The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-09-19
GEORGE w. M'CRARY.
Speech of the Secretary of War at Heo-
kuk, Iowa.

| pendence Of thought and action within certain
reasonable limits, and if it did not, it could
not be the great and powerful and progressive
organization that it is Free men, free thought
| free soil, free speech, have been among it's
grandest rallying cries from the beginning, and
| to-day it's motto is, "In essentials, unity in
| non essentials, liberty in all things charity
| have 10 sympathy with the disposition mani
tested in certain quarters to sheer at the claim
that the Republican party is entitled to conf
denee and support because of the grand record
| it has made for itself and for the country in
the past freely admit that we cannot stand
upon that alone l freely admit that we can
| neither win success nor deserve it unless we are
right uron the issues of the present, but / in
sist that, with party as with d man, character
is an all-important thing. know that we as
party must not only point backward with pride,
but also forward with promise and hope. I
speak not now of particular Individuals. but l
! utter truism when say, speaking of political
organizations, that a party with a record of
patriotism and faithfulness in the past is to be
trusted now in preference to party with a
this is true, Notwithstanding the fact, of which
We are SO often reminded by our Democratic
friends, that the war is over, the Union saved
and slavery dead. It is all tt ue notwithstand-
ing the fact, if it be a fact, as I think it is.
that no considerable number Of persons, North
or South, would revive slavery, renew rebel
lion, or dissolve the Union, if they could
Nor is this the political gospel Of hate and
vindictivenesa, as claimed by our opponents
1t is perfectly consistent with the broadcast ma
tionality, and With an earnest desire to restore
harmony, good will, and lasting concord among
all the States, ali the sections and all the
races of men in this land. Gen. Grant uttered
the sentiment OF the country when he said,
" Let us have peace" and he was rightly ap-
plauded when he adopted, as one of the meas
ures for securing peace, the recognition of,
and hearty cooperation with, such of the Con-
federates as were willing to accept in good
faith the legitimate results of the war, and to
stand with him and with the Republican party
upon the principles embodied il the amend
ments to the constitution. While standing
firmly by the great principles for the establish
ment of which the war of the rebellion was
fought and won; while firmly demanding al
ways and everywhere all the fruits of our sue
cess in that struggle, sound policy requires
that we welcome to political fellowship all who
are now heartily and honestly with us upon
the great and essential principles of our politi-
cal faith. Such I believe to be the spirit of
the Republican party to-day toward the people
of the South. We desire peace, union, pros
perity and happiness for the whole country.
We know these blessings can be secured for
ourselves, and preserved for those who come
after US, only through the adoption of the
great principles for which the Republican party
stands-the principles of equal rights, equal
protection. equal justice, and al equally fair
chance in the race of life for all citizens high
and low, educated and ignorant, rich and poor.
black and white. We must, therefore, remain
unalterably hostile to every man and every
party not imbued with the spirit of these prin-
ciples. We oppose the Democratic party be-
cause, SIS an organization, it is in spirit unde-
niably hostile to them.
The Republican party desires peace through
out all our borders, but holds that peace that
is worth having and that will last must be
based upon and spring from the enforcement of
equal justice and equal protection for all. We
seek reconciliation upon this basis; we will have
it upon no other. Sooner or later it will come
upon our terms. When we armed the freed
man with the ballot we gave him weapon with
which he will, in time, learn to defend his
rights. Time will demonstrate that we made
no mistake in comforting suffrage upon the
| emancpated race. It is not in the nature of
things that million of American freemen
with ballots in their hands, can be permanently
ignored and trodden down. The Government
Of the United States, in my judgment, pos
| sesses ample power to provide for the protec-
tion of it's citizens in the enjoymentof ali rights
guaranteed by the constitution. The people
of the States can, if they will, by respecting the
rights of each other, and by enacting and en-
| forcing appropriate State laws, amply protect
| the citizens of the United States within their
| borders, and thus render it unnecessary for the
Federal Government, except in rare cases, to
intervene for that purpose. Iowa does this to
| the entire satisfaction Of everybody. But if
| any State fatals or refuses to afford such pro-
| lection, is the National Government powerless
| and the citizen defenseless? say, No! What
ever is q crime against the United States or a.
| violation of the national constitution NAV be
provided against by national law When the
States Of the South shall, of their own
accord, protect all citizens, without dis
elimination, as the States of the North do.
we may expect to see and welcome
the return of peace and fraternity: but
without this the only peace we can have
is the peace of sIavery--the peace which the
oppressed can always secure by submission.
The South is now On trial. There is surely no
excuse now, even by their own confession. for
a continuation of she process by which. prior
to March 4, 1877, all the Southern States but
three, and nearly all the Congressional dis
tricts, many of them having confessedIy large
ASOHuO1!CnAA WClO CdIIlOQ over TO The
Democratic party. When another election
comes we shall see whether, when left to them
selves, the Southern Democrats will allow a.
free ballot and guarantee fair and honest
count of the votes cast. If the process of
"bulldozing" is continued, or if the plan Of
systematic fraud be adopted in lieu of thai of
systematic outrage the whole country will m
derstand that it is because the white Demo-
Gratis Of the South do NOT intend to respect and
obey the amended constitution, and are re-
solved that they, whether in the majority or in
the minority, will rule in all that section. IF.
unhappily, this purpose should be made mani,
fest by the logic of events, you may rest as
sured that the people of this country will find
a peaceable and constitutional remedy. of
course we are bound to recognize certain con-
stitutional limitations upon the power of the
United States We know that we can. in time
of peace, exercise no strictly war powers and
it is fact which we are sometimes inclined 10
admit with regret that there are many crimes
which the United States cannot punish. II is
not long since the country looked with horror
upon the awful massacre of the Chisholm Gam
lily, in Mississippi, and the public indignation
was vastly increased because the United States
could not and Mississippi would not. punish
the guilty wretches who perpetrated it. Or
dinarily, the crime of murder is not within the
jurisdiction of the Federal courts.
TC,~4 Al u.