Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-19
JUDGE CLAPP'S SPEECH.
And the Comments Thereon or the
RadicaI-NatiOnal Organ Review
of the IIliberal. IntOlerant, Big
oted and ThievinE Radi-
Teal Party
What the Meaning, Intent and Purpose
of the Radical National Movement
is-Kortrecht's Claims Is
Political HermaphrOdite
-CIapp's Resolutions.

"
Democratic speeches on the bluff on the even
ing of the eleventh instant. Two of the
speakers, Judge Clapp and Attorney General
WRIGHT. seem to have made themselves es-
pecially obnoxious to invidious criticism. 1t
Is not my purpose to take up the cudgel for
either of these gentlemen, as they are evi-
IDENTITY able to take care OF themselves; but
if the sentiments uttered by them CLASSIFY
them as "Bourbons" politics. there are,
apprehend, few Democrats or Conservatives
to be found who are not IN sympathy with
them. The idea that. when the acts OF
party that has temporary control OF the gov
eminent are criticised and censured, 1T I'M
plies disloyalty to the government itself or
disposition to perpetuate tie animosltles en-
gendered by the war, is too absurd to deceive
any one who is not a willing dupe- That the
party that has administered the national
Government for the last fifteen or eighteen
Years is Justly held responsible for the evils
resulting to the country from bad laws or the
want Of good laws, Is a proposition that no
sane man will deny, and especially is this true
when as in the present instance, the precise
acts of maladminjstraton to which these evils
are attributable are matters of record and OF
general notoriety. That the Republican par
ty went outside of the constitution to lntilct
measures of oppression and humiliation upon
the southern people after they mad lain down
their arms and renewed their allegiance to
party leaders by which the Infamous recon-
struction acts were devised. That the south
ern States were treated as rebelllous prov
ipces, to be governed by the bayonet, and
that the government was drifting into a cen
tralized military despotism to the close OF
Grants administration, all candid men will
admit. That the financial policy Of the party
in power was calculated to build up a moneyed
aristocracy; that during eleven years succeed
ing the war this party Impoverished the coun-
try by the levy and collection of over four and
a half billion of Federal taxes; that during
the same time it added nearly two hundred
million dollars to the debts of the southern
States in which it had control and that 1t
has produced the widespread bankruptcy,
restitution and disaffection that now pervade
the country from one extremity to the other,
are all facts susceptible of demonstration.
That the history OF that party Is history OF
official corruption, venallty and extravaganza
without q parallel IN the administration
of our government is lndisputably true.
That it has been from its Incep-
ton, and is now the most intensely sectional
party that has ever figured In American poll-
tics, is a fact that challenges contradiction.
Now when this party, that will stand ar
raigned at the bar of history for its many and
aggravated offenses is seeking our confidence
and support, both directly through its own
nominees, and indirectly through the same
Individuals, who are ostensibly the represent
atives of another organization, are our peo-
pie to be wheedled or lectured into condona-
ton and oblivion of the past, and persuaded
to trust the members of this party again with
power? And are our public speakers to be
denounced and branded with opprobrious ep-
ithets who remind their fellow-citizens of the
ills this party has inflicted ucon the south
and the whole country, and who warn them
that the leopard has not changed his spots
What right have the Nationals to complain of
| injustice when they are charged with playing
| second fiddle to the Radicals? Has it not
been publicly stated by the official managers
ofthese two parties, and never disputed, that
| they were in consultation for days together as
| to the ticket that was to be announced; and
that as to some four or FIVE OF those whose
names appear on the National ticket they
were approved and placed upon the Republic
| can ticket upon the expressed ground that
| they were recognized Republicans? Have
any one of these gentlemen dlsavowed their
| allegiance to the Republican party except
| Mr. Kortrecht, who claims to have been a sort
| of political hermaphrodlte? Dare the Ma
tional party deny the coalition or take issue
| with the Republicans and set up for itself.
| Is there one single measure OF relief to the
country suggested by the Nationals that can
not more certainly be worked out through the
| Democratic party than through their organi-
| zation? And IS 1T not manifest that the
whole scope and purpose Of the coalition with
| the Republican party is to secure and use the
public offices, either for the reinstatement oil
RadIcaism OF for the benefit Of individuals
and without reference to principles? A word
| in conclusion us to the Hayes and Key meet
| ing at the chamber of commerce, to which
| reference was made in a recent number of the
| AuaIanche. | was present at that meeting,
which occurred on the tenth of March, 1877,
just after Mr.. Hayess installation. In order
! to refresh my recollection of what TRANSFERRED
| hot | haU tr1rn a d
PEAL of March IL, 1877, in which the pro-
ceedings of the meeting are reported. hide
pendently of that report l remember very
we'll tae substance Of Judge Clapp's remarks,
that he spoke in respectful and kindly terms
of both Mr.. Hayes and Mr.. Key, and COM
mended the policy outlined. in the
inaugural as far as it went
but insisted that Mr.. Hayes
would find it impracticable to administer the
| government without the cooperation of a
party; that If he undertook to carry out the
| views foreshadowed in his inaugural he would
be obliged to abandon either this party OF
his policy and, like Grant, succumb to the
dctation of party leaders; and that it was
premature to indorse his administration un-
til it was seen how he would meet the Or
| deal through which he had to pass. As tc
| Mr. Key, Judge Clapp insisted that he could
not properly be regarded as representative
southern man; and as he accepted office Of
his own volition, his appointment to place
| in Mr.. Hayes cabinet furnished no special
ground for gratitude or graduation on the
| part of the south. IGe number of the APPEAL
referred to shows that Judge Clapp endeav-
ored to offer the following resolutions as q
substitute for those introduced by the COM
mittee:
"Resolped, That while we believe that Sam
uel J. Tilden was fairly elected President oil
the United States, and is justly entitled to the
seat now occupied by Rutherford B. Hayes
and while the manner in which the defeat oil
| the one and the success of the other was &C
complished deserves and receives our severest
condemnation, yet, as southern men, and as
citizens anxious to allay sectional prejudice
| and to promote the welfare OF the whole
country, we deprecate and dlsapprove
of any tactious opposition to the incoming
| executive, and avow it to be our sincere desire
| that his administration shall have a fair trial
upon its merits; but, at the same time, we
deem it premature and improper to commit
ourselves by any Endorsement of his admins
tration IN advance, and should hold ourselves
Tree to censure or approve. as to US may seem
Just and proper.
"ReSolred, That we regard it as favorable
omen that, III organizing his cabinet, Mr.
Hayes has, for the most part selected men
of capacity, and who are not specially OBJ
noxious on account of their antecedentsi and,
| while we attach no special significance, II
either sectional or political aspect, to the
selection of Hon. d. Nj. Keys for the posi-
ton of postmaster general, personally we
regard HIM as a man of intes rity and capable
of dischareing the duties of the office credi'
tably to himself and satisfactorily to the
country"
There is certainty nothing in the proceed
ings of this meeting that Judge Clapp o.
those who acted with him have cause tc
regret, and, so far from indicating proscrlP,
tive and intolerant spirit, the resolutions will
by every candid reader be regarded as
eminently conservative, and, In some repects'
as prophetic of subsequent events.
| MORE ANON.