The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-07-31
SENATOR SEIZURES SPEECH.

statesman ana OTlUCT VI MiSSouli, li'>o
lately delivered one of his greatest
speeches, if not the greatest speech Of
his life, at st. Louis. He reviews in
detail the shortcomings of the present
misunderstanding sins against private
right and public liberty-its support of
robbery and misgovernment at the South
its nepotism and other abuses of the
civil service-its usErpation of the war
power; and its establishment Of a CEN
tralized military despotism at Washing
toll. '-7f>'''' 80 ( '''.' - -
Why is Greeley to be preferred to
Grant? If for no other reason, answers
Mr.. Schurz, that it will be the overthrow
of a party despotism, which is now the
condition of all reform. Says he,
"Wbat have you to hope for if, by the
reelection of President Grant, you prove
that such things as have been done can
not only be done with impunity, but
that in spite of them the sanction of
popular approval may still be successful
| ~ claimed? Do you think that the law
breakers and corruptionists, or the Adj
ministration which countenanced them,
or the party managers who protected
them, will be made better men if they
receive the encouragement of success ?
Are you simple enough to believe that
| the party tyrants will relax their sway
| if you show them that such an insurrec-
tion against their rules as that Of Gin
cinnati is of no avail, and that they
really hold not only their organization,
but the American people in the hollow
Of their hands? Do you hope for more
courageous and more successful resist
ance in Congress when you have shown
the advocates Of reform there that they
are abandoned by the people: that their
efforts are hopelessly doomed to failure,
and that the ruling power has them ell
:irely at its mercy? Do you expect TO
infuSe a better spirit into our political
life when you teach your politicians and
public men that the safest thing they
can do for their own success is TO become
the tools of such party managers as now
rule us? appeal to your sober judg-
ment, if you honestly want reform, this
is the first thing needful. You must
Fl break up the subjugation of individual
conscience in politics. You must make
elbow-room for independent criticism
and a free contest of opinion. You must
put down that rigid partisanship which
knows none but selfish ends, and tends
to make men mere parts of q machine
You must promote with all the means
in your power the unsettling and disin
tegration of the old party organization:
. now existing, and no man of impartia
Judgment will deny that in this respcc
} the SUCCESS of the Cincinnati movement
will prove a powerful dissolvent."
On the contrary, even if Mr.. Greeley
were dishonest enough to break hi:
pledges, he can rally no party organiza-
ton, Liberal or Democratic, which woult
stand at his back and sustain his policy
, The leading principle of the Liberia
movement, as Mr.. Schurz eloquent!
urges, is that of reconciliation. 1t seek
I to bury the bitter memories of the past
r and to clasp sectional hands over "th'
bloody chasm." It seeks to restore tn
South to equality and independence
and to cultivate between North ant
: South those fraternal relations, whicl
, can alone form the bond Of lasting
E union. The policy of Grant is the polio.
of hate. AS he owes his present eleva
tion to military success,.so he seeks t
. perpetuate the memory ofits bitter feuds
and thus invoke the strong arm of mill
tary power to preserve the peace of th'
country. Secretary Boutwell,, in hi
North Carolina speeches, sounds tn
rallying cry of the administration-hos
tility to the South, and sectional distcus
and alienation. It is cry which ha
: been all potent hitherto, but which w
! trust is about to fail, before more be
e nign and patriotic policy.
|, "Fellow-citizens of the North" con
y, cludes Mr.. SchurZ, ''is it possible tha
at moment when the joy of natioDa
reconciliation, reconciliation on th'
ground of all you fought for, may illum'
,1 the whole Republic if you but will it
Is it possible that you should think 0
!. thugs small and paltry by the side o
4 so great o consummatiOn? Is1!it NO
:, clear to- you that in that reconciliation
! YOU will find the best, nay, the only
= safe guaranty for future peace and har
monious progress, and that we can ncve
: hope successfully to solve the othe
great problems pressing upon us unit
this one is disposed Of? Have you con
: sidered what the consequences will be j
81 YOU throw those who now approach yol
with warm hearts and patriotic inten
- l.. c,,IInD InSp0pInncy-