National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-29
SPEECH ON SENATOR CoNKLING

York is not accustomed to do things by
halves. His comprehensive mind and
towering intellect, added to his studious
habits and analytical reasoning powers,
enable him to survey his subject with
calmness in all its bearings, strip it of its
verbiage, divest it of the glamour of dema-
eogism, and 10 present it to his audience
upon its simple, practical merits. Imbued
with an ardent and lofty patriotism, which
scars above the behests of mere party affilia-
tions and a profound reverence for the
majesty of constitutional law, he pursues
his argument from these stand-points to
those logical and irresistible conclusions
which enlighten the mind, convince the
| Judgment, and form the anchor of safety to
| the Republic.
His remarks in the Senate yesterday pre-
sented in these respects pleasing con-
trast TO the labored efforts of the Demo.
cratic Senators who had preceded him in
the debate upon the Louisiana question.
Without acrimony, pretense or arrogance
and with admirable conformity to all the
| appropriate courtesies of the forum of which
he is at the same time member and an
ornament, he proceeded to reply to the fal.
lacies and sOphistries Of his opponents with
the manner of a contestant sure of his posi-
ton and conscious of the justice of his
cause. The crowded Senate and the almost
breathless attention which his words COM
manded throughout the session fully at
tested his power.
{ His sarcastic ridcule OF the idea that 10
quarter the regular forces Of the United
States in Louisiana was an invasion Of the
sacred soil Of the State and of State soy.
ereignty unwRTranted by the Constitution
or by precedent, was peculiarly happy and
effective. He cited the action Of President
Washington in the case Of the whisky In.
surrection in Pennsylvania, greatly TO the
dismay Of Senators Thurman and Bayard.
The instance of the use of troops in Ne.
braska recently 10 assist in quelling mu-
tiny in the penitentiary differed from the
Louisiana case in the fact that in the for
mcr the banditti were Gagged and sought
their enlargement, while in the latter they
were free and threatened to freely prose-
cute their calling. His eulogy of Sheridan as
fearless soldier who had won renown upon
the battle field and in the protection of
property at the Chicago conaagration alike,
was superbly eloquent and did him infinite
honor
While he declared that the President had
but performed his simple duty and needed
no defence, he could not resist the tempta-
ton to do him justice by attributing the
present peaceful condition of affairs in the
Southwest to his discreet conduct and
prompt and decisive action. The pre-
tended organization of the Legislature by
the Witt party, after the method resorted
to by ''roughs" to control the proceedings
ofprimary ward meetings, was fifty char
acterized as utterly lawless and indefensi-
BILE
But the clear and indisputable exposition
by Mr.. Conkling of the present state of
political sentiment among the white Demo-
Gratis of the South, and which is held in
countenance by the sympathies of Senators
and the press Of the North of like political
faith, was, perhaps, the best feature of the
argument of yesterday. 1t was made to
appear that the white Democrats by their
action, while arrogating 10 themselves the
sole title of 'the people" of that section,
utterly ignore the blacks as citizens They
utterly ignore, in practice, the constitu-
tional amendments, which accord to former
slaves civil and political rights. They per-
sist in adhering TO the idea that to labor is
degrading, and ostracise Northern immi-
grants, who go among them to better their
own fortunes either by tilling the soil or es-
tablishing manufactures, or to pursue their
professions and trades, and stigmatize them
as carpet baggers and ncgro-l lovers because
they are Republicans and believe that ne
groes, as well as all other men, are
equal before the law" Continually
begging for immigration, no sooner
does it arrive than its politics is
examined, and it is informed with an air
of the loftiest patronage that it will be pro-
tected and fostered if it will submit en-
tirely to the dictation of the "people," or
the TAX payers, or the "White League
which with them are synonymous terms,
as to their political sentiments and their
social connections. But they are warned, |
on the other hand that if they affiliate with |
carpet-baggers or negroes in politics they |
must leave or be liable at any moment to
violent death.
This is a correct picture of Southern SEN
timent as it is now thriving in New Or
leans and throughout a large portion Of the
South. There are but few of the more
cultivated who think it worth " lille to dis
guise the fact. The masses delight to pro-
claim it. And yet the resolutions and pro-
tests are all made to breathe the most fer
vent loyalty to the whole Constitution and
laws of the United States Mr.. Conkling
will cnnfinnn his remarks tn.dav