Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-10-22
A Stirring Address by Ex.Vice.Presi'
dent COlfaX.
SorrH BEND. Ind. Oct.


dress of about twenty-five minutes
length, to which the audience listened
with rapt attention, and heartily APP
plauded him at the close. He SAID:
Again. as more than once in the recent
past, the continued ascendcncy of the Re-
publican organization becomes matter OF
national importance. In the dark hours of
the rebellion its overthrow would have been
hailed not only with exultant joy, but with
inspiring hope also, by every rebel in coun-
ell or in camp. When the renauguration Of
Abraham Lincoln and another Republican
Congress SO materially aided the hcroism Of
the soldiers of the Union in ending the war,
and the disloyal State Governments recog-
nZed by the overthrown Confederacy had
tumbled into ruins, nothing but Republican
supremacy prevented their reconstruction on
a basis that would have virtually restored
slavery, by Infamous enactments that all
colored laborcrs who did not hire out for a
year should be sold as Migrants for term OF
time ut the courthouse door of their county.
Fooled in this vile attempt by the unyieldng
opposition of the victorious Republican
party, violence was next resorted TO III many
localities where they had power, and especial
ly when they thought the signs OF the times
foreshado, ed Republican defeat. The whole
sale and defiant expulsion Of the colorcd
members Of the Georgia Legislature. and
putting In their seats the rebels they had de-
feated mt the polls, was an illustration of one
class OF these outrages and the bloody mas
sacre Of 1866 at New Orleans was directly
traccable TO the hope Of Republican over
throw, based on the detection of Andrew
johnson and his supporters. Not content
with this the infamous ku-klux Khan, by
murders, whippings,s torture and menace,
established their reign Of terror over the
colored race, absolutely compelling many
white citizens also to make public renunca-
ton of their political faith to avert threatened
death, and exiting others from their homes
by denunciatory messages and personal in
timidation by these masked and malignant
outlaws.
Although these outragcs, so disgraceful to
civilized nation, and especially so TO one
claiming to be as free as ours, were ridicued
rs false by many who knew better, they con
tinued to dlshonor large portions ofthe South
ern States until national legislation, enacted
10y Republican votes in Congress, brought
these unrepentant and vindictive rebels to
justice, and sent many Of them to the prisons
they so richly deserved. And the Congress
sional Investigation proved that even the half
of their crimes had not been previously
known.
Now, when hope Of Republican defeat re-
wives in their breasts, the work of massacre
and outrage recOmmences, staining our ma
tiona escutcheon and dishonoring our Ameri-
can name and fame The White Mans
League, inspired by treason, whose corner
stone is hatred OF the constitutional amend
ments, and whose organization is military and
threatening, takes up the work Of terrorizing
The South which the exposed and convicted
ku-klux were compelled temporarily to
abandon.
And hence | repeat in conclusion as at the
commencement, that the continued ascen-
dency Of the Republican organization is Il
matter OF far more Importance to the nation
than to the party itself. Its overthrow would
be hailed with eXultation by every one who
there under supervision that the candid of all
parties would have pronounced impartial; or
whether the remarkable agreement entered
into there does not concede, by the public
pledge Of those calInG themselves the Con
servative Peoples party that "they will
cause all violence and intimidation, If any
exist, to cease throughout the State" that
they have the power, by their organization,
to command or to restrain such violence
and intimidation" My purpose is above any.
thing of partisan character 1t is to show
that our endangered national character
should be con sidered by all our people; and
that to allow the humblest of our citizens TO be
oppressed or outraged on account of his p0lit-
zeal principles dishonors us all and shames us
before the world
] abstain from any analysis of the princ-
Piles of the White League, except to say that
their arguments could be used against poor
or unlearned men because Of their poverty or
ignorance as forciby rs against men of color
because If their color; and to add that their
organization Is as unconstitutional in its
spirit as one that would propose to refuse
New England or Indiana any representation
in the Senate or TO assume the payment by
the nation OF the rebel debt The Fourteenth
Am ndment to our National Constitution de-
clares all OF our people citizens OF the United
States MS well as of their respective States
and guarantees to them equal protection
under the law, irrespective of race or color
And that solemn constitutional pledge of the