The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-06
An Eloquent Passage.

speech by General A. Sheridan, Of Lon.
isiana, recently delivered before Repub.
lican mass meeting in Ohio. Speaking Of
the Southern question and the duty OF
the North to secure the entire freedom Of
ballot and speech in the South, he said:
A Republican vote In the hands OF a
black man In the election OF 1878 In Mis-.
sissippi, was simply death warrant, en-.
titling thelordly "bulldozer" OF that State
10 shootits holder on sight. Now my fel.
low.citizens you may say that all / am
talking about does not concern you. 1t IL
occurring In remote States. You are mis-.
taken. 1t does concern you. This Gov.
eminent Is to-day in the hands Of the
South, absolutely controlled by that sec
ton. Think Of It! The men who fifteen
years ago with bowed heads and folded
banners surrendered to Grant under
the trees Of Appomattox are to-day in.
terpreting the Constitution to the loyal
armies to whose resistless valor their le.
gionS bowed their battle plumes in homage
! do not object to Confederate Briga.
diers" holding seats In the House and
Senate Of the United States, provided only
and always they hold their seats by viz.
tue OF tuir, honest, impartial election. But
| do object to any man holding q seat in
Congress, clothed with power To legisIate
for me, whose certificate Of election Is
written in the blood OF innocent men
men whose only crime was that they dared
70 assert their manhood. But fol the fact
that Republicans could not vote In many
sections Of the South in 1878, the Demo-
cratic party would not be in power to-day
in either house Of Congress- The Demo.
cratic party is in power to-day only be.
cause violence, murder and fraud
have destroyed liberty OF opinion and
made fair election impossible in broad
section Of the South. To the Republican
party in the North the black and white Re.
publican voter in the South is looking for
relief and protection. The North must
settle this question. You cannot avoid It
il you would. The cry that comes up to
you from the South is that you right
wrong. Justice demands In trumpet tones
of you that you grid up your lOins and
meet the issue made by the Democratic
party. YOU can not compromise with
wrong. Justice will have It's full and per-
feet work. Justice Is Of God, and, like
Him, it is eternal; its eye is never closed
in slumber, its forehead knows not the
shadow OF WEAKNESS; ut its, command are
weapons fashioned and tempered
in the armories OF the Eter-
nal. The right may go down, woe,
sorrow, devastation may be spread ali
over the land, but at last Justice, with
flaming sword, will march over all its
enemies; the majesty of Gods great laws
will be vindicated the right will triumph
and the wrong will PERISH, OF all the
Nations OF the earth, we ought TO be the
last to seek TO compromise with wrong.
We tried for nearly3a hundred years 10
compromise Eithkthe crime OF human
slavery upon this continent. Incur hearts
We knew its iHtarny. Our consciences re-
fused to bow, 10 the accused wrong, vet in
spite OF heart and conscience we soughtsto
upholdand sustain, strengthen and protect
It. At the demands OF It's advocates we
struck the brightest jewel from the Decla-
ration OF Independence; we allowed the
importation OF slaves till 1908; we
passed the Missouri compromise; we
enacted the Fugitive Slave Law; We
placed the Courts, the har, the press, the
pulpit and the social life Of this great Ma
ton at the feet Of the slave power; we
outraged truth; we scorned Justice; We
exulted In our infauy; We defed God,
aud set at naught the reason and instinct
with which He has crowned US. The cry
of Gods poor fell unheeded upon our
ears. until at last all over this land the
cloud OF Gods displeasure gathered, and
out from its awful bosom the boiling light
ming OF His wrath fell, crushing and de-
sstroying. Near half million graves, lift
ing themselves to the quiet skies to-day
bear silent but mighty witness to US Of the
awful punishment Just God sends upon
those who forget the right in blind devo-
ton 10 the wrong. See TO It, men
OF Ohio, that this great question OF
right and justice Is not set aside.
upon any plea Of expediency. Do the
right thing, and do 1t now. Say by your
votes Of October next that there must be
tree speech and an untrammeled ballot
all over this land. 1t Is the duty OF the
North to see to it that all the citizens Of
this great country enjoy equal rights. II
the laws Of Louisiana, South Carolina,
Mississippi, Georgia and Florida are pow
erless 10 secure free ballot for their citi.
Gems, and powerless to punish the men
who murder their political opponents, We
will invoke the majesty Of this great
Nation; we will bid 1t tear from the
limp and nerveless hands OF these
States the criminals who defy
their power and deride their laws,
and with an iron hand mete out to them
the punishment their crime deserves.
II the flag Of the States Is powerless to
protect the humblest citizen, then to that
flag, within whose swelling folds the ban.
ners Of all the States are gathered, We will
look for help. II the sovereign State can.
not do justice to its citizens, then we will
appeal 10 the sovereign Of sovereigns upon
this continent, THE NATION.