The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-10-26
Serious Words from the Great
German.American Statesman

I From Carl 5fhufE spetCu ~ Ihe NeH 'S'S
League Club, Saturday Nightl
THE SOUTHERN CLAIMS.
II has frequently been said BY Demo
crats that in the question OF Southern
claim, there is nothing but mere psrti'
san cry. Gentlemen, it is my sober con.
yic.ion tina, there is much IN it, and will
tell you why believe so. The South has
been impoverished by the war, and in con-
yersation with Southern men myself
have found this to be their idea: You OF
the North have. controlled the Govern
ment alone since the war; you have taken
GU. Of the public treasury millions oil
dollars to subsidizs steamboat lines, You
have granted away millions OF acres
for railroads 10 establish your lines
of communication. You have spent IN.
told sums Of money on internal improve
menp, and while you did this we in the
South we're exposed to all the raVaSe1 OF
war, and out Of which we have come in an
Impoverished condition. Now, they~sOy,
there is nothing Eairer in the world than
that we should have the same adVan-
tsges, 20 as to get even. Gentlemen, you
converse with almost every Southern man
on this subject, and ii he does not tell
YOU this before election, he will be candid
enough to say 80 after, II the Democratic
candidate il elected. What does that
mean? We have discovered in the
course OF time that the policy Of granting
railroad grants and subsidizing this and
that private enterprise was exceedingly
costly without comforting q correspond
inc public benefit. Therefore, that policy
hss 10 a great extent been abandoned; but
| predict IN case OF democratic victory
that that policy will be renewed and car
ried on 10 more cxtravagant extent BY
that party when it becomes the CONTROL.
ing power. That is the one point. The
second point is this: While was in the
Senate and ever since u large number OF
bills were introduced there aiming at the
reiunding Vi the cotton tax. You are all
aware that during the war we paid hum
dreds OF millions OF taxes for the purpose
ofkeeping our Government alive and our
armies going, We did that having
been forced into war by the
rebel StaIc,, a war thot cost 100000
precious lives and thousands Of millions
Of dollars. During the whole time the
South contributed almost nothing TO the
public treasury. There iS only one con.
siderable item OF the tax that was levied
upon the Southern people, and that was
the cotton tax, some sixty.cight million
dollars or over. Now they demand u
restitution OF that tax, as it is proposed
by some, not tothc individuals by whom
the tax was paid, but to the Southern
States as such. am man OF very gem
erouS disposition with regard 10 the
South. thought that when the war was
closed tic Southern people, who had been
in revolt, would again become peaceabIe
and Iaw.abiding citizens, and that gener.
osity was not only duty, but an act Of
wisdom and Justice. And so have been
one Of the first to advocate n policy oil
general amnesty, and Of the complete re-
nova! Of all those political disabilities
which in consequence OF the rebel
lion, had been imposed upon large
number Of Southern people. In gen
eral | advocated policy OF gen
crosby and reconciliation. am willing
10 be as generous to them as anybody,
but when, after having forced us into $50
terrible a War-a war that came near
destroying the very life Of this great Re.
public-a war that has covered the land
with mourning, and put such terrible
burdens upon our peoPle-when, after
such war, having contributed this little
mite 10 the sustenance OF this great fabric
Of our institutions, they demand that We
should refund every cent OF it, ! think 1t
Is little too much. And yet you are
cody asked-you, the possessors Of the
wealth OF this country-tO put your hands
into your pockets so that $6S,OO0OOO be
given back. / tell you, gentlemen. 1t is
my honest conviction, should the Demo.
cratic party come into power again, they
will inevitably return 10 the South every
cent Of that money which was contributed
to the National Treasury in the cotton
interest, with interest too. tell you
candidly, ] fear that the Democratic
party will be exceedingly generous 10
their Southern friends in the way OF put.
ting money into their pockets.
THE SOUTH WILL CONTROL THE DEMO.
CRATIC PARTY,
1t has frequently been said that no
Northern Democrat, after voting for such
bill, would be able TO come before his
constituency. Is that true? Don't We
see things, which, under ordinary cirCum.
stances, would be incredible? The South
Is now compact unit again in the Dem.
ocratic party. At least the Democratic
party wants TO fight us, and in case Of
Democratic victory the South will not
only be SolidIy Democratic, but it will
also remain no for an interminablc time.
Let me say toyou, l would look upon
that as q great national misfortune, for,
when, in Republic political parties are
divided by geographical sectional lines,
Il will create an unsound and unpRtriotic
public sentiment; and il it were for that
reason alone, | think there would be
some impulse Of patriotism, moving al.
most every one to fight against tho Dem.
ocratic party this Fall. Applause.
But that is not tho point l want to
discuss. l say the Democratic party
wants to unite tho South once more
as a solid unit upon it's side. In
that case the Southern people Will
hold the majority Of the Democratic party
and direct itS purpose. That majority
Of votes will necessarily, as before the
war, give them the control Of the party;
they will fall At once again into their old
seat OF power, and holding the preponder.
auce otinAuencc in the Democratic party
the South will necessarily insist upon
debating the nominations for the Presi.
dency and Vice Presidency in that or.
ganixation. In other words, Just as il
was before our great civil conflict, no
Northern Democrat will have the least
chance for the Presidency or Vice PrOsi.
dency unless no enjoys the decided favor
Of the Southern Democracy.' What will
be the consequence Of this? Why 1t is
evident. Every Northern Congressman
who thinks that there is some Presiden.
tial stuiFin him, that a Presidential light.
ming may strike him some time, will
DO very much inclined to do that which
will DO surest to gain him the favor Of
his Southern brethren. So il Is evident
that not only 4 few but large
majority Of Northern Democrats, i'm
PEELED by their ambition and, am
-Nnrpy - a., .I.n llal L., = 20 lLnso