Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-07-23

elected the -banners Of insurreetion haa a.
ready been raised In the South. Education,
no doubt, bad much to do with It. Had been
horn IN the South, no doubt l would have
been with them; but in the providence OF God
/ was born and educated elsewhere. We had
a bloody struggle of four years. No drawer
men ever live ed than you at the South. You
gave your lives and your property for your
cause; but you expected at the close Of war
subjugation, that some Of your men would be
imprisoned and tried and some executed: bu,
not a man has been tried for treason. have
in my possession letters from numbers OF
southern soldiers, among them thirteen Con
federate generals, thanking me for kindness
to them while confined in my State during the
war, and one from Alexander H. Stephens,
who was released from Fort Warren and final.
~ altogether through my Intervention. stating
that he owed his life to me. When the last
nag disappeared in the southern sky, / forgot
the struggle and only wanted to lift the poor
slaves into the position of citizens, and that
We should be free country and all live
friends together again. No unkind feelings
were meant towards the men of the South
when Congress passed the reconstruction
measures. ! made thirty-two speeches and
wrote numbers Of letters to southern men.
begging them to help to give rights to colored
men, form good State governments and help
to restore the country. What was the result ?
Many exasperated by following the policy Of
Andrew johnson took no part. A few loyal
men, whom you call "scallawags," had &C.
cepted the situation, and the management of
the new government was left to them and the
colored men and few men from the North.
and then you tell us that the Congress and
the people of the North are responsible for
your mistake. But we are told there is the
Il Kl.,., .lSt,, = Aaav, In fhn
winter OF 1871 evidence came to US from everv
quarter Of the South that outrages were being
perpetrated. say here to day that there are
hundreds of men in this organization who
gave us, this information and give it to US to-
day. These Ku klux organizations were not
SC secret after all, and we know great deal
more about them than one organization know
about another. In the spring of 1871 the
Senate of the United States thought it ought
to stay at the capitol and protect citizens from
these outrages. The House thought it ought
to adjourn and 60 home. Horace Greeley
| about that time wrote a leader, saying that a
| government which would not protect its citi-
zens ought to be swept from the face Of the
earth. While the two houses differed. Gen
eral Grant just then issued a little message
about a. long as your finger, asking for law
for the punishment Of the Ku-Klux. 1t had
| the effect Of battle order, and the act was
passe d immediately. You, gentlemen demo.
Gratis, have taken Mr.. Greeley and can say
| no more about the despotism Of the ku.klux
acts. About your North Carolina canvass l
know little, and propose to say less about
your local politics; But, as your election 10 at
hand, will say to you it is destined to exert
immense influence npon the vote Of the coun-
try. The people Of the United States. are
looking upon this vote of North Carolina as
the settlement Of the presidential contest. If
democrats carry it it will give more votes for
Greeley than you think, but If you carry it 1t
will give more votes for Grant than you have
got in your whole State.
Last year went to New Hampshire, l
was laughed at when told men there that
we would carry the State, because we had
been beaten year before, Tor the first time
in sixteen years; but we did carry it by an
increased majority. and in Connecticut we
made gain of 5000 on the democratic vote.
Last year we also carried the election In Ore.
gon by a large majority, with seventeen on
the joint ballot in the legislature. Why, our
democratic friends went to Baltimore few
days ago to nominate President, and were
rold by a few republican runners there, if
they adopted the Cincinnati nominee, they
would march to victory. You have got to
see what the effect is here in North Carolina;
for it can't be found anywhere else. Carry
the election IN tHlS stare anu tnaL Will De the
last of the Cincinnati Baltimore ticket.
They tell US up North that they are to carry
this State by 20, 600 majority, and your +. lends
there believe it; but suppose they don't get
it, why they will begin to say we expected
it in New Hamps hire, we expected it in Con-
necticut, we were sure OF 1t In democratic
Oregon and we expected il in the old North
State. and behold North Carolina has gone
for Grant. Give US victory h, re and we will
carry twenty. seven Of these States. con-
fess it fairly, if you republicans give US VIC
tory here there will be no more fight. We
will canter over the field; but if you allow
democratic victory you will put burden on
our shoulders which will make US stagger.
We may stand defeat, but it will cost US
months of labor and toll to recover, and 1t
will then afford a substantial evidence that
there is dissatisfaction with decentralization.
L, conclusion will state one fact: They say
we have stolen, but there has been less per-
centage stolen under Grants administration
than any other within u quarter of q century,
by actual figures less than one fifteenth of
one per cent. Senator Wilson then closed
with eulogizing Grants administration.