The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-08-09
The Press and Banner.
w. A. LEE, Editor.
Wednesday, Aug. 9, 1876.
National Democratic Ticket.
FOR PRESIDENT:
S Samuel J. Tilden,
OF NEW YORK.
FOR VICE.PRESIDENT:
Thomas A. Hendricks,
OF INDIANA.
The Press and Banner.
Great Speech Of Mr.. Lamar.

The Mississippi Congressman ha
made a great speech in the House. re
viewing the shortcomings of the nd
ministration, and especially its South
ern policy, and showing the baseles:
character of the charges made agains
the South Of hostility to the
reconstruct. on measures, and o
disloyalty to the Government. Com
ing from the representative states
man of the South, the speecl
is well timed in its u%tterance
and we trust will 60 far to correct thu
abuse and misrepresentation to which
we have been subjected. We make
the following extract
"But it is said that the advent o
the Democratic party to power would
endanger the p~ermanency of the ne"
institutions established by the war
and there is and apprehension that
what was called the Southern section
al combination would be broush,
back, and therefore people were mol
prepared for the mere sake OF correct
ing the disorders of the administra'
ton to put these new institutions into
the hands of those who were orlSlnal'
ly opposed to their establishment. he
appreciated the value Of the grave ap-
Drehensions. He would speak. how
ever, in behalf of apeopls WHO had &C
cepted with sincerity the results Of the
war, who felt that they. had upon them
the burden Of recovering the conf
dence of the nation, and who also felt
assured that with 4 better knowledge
of their purposes and motives they
would receive that faith and conf
dence which is necessary to bind to-
the various SECTIONS of the re-
in the bonds of peace, q price
in these days of party discord,
he feared was almost past understand
ing. He did NOT believe that the APP
grewing out Of the united
support by the Southern people of the
party was we'll founded,
or that it should stand in the way OF
the aspirations of u great people for
and reform. The idea that
the Sonth under any combination OF
or circumstances would ever
again obtain the control of this great
republic, and WELD its destinies
the will and instincts of the
people was of all ideas the
most visionary and baseless. The pco-
pie of the South were PROSTATE. They
had been defeated in var and made to
feel that the sacrifices and humilia-
and helplessness of defeat had
been allotted them rs their share ;
the people of the North had
reaped the rich results of q victorious
war, and had embodied and guaran-
teed them n the very life and Consti-
of ,he nation. The institu-
tons of the South had been shattered
and destroyed, her industries he'd been
disorganized. every foot of her fertile
soil steriliZed by an all-devouring tax
alton, her educational interests wan
ing and languishing, and her popula-
ton was so far below, in comparison
that Of the rest Of this great I'm
ion. that with the South united, black
ard white, it would he impotentto &C.
cure the election Of q single Southern
mln or to defend a single southern in
1t was therefore absurd for y
great peol 10 to a%pprehend that the
of the South arrogated to them
the ruling of the interests OF
of this great nation. There was nc
which they had that was
not bounded by the horizon of the
Union. If they were united with the
Democratic party it was not for the
purpose of sectional ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
it was not for the purpose of recover
ing the government, but it was be-
cause they had observed an instructive
and imperative law Of self-preserva'
ton.
The people of the South would be
conteut to withdraw from participa'
ton in the Presidential election, il
they could do SO, and let the people o.
the North elect q President, but they
wanted u representative share of the
responsibility and benefits Of a com.
mon government, according to the
of their population and race
They were now cooperative with the
party under a dire II IN
eXorable necessity, and only in the
hope of getting al administration tina
would not be unfriendly to them, thai
would not feel itself commissioned te
execute resentment and oppression up
on them. They wanted to get ali adj
ministration which would allow theil
States the sanle equal rights as Other
States; which would allow them
equality of authority, jurisdiction
over their own affairs, exemption from
the domination of elections by bayo'
nets that would give them local self
government. Then the country
would at last see the dawn Of rospcri
ty in all the industrial enterprises o
the North; it would see II true South
ern renaissance, a real grand recon
struction Of the South ; it would SCI
her rising from her confusion and dis
treSs, rejoicing in her newly acquired
liberty, free, great and prosperous
her sons and her daughters of ever,
race happy in her smile, and greeting
this benignant Republic in the word
of the inspired poet: "Thy gentle
ness hath made Inc great" Lout
a%pplause.]