The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-05-02


Cassius II. Clay last week made a
speech at Stanford, Ky, which va
listened 70 with marked attention b,
a large audience OF hoth colors aud
Of different PARTIES. lie referred I,
his past history as proof of his re
markable fidelity to the African race
/ having been the frst and forcmosl
Of emancipatienists, and when Grant
was declaring that he would draw his
sword for the South the moment the
war was converted into an instrn-
ment of abolition, He was entitl 4
to their confidence for the advice be
had to give. He warned them that
they were-led now by men who used
them for Office and spoils and care
no more Of them. He said TO them /:
ASK No more than equality before
the laW. I tell you II you dol
mas. be dead when the noisaict comes
Of. bat 1t viii eomeZask FOR more,
you lcal get less While have been
fighting Tor the black man, and have
made sacrifices for him. stand he.e
to-day asking for equal rights for
the white man.
Mr. Clay continued Now, while
was making every effort for the
emancipation ofthe slaves, what was
Gen. Grant doing? He wss eaptur-
ing fugitive slaves and surrounding
them with 4 gauri, sending the n
back to be lashed By their masters.
That was 1862. When abroad, and
Stephens an Others were Saving that
they were going outside the consti-
tation, l wrote a letter which ap-
peared in the Louisville Journal, and
again / was upoa the constitution.
l said that when the rebellion was
suppressed the states survived
Destroy the sovreignitg Of the states
and where WAS The constitutions 1t
would be destroyed with the states
The mcu who framed the eonstitu
tiOn, made no provision for the dcs-
truetion Of the sovereign states. No
nation makes provision for its own
destruction; if it perishes, IT does SO
through the providence of God"
"In his opinion the constitution
had been grossly violated by the
present administrators, more espe-
cialiy the fourteenth amendment,
which he read, commenting upon it,
maintSining that. although framed
for the protection of the black mSn,
yet to-day it applies more to the
white man. Said the speaker: By
the powers of prerogatives now ex-
crcIsed by the military despot, Pres
ident GRAFT t, the fourteenth amend
ment itself is trampled under foot.
President Grant can, under the ku-
klux law, unconstitutional as I de-
clare it to be, arrest, seize, impris0n
and hang at pleasure. The privilege
of the writ of hsbess corpus is de
MED, as in the case of the citizens of
South Carolina, an act that is un
constitutional except in the case of
wa. There is no clause in the con
-stitution which gives cGlor Of au-
thority to the ku klux law. If there
is any clause in the constitution
which deserves to he defended by
every man who loves his country and
his liberty, it is that man shall not
be taken out Of his bed at night and
tried and executed without the law
stepping in to avert it. But this is
violated by the military lespot ::
Washington"
Arc not black men as much inter
eated in these things as whites? III
Grant can take white men from their
beds and punish them without law
how long before black men may
share the same fate2 ii black men
would prove fit to be reasoned |
with, let them thirk whether they /
are any more free than white peo
pie, when the despot who pretends |
they are free claims the right to pun
nish them, and al Others, day or
night, as he pleascs.