The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-10-03

'Po"h NV DIS DemOcrat; don't know
and don't care whether l speak to Dem
ocrats or Republicans; I speak as an
American to Americans, and I say to
you to-day, you owe a debt of credit
to the people of the South [cheersl in
Congress, to what some of the North
have called "the Confederate brigades'
who prevented Administering and stood
by the result of the Electoral Commits
sion's work. During the recent strikes
and riots, too, she evinced her feeling
by unfolding the laws and standing
conservative. She has given bonds to
fate to preserve the peace, and she
wants peace. She wants you, people
OF the North, to understand her condi
ton. She wants you to realize pre-
cisely what she accepts as the result of
the war. She wants you to under
stand the motives which have actuated
her, not only before and during but
since the war.
l, for myself, my friends, have no
concealments to make for the past. I
have taken part in the war, nor would
your respect for me be increased were
to offer any unmanly apology for it.
did what you did. obeyed the
command of my own State, as you did
yours. And you, men of the North,
were guided by your own consciences
as we of the South were guided by
ours; and say to you that up to the
beginning of that warI used all nv
influence to preserve the Union
[Cheers.] was a Union man. IRE
newed cheers. / did all I could to
preserve it; l did all could to avoid a
war, and when South Carolina called
her sons, as Illinois called hers, |
obeyed her command, and men of Hi
nois, fought you as long and as hard
as could, and l have no apologies to
make for it. Loud cheers and laugh
ter | remember, especially, that |
fought the Eighth Illinois, and I
thought it one of the best regiments
in the Federal army. fought them
very hard indeed. Great cheering
and laughter.]
Now, my friends, we went into the
war believing we were right; but
when the war ended we surrendered
and | want to impress that upon
you; We surrendered in good faith,
and I challenge man living to say
that from that day to this that l have
violated in any degree the tenor of my
parole, or done anything inconsistent
with my honor as soldier or citi
zen. When | sheathed my sword re-
newed my allegiance to the United
States Government. l pledg ed myself
TO support the Constitution of the Uni
ted States. When l took my official
oath, the other day, as Governor of
South Carolina, swore to uphold it as
it now stands, and, so help me God, |
intend to keep it. Loud cheers.] We
surrendered in good faith. We accept
ed the Constitution of the United
States, with the amendments. Though
we opposed the latter, we accept them
now, and propose to obey them, right
or wrong-tlat the Constitution shall
stand equal for the protection of South
Carolina and of Massachusetts, of Hi
nois and Louisiana, aud we have the
right to ask that every citizen in every
State should be equal before law aud
under the Constitution of the States.
[Cheers.
SO mnch, my friends, for the views
we entertain. Then we come, appeal
ing to you for peace. We come ap-
pealing to you. for peace. We come
to you, because it is not only
the highest wisdom to restore peace
not only because the very theory of
craftsmanship and politics requires the
restoration of peace-but we appeal to
you because it is tile very handspring
of patriotism. And if there is any
where the handspring of patriotism,
moving strong and perpetual, it is the
hearts of the people of Illinois. [Con-
tinued cheers.
Governor Hampton, abiding to the
story that he had been threatened,
treated the matter loosely, elciting
much mirth, and read a letter stating
that 100 veterans at Rockford had con-
ltituted Committee to send him back
from here in box. The remainder of
the speech was devoted to eulogistic
illusions to the State of Illinois in re-
gard to it's agricultural advantages, to
= prediction of glorious destiny for
The Mississippi Valley, to brief alu-
zion to the labor question, aud to plea
or universal education. He concluded
Is follows:
"We are standing under one flag,
'beying one Constitution, and it is for
Is to say what will be tie future of
his country. Give US your help, and
We will give you our hearty co-opera-
ion. We feel and know that if this is
n