Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-21
The Presidential Southern Trip.

to calls. the President said -
My FriendS-ln the five minutes we are al,
lowed to speak | cannot say much that will
advance our acquaintance aud Cur friendship,
but am glad to have the opportunity OF meet
ing you, aud to let you hear my voice. The
General Government desires to have all parts
Of the country feel that every part is regarded
alike and equal with every other part. We
would like also il We could carry back to our
Northern friends the information that the local
governments Of all Southern States will regard
alike and equal the legal rights Of all classes
and races OF the people. | believe that IS now
the disposition throughout the country, and up
on that basis there can be as complete, think,
restoration of the ancient harmony as prevailed
when the Declaration Of Independence Was
mado aud the Union formed.
At Tulahoma, large crowd vas again found,
and 10 response to their cheers the President
My Friends-We will not detain you with
much talk, but we are very glad to meet the
people throughout Tennessee and at the sta
tons where We have stopped. We all think 1t
is of great Importance that the people OF the
North and the people o! tho South should be
better acquainted We believe the divisions
of the past will disappear very rapidly when We
come to thoroughly understand each other.
Those who arc best acquainted With the two
sections are those who are most ready to sup
port the policy of paci6cation, even those whose
acquaintance was made during the war, BEING
10 the rival armies, who had DO other acquan-
lance than that of soldiers in the opposing ar
mics. [ can walk up TO Confederate soldier
who fought braveIy and risked bis life for his
convictions, now this is al! over, the cause OF
strife gone, we arc ready to shake hands and be
friends. This is all there is of it, so let US shake
hands and be friends.
Three cheers were then gven for the Presi-
dent, and amid loud calls Mrs. Hayes appeared
and was greeted with hearty applause.
At Chattanooga, Notwithstanding the drench-
ing rain, an immense crowd witnessed the ar
rival of the train.
On Market street large monoeramatic
arch, consisting of the letters TX. Is. h. had
been erected. from the centre OF which large
floral key Was suspended. The procession
moved on to the Stanton HOUSE. 10 the suburbs,
where some 1900 people, about equally divld'
ed as to color had assembled. The President
on aighting was escorted into the large hall,
where some twenty little girls dressed 10 white
and festooued 10 flowers strewed their floral
tributes before him cs be passed through to the
Dorth gallery, where he faced the crowd.
Amidst loud cheers, Colonel j. b. Cooke, a
battle Scared Confederate, welcomed him in
the name and on behalf of all the residents
President Hayes then responded a. fo-
lows -
Fellow Citizaus-lt is great pleasure to be
90 heartily greeted by this large assemblagc Of
the people Of this part of the United Statos.
There are many circumstances Of interest can.
nected with your city Of Chattanooga. Geo
graphically, it is interesting; historically, it is
extremely iuteresting Ii is Interesting also
from the character Of its inhabitants. This as
semby I regard With increased interest, be-
cause OF the variety Of the people which com.
pose it. [ suppose large proportion OF those
who now hear me are citizens of Tennessee,
macy of Alabama, and, it is suggested, some,
or many, perhaps of Georgia, and other States.
It is very obvious that there are men and wo
men here of both races. am told, also, that
many of those present, perhaps pretty equally
divided, are people who adhered to the Con.
federatc cause during the late great civil con
test. There are here. | know, some brave SOL
diers who fought on the Union side perhaps
almost, possibly quite, az equal number OF those
who fought 90 the Confederate side, and here
We are all together IN favor Of peace and bar
rnopy in our beloved country.
Now, there arc two leading ideas twoimpor-
taut things to be accomplished. We want all
sections to have equal rights, ant we want all
citizens to have equal rights before tho laws.
We want the Government to regard alike and
equal all sections of the country. We want the
Government, national and State, to re-
gard alike ard equal ak citizens OF all races.
Now, these are the things to be rliShed.i
The mode, the measure, the pathway, We }ray
differ about, but, my fellow citizens, 1t We con-
cur heartily as to the ends, We are sure to ac-
complish them. | did not, therefore. discuss
at all in MY remarks before the people at vari
Gus points the measures that have been adopt
ed-tbe measures We wish hereafter to be
adopted. But l do undertake to say few
things TO all the audiences thar honor me with
their attention which l hope are calculated to
increase their desire that all IN this country Ii
all sections shall have equal ADD exact justice
Now, ny friends, the particular Of it all is t0
bring back to the country the ancient harmony,
the ancient concord, and the reasons for it are
numerous. Part of them are material, part of
at the first. Here is the State of Tennessee,
have tried to 6ud out this morning how long it
is from its eastern point to its western and the
committee and ought, suppose. to know how
lol 30 lCuuCooCO isS foiJ iioaA tAASo ~ w
six hundred miles in length. have concluded
to average-caIl it four hundred and fifty miles
from the eastern to the western end Of the
State. Ia voice, 1867 miles. " It is better
than supposed; perhaps hundred miles 10
Width. A voice, "l7O."l Still better. Now,
this State of Tennessee contains, as | suppose,
about one fourth as many people in proportion
to its territorial extent as Pennsylvania or
Ohio, and yet it has almost idertically the same
advantages to sustain as dense population as
IS possessed by Pennsylvania aud Ohio, and in
addition it raises cotton and other products
which we cannot raise in those States. Now,
L you want to build up Chattanooga you want |
q settle this whole country as deusely, at least
IS Ohio and Pennsylvania. Now, the first
hing, if you want to make this country attrac.
i've to labor and to capital aud to enterprise, is
. restore peac. aud harmony 10 your midst be.
Eeen the Confederate and the Union people.
Between the coored people and the white peo
be. Now, these are the ends TO be accom-
,lished. for you should have that state of soci
ty which will draw to you the best emigrants
+ the North and of Europe. | have spoken at
ther places Of an additional iucenivc-that