Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-10-26
Carl Schurz on National Peace
and the Necessity of Il Republic
can Victory.

In recent speech Ilor. Carl schnrz SPOKE as
follows:
There is still one other thing | would call your
attention to, and that is the question of national
peace. | do not mean to repeat what ! said Ofmy
action with regard to the Southern people, and
the impulse of generosity which | have always
followed. OF course | did that with the expects-
ton that satisfactory response would be elected
from the other side. We gave them back their
rights with lavish hand; we gave them back
their rights so shortly after the rebellion that |
can only repeat what ! have often said, that the
generosity Of the American people has never been
excelled by any other nation in the world in that
respect. We did 1t with the reasonable hope that
the Southern people, receiving back their rights
at our hands, might be counted VI on to respect
also the rights of others. | am sorry to say that
that expectation has been in great measure dis
appointed When you look at the State Of South
Carolina you will not deny that the situation of
things is exceedingly serious. There is minor
tv try ing to cut down the vote Of the ma jorty by
means Of force. | am the very last man in the
country who would approve of the presence of
troops in the neghboihood of the ballot box, and
would stand up to the last in the endeayor to
cure to every man the right TO vote uniHuenced
nv force of any kind. But as things now stand
if the United States troops are withdrawn-what
then' Then we may be sure to have another
armed force in its place, and that is the rifle clubs
of the South Carolina reform democracy. ! be-
leFe IN reform, gtntlt DuL 40 HOt DtleNe IN
the reform of the rifle and the revolver in the
hands of terrorist They may succeed possibly
in suhjuga,ing republican majorltes, but one
thing | look upon perfectly certain. We have
come to the settlement of the questions growing
out Of the war by adopting certain constitutional
provisions. These constitutional provisions may
for the time being be ovcridden in this or that
State, but if the attempt IS mgce-whieh look
for almost as inevitable in the event Of demo.
cratic yictory-if the attempt is made to nuiliiy
them in the whole extent of the Southern Couu-
t,y, am sure that the patriotic people Of the
United States of America will not submit to it.
Applause. If the attempt be made upon such
an issue between the North and the South, the
solid South on one side wlll find a solid North on
the other side; and liberal and generous as may
be when the question is between a solid North AID
solid South, | am the side of the North all
the time Applause. / am on the side Of the
North, not because happen to live here, but be-
cause believe that the North contains the pre-
pondeTanCe Of the intellectual well the moral
vitality Of the American Republic as ii is now con-
sututed Now, gentlemen, looking at the at
tempts that are beng made in the South, can
any body doubt that they would be greatly en-
cOuragsd by victory of the democratic party
am sorry am Obliged to say it, but still it is OBJ
vlously true that that party stands in the politics
of the country as a continual threat of reaction
against the results of the war, and as such lis very
existence is dangerous to the development Of good
feeling and harmonious cooperation between the
different parts Of the county.
/ stand before you one who has acted upon
independent principles in the strife Of parties
have not seldom been at variance with those in
power, and of my criticism of their acts have
nothing to retract. / have never looked uIon
party as an iniallbe authority entitled TO uncon-
ditional obedience, but mere instrument by
which 10 promote the public goods and IN the
same measure as il serves that end it is entitled ia
support; IN the same measure that it sweryes from
that path IL deserves and has nv opposition. And
now after a sober and conscientious consideration
OF all the circumstances surrounding us, have
formed the clear conviction that if we desire al
early return to specie payments, a thorough re-
form of the public service, aud the avoidance oil
grave national dangers, the republican party anC
their national Candidates are at this iunctufe mo-
only the best but the only instruments by which
the true interests Of the American people can il
| those respects be surely aud efficiently promoted
| Great applause.