the Republican party, not
only by virtue of its own principles, but by
its sense Of duty as the representative of the
country. First, it aimed to secure equal
rights for all citizens Of the United States,
and secondly to restore the seeding States
to their ancient. and equal position in the
Union. AS far as forms Of law can secure
these results they are attained substantially;
only accommodate itself gradually to the ex-
is ing condition of things.
In the North the Democratic party is
known as the reactionary party. A Demo-
cratic majority in the South, or in any State
Of the South, is accepted, not by Republic
cans only, but by Democrats as well, as de-
claration that, in the district of country re-
presented by that majority, neither immi-
grants nor capital will be safe. A Demo-
cratic vote is regarded as a protest against
immigrants and capital from the North. On
publican majority are accepted as pledges of
security to person, property, and business.
And be not deceived by the statement that
there yet fingers in the Republican party any
hostility to you or to your interests. The
restoration of the Union means the restora-
ton ofevery right and the recognition of every
duty. These thoughts bind and control the
Republican party and its representative men,
and especially are they in accord with the
nature of General Grant. He shrinks from
the exercise of power; he never seeks to en-
large his authority as magistrate. Great
in war, war is not to him a pastime, but a
solemn duty through which he seeks peace.
Ense petit a,lociddm sub Hbertate 9aietum-the
motto of my own State: "By the sword he
seeks quiet peace under liberty"
If during this Administration the power of
the National Government has been felt in this
and in some other States, all candid men
must now admit that occasion existed for its
use, not merely for the protection of those
assaulted, but for the general peace of society.
Combinations to commit wrong do not disap-
pear with the victims first chosen, but at once
the authors yield to other temptations, and,
under the influence of lust, revenge, or ava
rice become the terror of the community.
You may rely with confidence upon the in
disposition of the President to use national
power as a substitute for, or even as an aid
to, local law; and you may count as well
upon a sturdy resolution, in the discharge of
duty, which characterized him in war, and
which, finally, controls him in all the ext
gencies of civil administration. None more
than the President will strive to make the
Union what it ought to be-a General Gov
eminent strong enough to maintain its own
existence against all enemies, foreign or do
nestle; strong enough to protect its own
citizens at home and abroad; States with
power, full, complete, sovereign over all local
so attractive that no citizen shall hereafter
consider whether his duty to his State or to
his country is supreme.
We are advised to clasp hands across the
bloody chasm made by the war. / protest
against this advice. The doctrine it contains
has been the curse of the country from the
first, and it brought the South to the brink of
ruin.
When the Constitution was formed, and
even before the Constitution was formed,
there was chasm wide and deep between
the free and slave States. Often our fathers
shook hands as brothers and friends over
this chasm, and said: "We will look into it
no more we will be to each other as though
it were not" But all in vain. Their efforts
failed. Your efforts will fail. All efforts
will fail if there be only the purpose to clasp
hands over bloody chasm. Is there states
manship, philanthropy, or wisdom in this adj
vice?
Why this chasm, first deep, dark, porten-
tious, and then bloody? Was not Slavery the
cause? And is not injustice the essential
characteristic Of slavery?
Often enough, and too often, have we
clasped hands across the chasm, the chasm
made by injustice and now, after eighty
years OF experience, are we not bold enough
to speak and to accept the words of truth?
If so, then let me say this chasm must be
filled up. Produced by injustice, let it be
cemented by justice, so that neither we nor
our children can find line or seam to mark
the ancient divisions between us.
Clasp hands across the bloody chasm is
the old and dangerous advice of the Demo-
cratic party. Instead of destroying the
causes of difference between us they attempt
to conceal them. Instead of removing gem
eral evils, which are the fruitful source of
public calamities, they shut their eyes to the
evils and deny the danger. This is the old
criminal conservatism of the Democratic par
ty, and it is none the less criminal now that
it is uttered in behalf Of that party by a new
voice.
This doctrine was embodied in Mr.. john
sons policy of recOnstructing the States of
the South without reference to the rights of
the IreeuInen. IL was emDOdled III the OppO-
sition of the entire Democratic party to the
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the
Constitution of the United States, by which
citizenship was defined and the rights of
citizens were secured to all our people.
Provision is made for the perpetuation of
the bloody chasm, oyer which all are invited
to clasp hands, by the opposition of the
Democratic party and its new allies to all
legislation by Congress designed to secure
equal justice to every citizen under the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments.
The bloody chasm is recognized and sane
toned in the covert language of the Cincin-
natl resolutions, which commit to the States
exclusively the business of protecting the
citizen, in his political rights as citizen of
the United States, against lawlessness and
| crime.
And this advice from Cincinnati is rendered
to the country in presence of two facts ::
First, that the amendments to the Constitu-
ton confer upon Congress requisite power
for protective legislation in express terms :;
and, secondly, that national legislation is
most needed in those States whose authori-
ties are either unable or unwilling to give
protection to the citizen.
To- tnar g