The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-09-28
NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE pnrs1pENr AND THE SOUTH.

prasident HAYES, at the urgent solicitation Of
citizens Of Atlanta, Ga, visited that city on the
GOD OF September, and was cordially received.
In the presence of 10, 600 citizens, Mayor Ang-
Ter. ON behalf Of the municipality, welcomed
the President, and Gov. Colquitt for the people
of the State spoke words Of hearty welcome.
The President was introduced and received
with great cheering. He spoke as follows:
MY FRIENDS OF GEORGIA: Isuppose that here,
as everywhere else, am in the presence of men of
both great political parties. am speaking also In
the presence Of citizens of both races. am quite
sure there are before me very many Of the brave
men who fought in the Confederate army lap
plausel some doubtless OF the men who fought in
the Union army [appsusel, and here We are, Repub-
leans, Democratic, colored people, white people,
Confederate soldiers and Union soldiers, all Of
mind and one heart to-day. Immense cheering.l
And Why should we not be? What is there TO sep
arate us longer? without any fault Of yours, or
any fault of mine, or of any Of this great
audience, slavery existed in this country. 1t in
the constitution Of the country. The colored man
was here not by his own voluntary action. 1t was
the misfortune of his fathers that he was here.
think il is safe to say it was by the crime of
our fathers he here. He here how
ever and the two sections differed about
what should be done with him. As Mr..
Lincoln told in the war, there were
prayers on both sides for him. Both sides
found in the Bible confirmation Of their opinions
and both sides finally undertook to settle the ques-
ton by that last final of arbitration, force of
arms You here mainly Joined the Confederate
ide and fought bravely risked your lives herocaly
in behalf of your convictions, and any true
man anywhere fail to respect the man who risks
his life for his convictions? prolonged cheers.l
And, as accord that respect to you, and believe
you to be equally liberal and generous, and just,
feel, i stand before you, one who fought
in the Union army for his convictions, l am
entitled to your respect. ICheersl Now that
conflict is over, my friends. Gov. Hampton re-
peated to you last night the way in which
have been putting it since / came to the South
There were larger proportion Of trained soldiers
in your army at first than in ours. In much
larger proportion you were good marksmen and
good horsemen, and that is two-thirds of good
soldier laughter; but gradually we learned to
ride, too [laughterl, and, as some of you know,
gradually learned to shoot Renewed laughter
i happen to know how well you could shoot
[Cheers.l Well, having learned how TO ride and
boot, il the of fighting between Greek
and Greek. When Greek meets Greek. you know
what the conflict is. [Cheers.l And, than
that, you know exactly how ii will terminate That
party in that fight will always conquer that has the
most Greeks. Laughter and cheers.] 1t is with
discredt to you, and special credit to us, the
war turned out as it did [Cheers.l Now, shall we
quit fighting? [Cries of eyes" "yes.'l
have been in the habit of telling anecdote
about Gen. Scott and the statesman at Washington,
in which the statesman said that soon the war
we would have complete peace. "No," said Gen.
Scott, 1T will take several years. in which all the
powers of the General Government will be employed
in keeping peace between the beligerent non-con-
batants." [Laughter.I Now think we have gotten
through that [cheersl, and, having peace between
the soldiers and nomenclature, that is end of
the war. Is there any reason, then, why we should
not be at peace forever more? We are embarked
upon the same voyage, upon the same
ship, under the same old flag. Good fortune or i'll
fortune affects you and your children well my
people and my children. [Cheers.l Every interest
you possess is to be promoted by peace Here is the
great city of Atlanta, gathering to itself from all
parts of the country its wealth and business by its
railroads. and say TO you that every description of
industry and legitimate business needs peace. That
is what capital wants. Discord discomfort, and dis
satisfaction the enemies of these enterprises.
Then all our interests are for peace. Are We not
agreed about that &? What do we want for the
future? i believe IL is the duty of the Genera
Government TO regard equally the interests and
rights of all sections of the country. ICheers.] l
am glad you agree with me about that. I believe
further that it is the duty of governments to regard
alike and equally the rights and interests of all
classes of citizens. [Cheers.l That covers the
whole matter. That wipes out in the future in our
politics the section line forever. [Cheers.l Let us
wipe out in our politics the color line forever.
TCheers.]
And let me say word upon what has been done.
do not undertake to discuss or defend particular
measures. leave the people with their knowledge
of the facts TO examine and discuss and decide for
themselves to them. only speak of general con-
siderations and motives What troubles our people
at the North what has troubled them, that they
feared that these coored people who had been made
rec men by the would not be safe in their right
and interests in the South unless it by the inter
ference of the General Government Many good
people had that idea. had given that matter some
consideration; and now, my colored friends, who
have thought or who have been told / turning
my back upon the men whom 1 fought for, now
sten After thinking it over, believed your rights
and interests would be safe if this great of
telligent white men let alone by the General
Government. Immense enthusiasm and cheering
lasting for several minutes.]
And now, my colored friends, let me say another
thing. We have been trying it for these six
months, and, in my opinion, for no six months
since the war has there been so few outrages and
invasions of your rights, nor have you been go
cure in your rights, persons and homes, in last
six months. [Great cheering.l Then, my friends,
we are all together upon one proposition. We be-
eve and in this all these who here agree, in the
Union of our fathers in the old Gag Of fathers,
the constitution it is, with all it's amendments,
and are prepared to see it fully and fairly obeyed
and enforced. tCheers.]
Now. my friends, see it stated occasionally that
President Hayes has taken the course he
has because he was compelled to it.
"A yoice-"we don't believe it'll Now,
was compelled to it. tAppause.l I was COM
pelled to 1t by my sense of duty under my oath of
Office. Intense enthusiasm and cheersl What was
done by us was done not merely by force Of special
circumstances but because we believed II was just
and right to do it. GCheers.l