The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-10-02
Speech Of Hon. r. NJ. T. Hunter. of
Virginia.

This distinguished and trusted son
of the Old Dominion was invited to
address the citizens of New York city,
at the great mass meeting Of the 18th
inst. His views show the same breadth
of understanding as of yore, and his
utterances in behalf Of Southern opin-
ion in this canvass must make a strong
impression on the people of the North.
Truthful, moderate and sound in his
judgments, we commend his words to
our readers, and make room for the
following extract. Mr.. Hunter is one
of the few statesmen left to the coun-
try:
The Radical party seems to suppose
that if the South votes for man it is
enough to cause him to be suspected,
and if 10 good grounds can be found
for entertaining such suspicion, they
are neither ashamed nor afraid to trump
up charge so absurd as this. This is
not a good symptom of the times, or at
least of the State of feeling in the Rad
ical party. More than seven years
have. elapsed since the war, and the
South, absolutely within their power,
has been ruled by their will and still
if she goes one way it seems to be a
sufficient reason for them to 60 anoth-
er. Fellow citizens, the South sup
ports Greeley and Brown upon the is
sues | have been discussing. Of
course, if elected, they will expect
from them pure Government, some
reform in the civil service, and better
regulation of the vast patronage of the
General Government. Beyond these
objects of general welfare, they expect
nothing of which l ever heard,
They look for nothing, as far as l
know their opinions Of sectional or ex-
ceptional good, but of such transcen-
dant Importance do they regard the
peace of the country and the local self
government of the States, SO far as the
constitution has provided, that they
willingly pass by the consideration of
all other subjects, highly interesting as
they may deem them. They will not
neglect the attainable for the unat-
tainable, especially when they think
they have within their reach objects of
such Importance as those I have des-
cribed. 1t used to be objected to the
South, and particularly to my native
State, that they were not PRACTICAL
We have learned some wisdom in this
regard. A more practical, and in some
respects wiser people tl.an the whites
of the South you will hardly find in
this or any other continent. 1t is more
than two years since the people of my
own State, finding that they must
either give up the right Of elf-govern-
ment or adopt a constitution opposed
in many respects to their interests,
their habits, and spirit, wisely adopted
that constitution and placed it's adj
in the hands of native
of your own State. Experience has
shown that they were right. They
have escaped the debts and other
enormities practiced by carpet-bag
government, and their Governor has
been true; not only to theirs, but also
to his obligations to the General Gov
We sacrificed much in tho
way of interests, something, too, in
the way Of feeling, but we have saved
more than we have lost; and now if
by electing Greeley and Brown, we
can secure the peace of the country
and local selfgovernment, as designed
by the constitution, we will certainly
aid in doing it. We will not sacrifice
certain goods, because we cannot at
tain all We desire. If any one wishes
to ascertain our motives for preferring
Greeley to Grant, here they are and
obvious enough. There is no cat in
the meal tub-no reserved purpose
concealed from the world. Can any
man familiar with the history Of Vir-
ginia, or with the opinions and tenn
per of the people, doubt where she
would stand in a question of populor
sovereignty and the rights Of self-gov-
in the people. Proclaim
where you will that there is a danger
to these rights and you will End hcr