Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-04-05
GEN. SHIELDS GRAND RECEPTION
AT THE STATE CAPITAL.

GEN. SHIELDS GRAND RECEPTION
AT THE STATE CAPITAL.
Gen. Shields was rendered a grand re-
ception at Jefferson City on his return
from Washington. He was met at the
depot by an immense throng of people,
including both houses of the legislature,
who greeted his appearance with loud
and long continued applause. AS he
stepped from the train, and was met by
first one and then another familiar face.
his warrior like countenance kindled
with delight.
He was assisted to his carriage by the
committee appointed to receive him, and
the procession: headed by band OF
music. proceeded to the capitol. He was
introduced to the audience by DR.. G. B.
Winston in short but eloquent speech,
At the close OF DIR. Winston's remarks,
Gen. Shields delivered the following
speech:
Gentlemen OF the legislature, fellow
citizens and old comrades: l return
again my heartfelt thanks for your kind.
generous and enthusiastic reception. 1t
does my heart good to find myself once
more amongst kind-hearted friends, who
have always stood by me, both in war
and in peace. made strenuous effort
while in the senate to have tardy justice
done to my old comrades, the Mexican
veterans. Unfortunately, the effort prov
ed unsvailing tor the time being; but it
had the effect OF ca ling the attention of
ing to the public mind the magnitude of
| hu fhok 11
army. In my opinion, the present con-
gress will be sure to complete what the
last congress had only an opportunity to
| commence.
My term of service in the senate was
very briet, but still it was long enough
to give me time and opportunity to scan
the present political horizon. / observ-
ed with some anxiety that there is one
dark cloud visible in that region. The
cloud refer to is not only dark, but is
charged with some elements of future
danger to this republic. 80.
The danger is found in sectional pre-
Judice, sectional antipathy and sectional
animosity, and my great fear is that time
| will harden these feelings into deep
seated sectional hostility. My reasons
for this apprehension are these: Twen-
ty years ago, In the year 1859. 1 sat in
the senate of the United States repre-
senting in part, at that time, the young
and prospecting state OF Minnesota. The
all absorbing question of that day was
sectional question, the question OF sla-
| very. This question was then called
the "irrepressible conflict" That ques-
tion lntlamed political passions, obstruct-
ed general legislation, and contributed
to paralyze the energies of the govern
ment. All the evils of that conflict
were charged upon slavery at that time,
and philanthropists declared that if sla-
very were once abolished, all conflict
| between the north and south would ter
inmate forever, Well, after lapse OF
twenty years l entered the senate once
moro. l sat in that body again, repre-
senting in part, at this time, the great
and growing state of Missouri. A won
deriul change had passed over the whole
land in the meantime. | found the SEN
ate changed, the capitol changed, in
fact the whole cou ntry changed, and
that slavery, as an evil had ceased to
exist. But there was one thing that
change had left untouched the irrepres-
sible conflict confronted me still; the
sectional contest between the north
and south was as fierce as ever. l asked
myself then, i'll the senate at Washing
ton, and | ask myself now in this capi.
tol at Jefferson City: Is this unnatural,
un-national and un-American conflict to
90 on forever? Will it never come to
an end? VIII the American people
never be permitted TO live together in
peace and harmony? The American
people as whole, are deeply injured
by this conflict. To them it is produce
tive OF nothing but unmtigated evil.
No people on earth are better fitted by
nature to live together in amity. They
are children OF the same soil, citizens of
the same republic, and heirs of the
same destiny, and. in spite OF their
divisions and dissensiens, and even in
spite OF themselves, they Will have to
submit to the same destiny so long as a
republican government lasts in America.
There are not two destlnies' marked out
by fortune tor this people, one for the
north and another for the south. The
north and south must 60 up together or
down together. Providence has bound
them together by chains forged by ma
ture, which are as hard as adamanL and
as strong as iron. If in an excess of
madness. this people ever break these
chains, they will go down together.
North and south, east and west will all
sink down togethe.' to the dead level OF
the other unfortunate republics of this
continent. But there are political lead
ers who tell US that one OF the causes of
this sectional struggle is .'solid south.n
1t ought not to be forgotten, however.
that the south has been compelled bv
rcumstances to become solid, in self
defense; that the southern people con-
sidered 1t their duty to unite to save
themselves and their families from what
they regarded as moral. social and po-
litical degradation. Then there are
statesmen, and able statesmen, too, who
look upon the solid south as something
honorableiat this time to American char
acter. They think 1t demonstrates to
the world that the grand old American
spirit still lives amongst the American
people. They say that the spirit OF 177G,
which united the colonies into a sulid
America against the threatened Injustice
of England, is the spirit of 1879 which
unltes the southern states into a solid
south against threatened injustice from
any quarter. SO long as this spirit lives
amongst our people. SO long will we be
able to present a solid America against
all enemies, and a solid America, if true
to itself, will be always able to bid de-
iiance to the combined powers OF Il hos
tile world. But to my notion, southern
human nature is the same in all respects
as northern human nature. Insult and
injury produce alienation and discop.
tent, while Kindness and confidence in.
sure Cancellation and good will. Would