New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-26
49, MEETINa AT cLINroN.
speech Delivered b. II. skipwith, Esq, al
the sIass Meeting Of the Liberal Party

WUWH|T
the Macs Meeting Of the Liberal PaTty
in Clinton, 4 ouisiaUa, July 20, 1872.
EelIov.citizens-I feel honored by an. in
vitation to address this large and intelligent
aasemblage. Many Of you have known Inc
from your earliest recollection, and have
known many Of you from your cradles In
all these years, while have been thinker,
an occasional writer, always an earnest
worker, my ambition has never aspired TO
the hOnOrs of the rOstrum, nor does 1t now.
IT IA not in search of forensic laurels that ]
have responded TO your call, but because in
time Of peril to the commonwealth, it be-
hOoves every good citizen TO do his devOir as
hest he may in signaling the danger and in
mounting the way to avoid it. In the dis
charge Of this most unfamiliar task | crave
IN advance your friendly indulgence and
patient attention.
In order that we may arrive at an accu-
rate comprehension Of the position so far
as it is affected by federal politics, a glance
at the history Of the present administration
will not be out of place. In March, 1863
General Grant was iDaugurated President
having been chosen by large majority Of
the American peop.e. lie found the peO-
ple of this Southern land, scanned and fur
rowed as it had recently been by the
deadly tramp of hostile armies, struggling
in good faith to accept the altered cOndi-
ton resulting from the war: wrestling ear
nestly with the deep laid prejudices of
habit and edudation; striving manfully to
snatch from the hand of adversely some
small share of the prosperity hich had
been baniahed from their homes, employing
but one b0on-to be let alone
a wise and patriotic ruler would have
extended bis beneicent hand to Tighten
The load Of calamities under which we were
YEARLY but patiently crOuching. Did he
extend bis hand in that Christian spirit
No; il did not tally with lis political slate !!
Old sores must be kept open; old animOsl-
ties must be kept alive, else the Republican
party whose mission ended when the re-
suits Of the war we're secured, would die of
inanitiDn,
Accordingly, by a systematic series Of
IitGIe mean affrunts and petty teasing tyran-
MES. we were worried and badgered into
occasional Outbursts of temper, never seri-
Gus or extensive, but always magnited and.
distorted TO tally with the slate. With a
shameless disregard of justice and truth,
we were remorselessly assigned the role Of
nOn-recOnstructed rebels and lawless ku-
Klux. Not an effort was made to distin-
guish the law-abiding from the law break
ers. All the Southern communities were
put under the ban alike Ku-KluX laws
and force bills, through every line Of which
outcrOpped bayOnet were invoked from a
willing and subservient Congress. Frying
committees, nosing ont ofienses where none
existed, by their deceptive reports, manu-
featured to tally with the slate, gave fac
titiOus cOlOTing to tile exceptional legsla-
ton. The mild spirit Of peace, which was
gently dawning upon the exhausted land,
fled in alright before the CLEAN of the
federal bayonet and the horrible threats OF
the penal laws. The State courts were
stripped Of their jurisdiction. and the fed
eral tribunals were invested with eNtraOr-
dinafy powers. Hundreds Of worthy, law
abiding citizens, denied trial before their
local court aud "a jury OF the Nltluage, have
been, upon base suspicion or malicious
spite, dragged ruthlessly from their homes
and families and thrown into ,dclal PRISONS
there to await in shackles "a" tady move
ments of federal justice; the sheriff and his
posse are supplantrd by the United States
marshal and his bayOnets. Virtually, we
have been told, and it il almost statute law
at that
--"All your ancient customs
And long descended usages, I'll change;
We shall not eat. nor drink, nor sleep, nor move,
Think look, walk We we're wont 10 do,
FOr all old practice will turn and change,
And call 1t Reconstruction"
Surely it concerns the commonwealth Of
States that the striles and chickering's and
heart-burnings engendered by the war
should cease that the heavy hand Of ca
lumny and oppression which lays like a pail
upon eleven of the sisterhood, paralyzng
trade and industry, should be lifted. And
so the Cincinnati platform declares, and
even so will the people in November decree.
The President Of this vast republic has
been often and openly charged with re-
ceiving gifts, which, in most instances,
have been speedily compensated by the be-
stowal upon the donor Of some one Of the
fat offices of the government. Whether the
Office followed the gift as qldd pro quo, or
in frank recognition of the sentiment of
iy, al aynalivv. dan
aging TO the reputation of the chief magis-
trate, since the glazing incOugruity of re-
ceiving gift in his personal capacity, and
paying back in his hduCiary capacity, still
remains unrecOnciled. OF one fact in this
connection you may rest assured, If III the
coming election the same intimate sequence
between gift and a vote be established
against one Of you, you will not have
very long search to find a jury which will
bring in a verdict of bribery.
He stands charged with dispensing the
patronage of his great office, regardless OF
the old established test, honesty and ca
pacity," which prevailed in the better days
of the republic, and substituting in their
stead the lower and demurahziag stan
dards, the ties of consanguinity and UNI
qustiOning partisan servility. To such an
unprecedented extent has his nepOtism car
ried him, that he stands amenable to
grave suspicion OF having fallen in the mis-
take of regarding the great Offices in his
gift as a family grant to the Grant family.
1t is at least a conceded truth that many Of
shat gifed family are quartered in very
Euug places, within comfortable reach of the
treasury bags 1t is equally true that III
his eagerness to reward "a seryile and tuwu-
ing crew. the collection Of the revenues has
been entrusted TO the Irresponsible hands
of parasites and peculatOrs, among whom
dedication is the rule, and honest account.
ability the exception. To such magnitude
has this evil attained, that many seriously
doubt if une-halt of the taxes, squeezed
from the hard earnings of the people, ever
reach the national treasury.
AnOther count in the indictment against
him is, that in reckless disregard OF the
rights OF the people to control their local
government he has repeatedly and again
iuteuneddied in the State elections 10y in
Jerposiug between the people and their
choice we'll disciplined band OF federal
helots not hesitating, on some urgent occa-
sIOns, to supplement- those trusty cohorts
with a small sprihkling of bayonets and
Gatling guns. When such arbitrary acts
shall be approved by the people, and be-
come a rule aud a precedent. the hour of
freedoms death will have tOlled. the last
small remnant of rights now left to the
States viii have been absorbed in one vast
monopoly of centralized powers at Wash
ingtoa. and the President III name will be
dictator In fact
For these crimes against liberty and
Justice and faithful administration, has the
President been arraigued before the bar OF
public opinion The wisesr aud most pure
and able statesmen of the Republican
party, alarmed at the entr0aChments OF
he federal power, shocked and Disguised
at the tmghtful degeneracy which il selling