Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-06-27
Ben Hill's Great Speech.

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Now. the question is, what will the
Democratic party do? That is the
question 1 came here to discuss with
you tonight. The Regular Radical
thoroughbred centralizing party have
since assembled at Philadelphia, made
a platform in direct antagonism with
the platform at Cincinnati, have nom
mated their candidates and ask your
support. The issue is joined between
these two parties. They are getting
ready for the battle. 1t is to be
contest for liberty It's to be a con-
test against empire. 1t is to be a
contes6a against the suspension OF the
glorious writ Of habeoS corpus. Ap-
plause. 1t is to be contest against
Federal bayonet supervision Of State
elections. 1t is to be a contest tor
tie equality of the Southern States
and the Southern people. Great ap-
plause. Tne wager Of battle has
been given; the tocsin of conflict has
been sounded, and these gallant men
Il am courageous enough to call
them gallant-these men who quit
their party in the zeninth Of its power
who surrendered the Offices that were
in their gift, and. organized a new
party for this great battle, invite
your cooperation. Applause. That's
all. Now the Democratic party has
to do one ol two things. It must Ell
ther nominate at Baltimore ticket
Of its own, or it. must support the
Cincinnati movement. L need not
answer another alternative PROFOUND
ed by Judge Stephens last night. , He |;
said: Suppose the Convention at Bal
timore should nominate Grant. l
don 'tsuppose any sucha foolish thing.
| Laughter and applause What |
suppose is that the Democratic party
will either nominate,a ticket Of It's
own, on platform of its own, or it
will cooperate with the Cincinnati
move-one or the other, and what
ever it shall do, it is going to do as
party ). it is going to DO by its or
ganization, and it is not going to dis
band and turn you all loose to stray
anywhere YOU want to 60. Now l
admit this is a question upon which
Democrats may honestly differ. wheth-
er you shall go III favor Of an inde-
pendent nomination, or whether. un.
der the circumstances, you will be
most useful to the country by coop
Grating with the Cincinnati move
ment. 1t is question on which the
Democrats can honestly differ, and
on which they ought to be allowed
to differ, and on which they do differ.
The matter is becoming warm, and
l exceedingly deprecate the feeling
that is being engendereu in some
quarters. We are all friends, we all
desire tie same end.
No enemy is engaged in this move.
l tell my friend, who spoke last night
so eloquently, no man is engaged in
this move who is opposed to State
rights. The only difference between
us is, what is the most effective poll
cy to recover the lost right of the
States. Applause. Some think our
most effective course would be by
going with Cincinnati. We'll. if you
think SO, you ought to g. there
Some think we can succeed more ef-
fectively by nominating. a straight
ticket at Baltimore. a.,
Well, if that be go, thank God, no
man is more willing to take that
course than the one who addresses
YOU. I admit that it is "a question
that ought to be calmly and dispas;;
sionately discussed, and I protest
against the spirit which denounces all
who will not go in a certain direction
as traitors. [Applause. We ali are re,
Democrats in this move, and we all
want to get back to. the Canaan Of
local State government and constltu-
tipnal limitations upon Federal pow
er. Applause. The only differ
ence is some of our friends want to
get to the land Of Canaan at one
bound. and some hesitate because the
Red Sea and the wilderness are to be
crossed,
I am willing to. traverse the viii
derness, and tread even g. winding
way, if it only can lead me back to
Canaan. But some declare they nev-
er intend to leave the bondage of
Egvpt unless they can reach the
promised land at a bound, We'll. my
opinion is that they will die and be
buried in Egypt. Laughter and. ap-
plause. That is my opinion.
Well, now who is to. settle this
question Who is to determine wheth-
er the. Democratic party will go with
.Cinciin'Iati or go by iiself2 Who
is 10 determine it? When friends
differ li.ere ought to be an umpire.
We have got no court to appeal to-;
who can determine it. I say Demo
Gratis assembled in Baltimore will de-
termine it, and you and | ought to go
with them whateyer they determine.
Great Applause 3 !.
We have no right to set up our
Judgment as the only standard OF on
!: action, whether we approve or not.
Therefore am perfectly willing to
gather secession, the war and recon-
struction into one triune bundle of
inlamy and bury them out of sight
forever. But my reason br. lgs me
to the conclusion that the Baltimore
Conye.tion ought and will accom-
plish most good by cooperating with
the Cincinnati movement. Applause. !
If I could have had the construction
OF the platform, l would have made
it in some respects different. If l
could have had the nomination OF the
candidates, I certainly would have
made them different. If the Demo
cratic party could muster all its forces,
I might be willing to see them make
! ON indenendent nomination. | wish