Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-09-21

THE ASSERTION THAT RECONSTRUCTION IL FAIL
uRE coNIRADICTED-THE CONDITION OF LoUIsI-
ANA REVIEWED.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. Ex-senator Morton ad-
dressed an immense audience at Masonic Hall
tonight upon the past and present condition of
the South He spoke earnestly and calmly, and
his remarks we're frequently applauded. He
opened by contradicting the assertion that re-
construction was a failure, claiming that its ap-
parent failure was due to the conduct OF its enc
miles, and not because of intrinsic defects i'll the
system. Resistance to reconstruction grows out
of opposition to the abolition of slavery and the
elevation OF the negroes to civil ana political
rights. He condemned the white leagues, which
he said had but single principle-that white
men should rule. In the majority OF the South
ern States there has been a high carnival Of
crime for the past two months, but small por-
tion of which ia made known to the Northern
public. The news agents in the South are, with
few exceptions, Democrats, and sympathizers
with these crimes, sometimes paruclpa-
tors. II they have news of even larg-
er massacres, they accompany it with apol-
ogies and justifcations. The telegraph is
loaded with reports that the negroes are conspir-
ing and the whites are on the defensive but
when the facts are known it turns out that only
negroes and white Republicans are killed. All
the negroes ask is to be let alone. They know
they cannot cope with the whites in any struggle
with arms. These calumnies are made pretexts
for associations throughout the South. II i5 not
war races, but a war against the hepupll-
cans of the South, whites and blacks, not from
any apprehension of social equality or FEAR oil
the Civil Rights bill, but to make this white
Government, and reduce the negroes as nearly
as possible to slaves.
He reviewed the condition OF Louisiana FOR the
| past eight years, during which time lie SAID
| that State had .been made vast slaughter
house. The effort to defeat Kellogg in 1872 he
| characterized as gigantic fraud. he feferred
| to tho Senate Louisiana Investigating Com
| mittee's report upon that matter as showing the
| frauds perpetrated by the McEnery party to se'
cure his election. He said the Supreme Court
had repeatedly decided that the Kellogg Coy
| ernment was the lawful government. Ihe
| President, in five different ways, has recognized
it. The House of Representatives has recog'
nized it by admitting member on
| KeIlogg's certificate. The Senate die
| 40 by refusing to pass the bill for new cleo
| tion. He referred to the Colfax massacre and the
| Coushatta MURDERS and said, for all these inhu
| man crimes, not man has been puhsneu,
am no advocate of Kellogg's but it is only justice
| to say that he has not belonged to any OF th'
numbering Rings and no robbery or stealing
has been brought home to him. The Republi
cans of Louisiana are not free from fraud.
have no apology for them, but they are triv,a I.
when compared with the system OF murder D.
which their ranks have been decimated and TIT
lwhole State demoralized.
L He said, further, that If the people OF Louisi
ana would not have their state Dngnteu tne
must stop tho murder business. The seizure
the State by the McEnery faction was in the ma
ture of a Mexican pronunciamiento. II it Is tol
Grated in one State it will be adopted in another
There is but one salvation for the South-th
recognition of equal civil and political rights o
the eoored people, the protection OF life for a
opinions and for all parties. Whatever may
said of the Irregularities by which the kellogg
Goyerpment was established, it is undoubtedl
true that represented majority of people OF til
State. But if McEnery had been placed in oiiice,l
would have been by fraud unequaied in exten
and wickedness Two apologies are given for tn
murder of black and white Republicans through
ont the South, first that the whites are drive
to it by the robberies of carpet-baggers. Thu
he styled a self-evdent, weak and senseles
falsehood, for murders and punishment hay
always fallen upon the innocent and poor. In
thieves have always found Democratic partners
When discovered they are kicked out of the re
publican party The case of Warmoth ls a mo-
able fact. The next excuse is that negroes nav
conspired and armed themselves to exterminat
the whites. and that these murders are con
mItted by the whites in self-defense. These al
, stupid lies, manufactured by knaves, to b
believed by idiots. The beginning of all improve
! mept and restoration in the South must consii
: ! in fine cessation OF murder. While that prevail
II ia useless to hope for reform.