The Republican journal., 1877-09-27
President Hayes in the South.

The President, in the course of hi
southern tour, reached Atlanta, Georgia
on Saturday, where concourse Of 10000
people greeted him. He was welcomed
by Coy. Coiquitt, and in being presented
to the assemblage, spoke as follows
| FELLOW CITIZENS or GEORGIA: The day before
yesterday at Chattanooga, ! met committee o
| your citizens who desired me and urged me to ex
| tend. with the party accompanying me, orr tril
to your beautiful and prosperous city lndyidualll
we felt that it would be very great pleasure tt
| meet you at your homes, but our arrangement:
| ahead had been made, and | supposed it was on
| Of the question to extend the trip. Happily oul
railroad friends assured us that by riding all las
! night and all OF ight we should be able to visit
| Atlanta and at once those who were the healthe,
and stronger of the party, urged by those OF the
| other sex consented to come and now we are
| here. | wish TO say in single sentence. we arc
glad to be here iApplausc.) The very eloquent
| address to which VIC have listened and especially
| the very encouraging statements we heard from
| the dovernor OF Georgia surely of themselves
greeted as they have been and Endorsed by the
applause OF the great audience-so great gratiti
cation that | would not on any account have
missed the pleasure ! have felt this morning
Cheers
! suppose that here as every where else, ain in
the presence OF men OF both political parties am
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
lapplause)-sOme. doubtless, ofthe men who fought
IN the Union ARMY applause and here we are.
RepubhcanS, Democrats. colored people. white
people. Confederate soldiers and Union soldiers all
OF one mind and one heart today. Immense
cheering)
And why should not be V hat is there to
separate us longer Without any fault of yours,
or any fault OF mime of any of this great
dlence, slavery existed in this country. 1t WAS 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 it is safe to say that it was by the crime of
our fathers that he was here. He was here, how
ever, and we Of the two sections differed about
what should be done with him. As Mr. Lincoln
told us, in the there were prayers on both
sides both sides found in the Bible confirmation OF
their opinions. and both sides finally undertook
settle the question by that last final means Of arb
tratlOn force of arms.
You here mainly joined the Confederate side
and fought bravey. risked Your lives heroicaly in
behalf OF your convictions And can any true
man anywhere fail to respect Il man who risks his
life for his convictions prolonged cheers And
as accord that respect to you and believe you to
| be equally liberal and generous and Just, feel
that as | stand before you one who fought i'll
the Union Army for his convictions. am entitled
to your respect eheers) now that the conflict IS
over My friend, Governor Hampton, repeated to
you last night the way III which have been III
the habit of putting il since came to the South
There were larger proportion of trained soldiers
III yonr army at first than in ours But gradually
We learned TO ride (laughter) and. as some Of
you know, gradually learned To shoot. Renewed
laughtcr) happen TO know how we'll YOU could
shoot. (Cheers)
50, with no dscredit to you and no special cred
II to us, the turned out it did. (CheerS. J
Is there any reason then why We should not be at
peace for eyermore' We are embarked upon the
same voyage. upon the same ship under The same
old flag good fortune or ill fortune affects YOU
and your children AS we'll as my people and my
children. tCheers) All our interests are for
peace. Are we not agreed about that
What do we want for the future! | believe it
Is the duty Of the General Government to regard
equally and alike the interests and rights of all
tons Of this country. (Checrs) am glad that
You agree with me about that. | believe further
that it is the duty Of the government to regard
alike and equally the rights and interests of al
classes OF citizens. Cheers That covers the
whole matter; that wipes out IN the future in our
politics the section line forever. {Cheers) Let us
wipe out in our politics the color line forever
tthcels.)
" hat troubles our people al the North what has
troubled them, that they feared that these
colOred people who had been made treemen by tie
war would not be safe i'll their rights and interests
in the South unless it was by the Interference OF
the General Government Many good people had
that idea. | gave that matter some consideration ;
and now my colored friends who have thought or
been told that was turning my back upon the
men whom fought for. now listen After think
my it over ! thought your rights and interests
would be safer if this great mass OF Intelligent
White men We're let alone by the General Govern
ment Qmmense enthusiasm and cheering for
several minutes We have been trying it for these
SIX months. and i'll my opinion for no six months
since the wal has there been 50 few outraees and
ineasions Of yonr rights nor have You been
cure IN vou rights persons and home3. (trcat
cheeIingD