American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-03-04
An ELGoVEYr PEEoR.TIsx.

otic speech on the diplomatic APP
preparation bill:
Mr.. Chairman, a word more, and
am done. For twenty years past,
more than half generation, the
brotherhood of States inaugurated
by our fathers. built up and cement
ed by their blood, has been disturb
ed by the agitation of the question
of African slavery aud its adjuncts.
In the conflict of opinions aud the
clash of arms, chat institution has
persisted forever The Constitution
has been amended, fully guarding
against its establishment. Every
where the freedom of the slave has
been acknowledged, and in no por-
ton of the country more fully than
in the South. Like other great
questions, it has had its day, ana it
is now time that the agitation
growing out of it should cease, and
that there should supervene Il better
state of feelings between the two
sections of this country. l grant
YOU. sir, that, reared under n form
of government like ouIs, where in
dependence of thought and individ-
ual opinion have ever been encour-
aged, it may not be deemed strange
that there should have arisen diff
ferences of opinion upon grave
questions of domestic policy; but
the strange part of it is, that with
all the cohesive powers of American
citizenship, with all the memories
of a common revolutionary strug-
gle, with all tho incentives to unit :
which now press upon us, there
should be found one single man,
claiming this as his native soil, who
is willing to lend his power and
influence to keep up sectional strife.
l know that the civil war in
which We were engaged makes a
record of many bloody pages, and,
examined with critical eye, awak
ems many unpleasant "reminiscences,
starts many a ghost from its lonely
| haunt but [ submit that it is nei-
ther wise nor profitable to be court
ing these dead scenes of the past,
and disentombing incidents and
events giving nothing but anguish
and pain.
Would we draw lesson Of Wis
dom from the laws that govern the
physical world, we would see that
wherever an injury is inflicted upon
any of the works OF nature which is
hot irreparable, as soon as the cause
of the injury is removed, like good
matron and skilled architect, she
begins tAe process of restoring
things to their original beauty and
healthfulness. The woodman sticks
his axe Into the beautiful forest
tree, it weepS for a time, but soon
the work of renovation begins or,
if the stroke he fatal, from it's root
will spring the young tree to take
its place. Disturb the limpid stream
by stirring up the sediment at the
bottom, or by any extraneOus sub.
stance, and how soon does it purge
itself of these foreign elements and
assume anew its sparkling beauty.
The plowman rudcly .plunges his
share into the earth, and destroys
tie beautiful sward which covers
its even surface, but he has scarcely
passed along, before, by the laws OF
gravitation, and the action Of the
winds and rains. the work of level
ing and redecorating is begun. So
would it be in the social, moral and
intellectual world, were it not for
the perversity of human nature,
and the determination of some mon
to rough lleW every side of life, in
defiance of that divinity which, it
is said, will ultimately "shape our
ends"
True craftsmanship rises to a
plane far above u mere talent for
dramatic representations of nursery
tales to brighten children, or skillful
waving of some bloody shirt, bor-
rowed from Fox's Book of Martyrs.
What is now looked for and de-
Inanded of members of Congress, in
this and the other house, is not in
hammatory appeals to the worst
portion of our nature, not crimina
ton and recrinination, not the arr
raying OF section against section
against section and race against
race, but broad; national, practical
| NiC"S VI tnO SiCdO luCotlOno bOW
pressing upon US tor consideration
and solution.
In conclusion, wish to assure
gentlemen upon this floor, and to
proclaim to the outside world, that
we of the South have come here in
the interest Of peace-in the inter
est of every measure tending to
make us a prosperous, happy, unit
ed people-in the interest of every
citizen of our broad land, white and
Ecolored, determined to know nc
difference on account of section,
color, class, or previous condition.
If our friends from other sections
of the country will meet us upon
this platform, we shall soon see that
country waking up, like strong
man from sleep, graphing with the
mighty problems now pressing for
solution. and taking the lead among
the nations of the earth in all that
is great and good i'll human affairs.
AS an important step in this direc-
ton, let us retrench our expenses,
that there may be no charge OF
extravaganza by one party against
the other, and cause for family
guarrels. This bill has been wei!
considered by the committee. and
should commend itself to every
Representative upon this floor.