Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-04-04
In his great speech at Chicago, re-
Gently, Col. Ingersoll, speaking of the
President and his conciliatory policy,

cently, COl. lnSerSOll, speaking VI tnt
President and his conciliatory policy,
said:
In my judgment it was a grand act,
grandly done. He said to the people
of the South, I'VE have had war
enough. We parted at the lannon's
mouth, divided by the dripping
sword of war. Let us become ac-
aueilted. A debt of millions and
x,i1illions and millions piled upon the
shoulders Of American industry Let
us go to work and pay it. We want
prosperity. The wheels of the fac
tories are silent. We want revival
of business. Money lies idle, and the
safe of prudence is locked by the key
of fear. Energy has empty hands.
Honesty has empty pockets. Industry
begs. We have had trouble enough.
We have had hard times enough. Let
us be friends, and let us clothe this
country once more with prosperity as
with a garment" My friends, we
have told the old story often enough
we have fought the battles over often
enough. Let us forget them let us
forget everything, except the debt
we owe to the brave men that saved
the nation. Let ns forget our hatred
let us forget our prejudices; let us
forget everything that has been said,
and everything that has been done,
except what has been done, as said
before, by the heroic men who kept
the flag Of the Republic bright in the
sky. Now, it seems to me, under the
circumstances, the President acted
wisely. 1t was the best thing he
could do. will not say that 1 would
have done it; might have had lit
tie too much feeling about it. dc
not know what 1 would have done
had been President but if the Pres
ilent has done as would have done,
not being President, do not think l
would have done as he did. Bnt as
he did it, 1 say give him a fair trial
say give that policy chance; am
not going to prophesy its defeat ei-
ther, or its failure, because no man
ever prophesies the failure of thing
that he don't go to work with all his
might to fulfill his prophecy. l be-
lieVe it will succeed. 1t will succeed
IL the Southern people accept it in
good faith. What do mean by the
Southern people accepting it ]? Sim
ply this: II these Southern people
will stop shooting negroes. If they
will say to every negro, "There is the
land, yon can pillow it.; there is the
water, You may drink it; there is the
air, you may breath it; there is the
ballot-box, you can vote for the gov
eminent Of your choice; there is the
land" ag / said before, "plow it; sow
and you shall reap, and you shall eat
in your little hut or cabin in peace,
and protection, broad as the general
air, shall cover YOU" Let them say
that !; that is what ! call accepting it
in good faith.
1t is evident, we think, from what
Ingersoll says, that he has no abiding
faith in the Presidents policy meet
ing with full success, or even any
considerable success.
For our own part, We do not hope
any large degree os success will fol-
low quickly, but however this may
be, another thing is very certain, and
that is. this: that after President
Hayes has made every concession
consistent with justice and duty aft
or be has tried to be the especial
friend of the Southern democracy, and
then they spurn his kindness, reject
his pacific overtures, refuse to meet
him upon the common ground Of for
getting past differences, and joining
hapds on the common brotherhood
of the race and eqna! rights of all
men, then It will be in order for the
President to enforce their observance
oflaw and order, and all decent men
will be ready and willing to say
amen. The fact is to us apparent that
not long hence the President will de-
eide the Ycxed question in Louisiana
and South Carolina, and when the
decision is made, it will be enforced.
II, when these questions arc settled,
President Hayes don't right speedily
find some method to stop the whole.
sale assassinations that have taken
place in the South, and stop them
Enthusiastically, then we are mistaken
in bis purposes. In other words, VIC
mean to say, that while the President
Is now using no remedy but the oil Of
kindness and concession, the time
+ will soon come when he shall reach
the second act in the play, and we
believe him to be better performer
I'm this last act than in the former.