The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-08-16
SENATOR LAMAR'S SPEECH.
or the Situation, the Presidents Policy
and the Future Duty Of the South.

Before the Mississippi State Convention.
Calls were made for Senator L. @.
G. Lamar, who i'll response addressed
the convention. As he assembled the
clerks desk he was greeted with the
most dcafcning and long-continued APP
plause. He congratulated them, as
MissiSsippians and American citizens,
upon the fact that the South was again
free. (Applause) For the first time
in twelve years they had met together
in their capital to look upon a country
rescued in all its parts from the
shackles Of tyranny, and ready for a
new career Of freedom, progress and
prosperity. After dwelling upon this
point with great force, he said: Il con-
graduate YOU that this grand dcliverance
is in a large measure the work of the
Democratic party. 1t is a strange re-
suit that one party, in the very flush
of victory, should see It's policy perish;
and that the other, in the very mo-
ment of defeat, should behold its
principles enthroncd in triumph. Re
cent events had demonstrated to the
North that the South was no clement of
disturbance to the tranquility of the
American republic, nor of subtraction
from the security of strength; that
thousands upon thousands of honest
and patriotic Republicans were now
convinced of this, and were ready to
make her people full sharers in the
benefits and blessings and the great
ness and glory of that republic. At
the head of these, to his everlasting
honor be it spoken, stands the present
President of the United States, who,
in the discharge of his high duty as
the President of the whole people, has
struck a blow for the restoration of the
South to her position of equality which
had vibrated to the extremities Of the
Union and had carried CONSERVATION
in the ranks of his party This act Of
patriotism, justice and political intrep-
idity on his past merits the approba-
ton and support of Southern men, and
this may be bestowed by Democrats
of the South standing soIidly upon Il
platform of Democratic principles, and
without breaking our alliance with
that great national party which has so
long stood, with mistaken constancy
and fidelity, by the rights of the
South" He did not believe that the
American people are prepared to ac-
cept the disbandanment of the Demo-
cratic party. He here spoke of the
principles of that party, which, he
said, were imperishabIe and were the
essential elements of every free gov
eminent; of the number of its voters
constituting Il majority of the people
of the nation, and the extent of its
organization in every section of the
country. Nor did he believe that the
political events of the day would justi-
fy the South in breaking up her unity.
Questions of constitutional law; the
relation of the States the Federal Gov
eminent, and OF the relations of the
people to their State government,
would soon cease TO play any very CON
spicuous part in the issues of American
politics. Questions of tariff, trade,
commerce, currency and transportation
would soon take their places; were be-
ginning To engross the attention of the
people and will tax the intellect of
American statesmen. To the discus
sion and settlement Of these questions
the Southern statesmen must contri-