Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-05-07
Speech OF General ]. X, ChaImers-He
Advocates Pure Democracy and I'm.
def ed, and Will Labor In.
der its Flag.
Review OF the Political History OF Mis-.
sissippI, Especially Since the War
The Contest OF 1S72-AIcorB,
The Politician.
A Cordial Invitation Extended TO ALI
Who are Willing TO Assist in the
Reorganization Of the Demga
cratic Pariy-A GOJd
Speech.
From an Occasional Correspondent

From an Occasional CouespondenLI
FRIARs POINT, COAHoMA COUNTY
/ Miss, May AT q meeting of tn,
Democratic party held at this place to
day for the purpose of electing dele
gates to the proposed meeting or con
ventiOn at Jackson, called by Colonel
Stone, chairman OF the State Democrat
ic executive committee, the following
resolutions were reported by commit.
tee appointed to draft them, and unan-
imousIy adopted:
ReSOtUed, That we, the Democracy Of
COahOms county, here assembled, ap-
prove the appointment of the legisla.
tive committee OF conference, aud that
We accept the invitation of its chairman
to consult with them at jackson on the
seventeenth instant, and will appoint
delegates for that purpose.
Resolved, That we deem q State con-
ventiOn unnecessary this year, but we
! recommend that county and congress
| iOnal conventions be held at as early a
day as practicable, and suggest Grenada
as the place, and the first Of July as the
! day, for hOldiDga congressional cOnven-
! ton in this district.
/ RESOLVED, That our adversaries have
well-organized party, and it is their
| policy to postpone the nomination of
candidates until the last moment; that
/ we ATE disOTganiZed and il is incumbent
upon us commence early and work late.
Resolved, That while we will not
! quibble about name, we prefer that of
| 1.-THE Democratic party"
ResOlUed, That J r. Chalmers n. w.
Lea and G. r. Winston be bsappointed to
ryu Of ha
teenth instant.
After the reading and adoption OF the
resolutions, General ChaImer was in
trOduced by the chairman and delivered
the following speech:
SPEECH oB GENERAL CHALMERS.
FELLOW CITIZENS OF COAHoMA
CoUNTY-We have met for the first
time in many years as Democratic
party, with view to send delegates to
Jackson, 10 meet with others who have
been invited by Colonel Stone to meet
the legislative committee, to take cOun-
sci together as to our future action. 1t
would be useless now to indulge in any
criticisms upon the wisdom or the folly
OF our political conduct since the war,
but b'ief retrospect OF the past may
furnish a valuable lesson for our course
in the future. Ten years have passed
away since the last hostile gun was
fired, and the great armies OF the north
and the south laid down their arms in
expectation of peace. The four years of
war through which we had then Just
pissed had brought ruin and desolatiOn
upon the south; but the ten years Of
peace which have followed have, in some
respects, proved more disastrous still.
Ia IA
waste, and our property destroyed by
the ravages of war; but the dismal peace
which followed has added torture to des-
olation. 1t has broken the once proud
spirits Of our people by constant threats
Of military interference in our civil az
fairs. 1t has Frustrated our energy by
open and unblushing robbery and en-
bezzlement Of our public funds, which
had been wTuDg from people already
threatened with starvation. 1t has
dried up the sources of our prosperity by
merciless taxation, as the sources of life
are dried up by the slow poison which
the secret assassin prepares for bis vic
tim. And it has undermined the fOun-
dations of our institutions until a militia
ry despOtsm bids fair to be established on
the ruins of republican liberty. And
not only has this result been effected in
the south, but a change has come over
the spirits Of = the whole people of the
Union. That keen sense of honor
which once marked our public men has
been blunted, il not destroyed, and that
quick resentment of the people at
the slightest violation of public trust, or
the least invasion OF political rights has
ceased to exist. Who that remembers
the Intense excitement created in the
public mind by the charge that Clay
had given his support to Adams in con-
sideratiOn of a cabinet appointment, can
understand the quiet acquiescence Of
the present day in the purchase of cab
met appointments by gifts OF houses and
gold? Who that remembers the Co
vode investigation could believe that the
Credit MObilier bribery in congress
could have been so easily passed over?
Who that remembers the storm OF in
dignation aroused against Andrew
Jackson, when he removed the deposits
from the United States banks, could
have believed the time would ever come
when one hundred guns would be fired
in honor of the fact that State legisla-
ture had been dispersed by Federal bay
onets? Who that has read the criti-
cisms on Washington for The execution
OF Andre, the British spy, could have
dreamed that day would come when
an officer OF the United States army
would propose TO try civilians:by drum
head cOurl-martial ia times Of profound
peace, and that such proposition could
be approved by the
PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY OF WAR.
and be defended on the floor of theAmer-
lean senate. And who that knew us
once could believe that the shoulder
strapped assassin who could conceive
and publicly proclaim such diabOlical
scheme could afterward walk unmolest-
ed through the streets of the city whose
citizens he had slandered, and whose
blood he sought. We are changed in
deed. The iron has entered into our
souls, and the Israelites in the land Of
Egypt were not more thoroughly subju
gated than we Of the south are to-day.
We know it, and we feel disgraced by
it; but yet we recognize the fact that
our descent to this lower region has been
easy and rapid. Those OF US who helped
TO bring about secession-whO believed
that il was essential to the preservation
Of our rights, and who went into the war
confidently expecting to Win-were d0u-
bly, conquered when we were compelled
tu surrender. We were conquered by
our adversaries in the field, and we We're
conquered by the fulfilment of the
prophecies Of our Union friends at home.
When the fever and excitement OF the
struggle were over, and the secessiOnist
beheld the desolation around him, he
could not look in the face OF his Union
loving neighbor, who had struggled
hard to avert the war, but who had barred
his breast to its fieTcest storm when it
began, without feeling humbled and
subdued in his presence. He felt as If
he owed him fe-long apology for the
ruin which his mistaken zeal and iudg-
ment had brought upon the country.
And not only did the secessionist of
Mississippi entertain that sentiment,
but he conformed his action to his feel
ings. He admitted his failure to the
fullest extent, and having lost conf
dence IN his own judgment, yielded will
ingly and cheerfully to those who had
| differed with him in opinion. The