Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-06-29
SPEECH OF HON. ,. Il. CHAL-
MERS.
On the Texas Pacific Railroad, in
Reply to Mr. Herbert, OF Ala
bumn.

On the Texas Pacific RniIroad. in
Reply TO Mr. Herbert. of Ala
bama.
The following brief utterance Is
not from Gen. Chalmers main
speech upon the Texas Pacific bill,
but is a reply TO Mr.. Herbert, Of
Alabama, who objected to that part
of the main speech which pointedly
intimated that, if northern and
southern Democrats are to act to-
gether, it must be made apparent
that they have interests in common,
and that the cordial understanding
between the two sections Of the
party cannot continue TO subsist If
everything which substantially in
terests the Sbuth throws northern
Democrats into a coalition with the
Republican party TO defeat Il. This,
in fact, is "A matter which vitality
affects the welfare, nay, the very
existence Of the Democratic party,
and, though it may be considered
imprudent to give il publicity at
the present, we believe that the
truth is always the best thing to
speak. The truth is one that can
not be too plainly stated that the
South will not long act with men
who treat her as n public enemy as
she advances "A claim to some Of the
benefits arising from therevenues to
which she so largely contributes;
Mr.. Speaker, on yesterday, while
! was absent attending to duties In
one of the Departments, the gentle
man from Alabama Mr.. Herbert
saw fit TO administer something of a
rebuke to me for my speech on the
Texas Pacific Railway. He inti-
mated that did not represent the
sentiment of the South, and that he
was their true representative. Sir,
/ believe / am somewhat Older than
that gentleman, and have therefore
had more time TO study the chamc-
ter and sentiment of our people.
And If we are TO Judge from the pO-
sitions of honor and trust, civil and
that we have filled In the
past, / can claim TO possess at least
as much of the confidence and trust
of the southern people as the gentle
man from Alabama, and Co have as
much right to speak their senti-
ments as he. ! hope may be per-
mitted without egOtism to say that
the portion of my speech which he
assails has been republished and in
dorsed by the press Of the South,
from Virginia to Texas. will say,
further, that | have received private
letters of Endorsement from all parts
of the South, and some of the warm
est have been from the gentleman's
own district in Alabama. If he
seeks national fame at the expense
Of our section, let him answer that
to his own constituents. Time will
tell which of us has represented best
the interests and the sentiments Of
our people.
i have loved the Democratic party
from my youth up, and what ] said
to northern Democrats was more I'm
sorrow than i'm anger; but, sir, !
believed what | said, and i usually
say what / believe.
When a southern man remembers
the gross inequality OF Government
aid in the past and when he sees
that inequality about TO be re-enact-
ad when he sees a reduction Of the
tariff struck down i'm a Democratic
House; when ne sees a Democratic
Senator from New York opposing
subsidy to a Brazilian steamship
inc for New Orleans after millions
nave been expended for New York;
when he sees the Northern Pacific
Dill, granting a subsidy in lands
equal to fifty millions In money,
passed by northern Democratic
without dissenting voice,
while they refuse to fix a time To
consider the Texas Pacific; and
when he sees Democrats in this
House opposing the Texas Pacific
md yet ready to vote q subsidy 10
he Northern Pacific, he begins to
lsk himself why he has suffered 80
ong and endured so much for the
party.
1t Is true that northern Democrats
nave suffered many things for US,
md honor them for II but, sir,
ye have endured tcnfold more for
hem.
There never was u day nor an
lour when all Of our prosecutions
would not instantly have ceased, IL
We had joined the Republican party.
But we loved the namc, we loved
he hallowed associations, we loved
he ancient glory Of the Democratic
larty, and we have endured for IL
)ains, penalties and privatiOns as
yreat as those which Paul suffered
or the Christian religion.
We resisted every temptation and
lung to the northern Demucmcy.
they have indeed helped Us, but we
nave helped them as much. We
lifted them up from being a despised
into a majority in this
House and i'm the Union. And i
warned them i'm my Texas Pacific
peech and now / warn them again
lot to drive us from them by refus-
ng TO do Justice to our section. We
owe the party, but we cannot afford
o be starved TO death by II. We
owe the Constitution, but we cannot
lfIOrd To see il made "A golden girdle
o support the North and n hang
mans rope 10 choke the South.
Death OF the Oldest Mason in the
south.