The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-11-05

At banquet given in Atlanta, last
week, to the Grand Lodge of Old Fellows
OF the United States, Mr.. Hill was called
upon TO respond to toast to the South
ern States"
He spoke as follows:
Mr.. President AND GENTLEarEN-I
always esteem it a privilege to address
gentlemen of int lligence and kindly
Heart, and more especially this afternoon
when called on to represent the Southern
States. The sun in its daily rounds
shines on no people with more kindly
sympathies or more generous hearts or
upon people who dread less the closest
scrutiny of honest mindss Applause.
The Southern States, it must be con-
fessed, have written the brightest chap
tiers of American history. 1t furnished
the author OF the Declaration of indie
pendence; it gave the leader of the first
revolution; ii formed the Constitution
that you and ! revered. For sixty years
her statesmen guided the councils of the
nation, and it grew and prosp+red as no
people ever pro>pered before. Applause.
The Southern States have imposed
upon them and are now working ont the
most difficult problem of the age. Events
the causes of which l will not now
enumerate-turnedl loose four millions of
unearned, unlettered and distinct race.
The General Government enfranchised
them in their ignorant condition, and
placed great political power in their hands.
The result OF this will affect the whole
country. Can the South work out the
problem? Can she preserve liberty and
order, administer the law and lift up these
people and make them intelligent ? The
task is not of our seeking. 1t was forced
upon us.
Have you not exposed the South to an
unprecedented danger When, in the
history of the world, were four millions
of people turned loose and clothed with
such power? It is q maxim that two
races cannot exist in the same country
clothed with the same rights. The solu-
ton of the problem will either be terrible
in It's consequences or glorious in its
achievements. Applause. But to solve
it we must have peace at home and peace
with you. | propose that we make a
treaty OF peace this afternoon, and let the
children of our ancestors bear witness to
it Applause. | represent the Southern
States and you the Northern, and | care
not whether you be Republican or Demo
crat The first proposition ! make is that
We agree To keep the Union forever invi-
olate Round after round of applause
greeted this see you all agree to it,
Republicans and Democrats. | want a
great and undivided country, Applause.
the greatest country that ever WAS. Deaf
ening applause and cheers. My friends
we shall have it if VIC adhere to the treaty.
Applause.
My next proposition is, that slavery
shall never again exist on the American
continent. Rapturous applause. We
never enslaved the negro, you enslaved
him and sold him TO us. lGreat laughter.
And again, slavery inflicted more injury
to us than you, because it prevented our
development. But you did it. Laugh
ter / was not here when the negro was
brought over, Laughter, but my father
told ne about it. Laughter.
The next clause of the treaty propose
to be this: Whatever differences Of opinion
may arise, never settle it by arms. Loud
cheers and applause Wars shall then
come no more and the tribunal of reason
will then be the only arbiter. But one
exception must make to this prov osition.
If Mass lchusetts and Rhode Island should
ever 90 to Africa and steal negroes and
try to pnt them on us again, then we will
go to war. Tremendous applause and
laughter [ am glad to see that you all
agree so cheerfuly to ali the clauses of the
treaty-these WE offer.
Now. then, let me propose for you; and
that is that you will pledge your lives,
your children, your property and your
sacred honors to stick to the Constitution
of the United States. Loud applause. |
IF the North had never seeded from the
Constitution, the South never would
have attempted to secede from the Union.
Laughter The South was not dissat-
i-fel with the Constitution or its princi-
piles, and went to war solely because you
seeded from the Constitution. We laid
down our arms at your bidding-after
awhile. Laughter. We certainly laid
them down. More laughter. When
the war closed, you said we had equal
rights in the Union, but did you not
exclude Us from representation IN Con-
gress?
What we require Of you iii this treaty
is, not to get outside Of the Constitution
any more. Laughter. You may ask
what constitution | answer we would
prefer the old Constitution of our fathers,
but while we cannot approve the methods
OF It's amendments, we are willing TO
stand by the Constitution as you amended
it. Applause Can you object if we
agree to stand by your work? Wewill take
the Constitution rs amended, and as con-
strued by the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States. Applause.