Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-09-26
TRUE AS GOSPEL.
Governor Hendricks on the South
ern Troubles.

ern Troubles.
In his speech at Indianapolis, on Mon
day. Governor Hendricks said:
my countrymen, we must look
squarely and honestly at this question of
the strife between the two races. During
the war, when the Southern men were
off in the field, there we're no insurrec-
tions. The colored people preserved the
peace at home. After the close of the
war there was harmony between the
races until your unfortunate policy of
reconstruction was started In that you
undertook to base the machinery of So
ciety upon one element, and to exclude
intelligence. You stripped the white
man of political privileges, and clothed
the negro with political power. The
races had been harmonious but at once
and for purpose you placed them in
hostile attitude.
You left many Of the hangers.on of
the army in the South-men who went
not to fight but to plunder. They were
your emissaries; they organized the ne
groes into a political party. In every
neighborhood they formed them into
oath-bound secret societies, called loyal
leagues. They we're sworn to stand to-
gether. In these societies, from which
the Southern white man was excluded,
they we're taught to regard the white men
as their enemies, and that they would
soon receive their property. Thus they
were arrayed in antagonism to the whites.
The work was done thoroughly, and by
it you held political power in many
States. But those States are crushed
and ruined now. We cannot, we must
not, go on in this direction. The well
fare Of our country calls for change
Men must be placed in power who will
relieve society from these dangerous in
fuences; who will stand honestly be-
tween the two races, and see to it that
each is fairly and fully protected in its
rights; who will see that harmony, based
upon justice, is restored, so that labor
shall be secure and capital shall not be
afraid.
The South is now being covered with
troops. If General Grant would investi-
gate for himself | would not fear the
result. In many respects / admire him.
He is a man of great ability, and does
not hate people merely because they op
pose his corrupt party. Two years ago
| said that we were fighting the ring that
controlled him more than the President
himself, and now we have to fear the bad
influences that surround him. He will
not investigate. He will take his infor-
nation from the most malignant man in
the country-the Attorney General.
The men who are maintaining such bale
full authority in the South crawl into the
office of the Attorney General, and
do their work. 1t is dreadful
thing that our army must be
used to perpetuate a rule so hurtful to
the whole country, such as prevails in
South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and
Louisiana. Whole communities and the
business and production of the country
are being played upon for political re-
suits. The welfare of the country calls
for change. Let the sentiment be felt
everywhere, from the palace of the cap
italist to the cabin of the negro, that
complete and exact justice shall prevail,
and then all will once more bow to pub
lie authority. 1t was so once; it may be
so again. The party in power has failed.
Let US not be led by hate to utter ruin.