The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-09-08
LYING rs. DEAD ISSUES.

From Gen. Brinkerhof's speech at Mansfield, Ohio.
1t seems to me, fellow-citizens, that the
time has come for the people of the
United States to turn away from the
discussion of dead issues and devote
themselves to the solution of living ques-
lions. The war of the rebellion is now
a decade behind us, and for all practical |
purposes it is as far distant as the revo- |
luton of a century ago. There is no |
more danger of the restoration of slavery !
or of the southern confederacy than there
Is of the domination of king George the
Third. In my judgment there is no
more danger from the rebels of 1876 than
there is from the tories of 1776. We are
now the people of one country. The
cause of contention has passed away, and
it is not in the power of mortal man to
| restore it. The south could not restore
| slavery if it would, and would not if it
could. As stated by governor Tilden in
his message of 1875, "the questions set
| tied by the war can never be re-opened.
/ The adoption of the thirteenth, four
teenth and fifteenth amendments to the
/ federal constitution closed one great era
in our politics. 1t marked the end for
ever of the system of human slavery, and
the struggles that grew out of that sys-
TEN. These amendments have been con-
clusively adopted, and they have been
adopted in good faith by all political or
I nd no nf oil
tons They close the chapter; they are
and must be final; all parties hereafter
must accept and stand upon them, and
henceforth our politics are 20 turn upon
questions of the present and the future,
and not upon those of the settled and
final past"
Wise words are these, and as an anti
slavery man from the very beginning of
my political career, down to this present
time, give them greeting Human
slavery i. this republic is dead, and dead
forever. Not only is it dead and buried
by the constitution of the United States,
but it is dust and ashes, and powder inn
palpable beneath the slow-moving but
irresistible providences of God Almighty.
We turn our faces therefore from the
past and address ourselves to the ques-
lions of the present AMI future, and foI
the solution of them we can not give any
better advice than that given by Gov
Tilden in last gubernatorial message
1--WE must build up new prosperity
upon the old foundations of American
selfgovernment; carry back our politica
systems to the ideals of their authors
make governmental institutions simple
frugal-meddling little with the private
concerns Of notwithstanding at fra
tcrnitv among ourselves and Feac,
abroad-and trusting to the people t,
work out their Own prosperity and hap
piness. All the elements of nationa
growth and private felicity exist in on
country in an abundance which proyi
dence has vouchsafed to no other people
What we need to do is to rescue then
, from governmental folly and rapacity.
These are noble words, and l trust the.
mark the beginning of new era, as the.
r do the beginning of a new century.
= The century gone, to us as a people
: has been one of discord; but now tina
. the cause Of dissension has passed away
D there Is no reason why the century
! come should not be one of concord.
Believing that the principles enunci
5 ated by the democratic party tend to thi
/ result more than any other, l enlist unde
j its banner, and trust that the good sens
s of the American people viii give it vic
: tory in November.