The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-06-18
An ELOQUENT Spokesman for the South.

Hon. L. @. G. Lamar, of Mississippi, has won
greater reputation in short time than any
Southern Congressman since the war. His
eulogy upon Sumner excited unusual comment
in all parts of the country, and exerted dcci-
ded influence upon the Northern mind in CIV
ing practical shape to a just reconciliation be-
tween the sections so lately at war with each
other. 1t was surprising to them that an
acknowledged representative of the old Southern
element should voluntarily fix 4 just estimate
upon the character of Sumner, and award cred
it to, the deceased Senator for his public and
private virtues. This liberality and fairness
overcame many prejudices, and made strong
inroad upon the better natures of the Northern
masses. Hence, as a practical result, we find
the ptterances of Mr. Lamar on other and more
vital subjects receiving earnest consideration
from the Northern press and people. Last
week lie made speech upon the louisiana
troubles, which attracted much attention for its
earncstness and its frank illusions to the re-
suits of the civil war. The members crowded
around him during the delivery of his pithy
and pertinent defence of the South, and listen
ed with absorbing interest to his graphic illus
trations of the gross caricatures upon republican
government now existing in this section of the
Union. He is an able and effective champion
of the Southern people, gifted with rare endow-
ments and now that he has the ear of the
Northern populace, We may look for him to
accomplish much good for our section. When
the woes of South Carolina are brought to the
attention of the House, we shall expect to hear
from Mr.. Lamar in more specific and positive
arraignment of the thieves and plunderers now
rioting over this goodly heritage. The Wash
ington correspondent of the New York World
sketches Mr.. Lamars recent effort as follows :
Mr.. Lamar, of Mississippi, again distinguish
ed himself day as an able and eloquent rep
resentative of the South and real statesman
by delivering a prepared speech on the present
political condition of the South. 1t was the
first full and fair statement of the attitude OF
the white people of the South towards the
General Government and also the State govern
ments of the South that has been made upon
the floor of Congress. With admirable clear
ness he brushed away all the sophistry with
which the question Of reconstruction has been
surrounded, and, beginning by showing the ab,
solute loyalty and submission of the people OF
the war, he traced the history of reconstruction,
showing how wholly helpless and severely
afflicted his people were under the rcconstruc-
ton legislation. He showed how the ma
chinery of the Federal Government had been
used to inhict evils greater than confiscation
upon the South, and declared that although
there might be State governments there, there
were no States. The question he put to the
Republicans was whether they had not gone
far enough with their policy towards the South.
The speech was sequel to MIR. Lamar's ora
ton on Sumner, and was listened 10 by every
member of the House present.