The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-09-22
rHE CANvAsss
Extracts from the Speech OF Col. VIM.
HANDY, Delivered to the Hancock
and English Club at Canton.
WORDS OF WISDOM AND OF ELoQuENoE.


i ~--->
WORDS OF WISDOM AND OF ELoQUENCF
Canton Citizen
am here tonight to respond to an inv
tation extended by the Hancock and Eng
lisa Central Club of this city to my worth
| veteran friend Judge Downs and myself t
| address YOU / regret that some one NOR
able aud competent to discharge this de
| lightfnl duty than myself had not BEEF
chosen. While express this regret in al
sincerity, | desire it to be distinctly under
stood that when my turn comes, | am al
ways ready and willing to answer at rol
| call
| 1t will not be possible for me to presen
| any new or instructive narration of politi
cal events, but bespeaking your kind indul
gence, will attempt to entertain you for
short time to the best of my ability.
[ congratulate you, fellow-citizens, thai
our political horizon is so suspicious anC
bright, that sentinel guards are stationed
no longer within the limits of our loved
Southland, and above all | congratulate you
that the Ides of November are rapidly
approaching, when we trust to elevate to
the position of Chief Magistracy of the
Republic, Winfield Scott Hancock, and with
this happy contamination will dawn the
millennium of political peace, prosperity
and plenty 1t would be work of super
erogation should | attempt, in the brief
time allotted me tonight, an elaborate
discussion of the merits of this momentous
canvass.
The exalted position which has been held
for nearly four long years by his Fraudu-
lency Rutherford B. Hayes, will soon be
vacated. 1t is notorious that he has held
this position in violation of every principle
known to the Constitution, and the stolen
goods delivered to him will long be remem-
bered by the honest and intelligent masses
of this country.
The important question then to be settled
is who will we elect? Who shall fill the seat
honored by Washington, Adams Jefferson
and jackson Who will the people have to
fill the White House, lately dishOnored and
despoiled by Radicalism and Fraud The
soil and climate of Ohio are highly adapted
to the growth and development of Stalwart
Radicalism, but | venture to assert that to
produce two Presidential impostors in ro-
tation, would exhaust her ability to grow
another President for generations, if not
forever. Who then is James A. Garfield
What are hi- claims to this high office he
seeks? What are the. motives and aims of
the party who urge his election?
[ shall only attempt a partial arraign-
ment of this distinguished and pious ex-
ponent of the "God and morality party"
this saint who discourses from Sabbath to
Sabbath the sublime doctrines of the Trini-
ty-the immaculate conception, future re-
wards and punishments, etc, but if the
record assigned him by his own political
associates and colleagues be true, he not
only has not the fear of the Lord before his
eyes, but is a convicted reprobate and
trangressor of the laws of God and man, and
to use an appropriate biblical phrase, he is
politically and morally Sin the very gall
of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity."
Here follows a caustic review of Gar
fields Credit Mobilier and De Golyer
After which the speaker
proceeds;
l trust, fellow>ctizens, that | have now
proven to your satisfaction that Mr.. Gar
field is in no wise worthy of your confidence
and support On the first count | have in
reduced his prominent political associates,
who allege him guilty Of perjury in the
Credit Mobiler transaction. In the second
count, have endeavored to show by incon-
testable proof, that he has been guilty of
bribery. Time will not be allotted me to
investigate and expose further, the charac
ter of James A. Garfield as he appears in
the great Electoral Commission fraud, and
his double dealing respecting the Marshal's
Ill1l. EICSG AIcsG1Snst4 u uSt3 Will DS properly
handled by my able and worthy colleague,
Judge Downs. | shall only allqde briefly
to one other public act of this Boosting
demagogue and hypocrite, and dismiss him
from this discussion. In 1866, Gen. Gar
field advocated bill in the Congress of the
United States, favoring the perpetual dis
from holding National Office,
of all who had participated in any manner,
shape or form in the so called rebellion
/ II
that he would go 50 far as to say, that he
was prepared not only to vote to disfran-
chise the entire South from holding Office
but also to exclude them perpetuallY fLom
the right of elective franchise. | have his
speech. IL is full Of denuncation and bit
terness, and demanding the harsheet meas
ures, when the South was crushed and
accepted the terms of the
surrender in good faith, and was struggling
not only to abide the result. humiliating as
1t was, but to look hopefully to the future
for help in her PROSTATE and ruined condi-
tion,
Turning to the Democratic candidate,
Col. Handy said:
rejoice, fellow-citizens, to turn from this
direful picture. and invite you to behold
a character that viii challenge your admi>
ration and respect-a man that is loved and
revered wherever civil and religious liberty
is enjoyed. The distinguished natriot s.d
soluIer, the pure, upright statesman and
standard-bearer, Winfield Scott Hancock.
While ] i'm Garneld was plotting the over
throw and ruin of constitutional govern
ment, and urging Congress to adopt meas
ures to secure the political bondage of
the South, her fair women and brave
men, Gen. Hancock was penning his cele-
Order, No. 40. AS Military Governor
in the year 1866, of the States of Louis
lana and Texas, with unlimited control
over the liberty, lives, property and po-
litical fortunes of these people, what did he
do In this celebrated order he proclaimed
that the civil authorities should assume
their legitimate and constitutional func
tions; that the right of trial by jury, the
liberty of the press, the freedom of speech,
and the inalienable rights of persons, must
be preserved. The order was tue occasion
oflIis removal. Who was his successor? An
little brainless General, styled
Leutenant-GeneralP Philip Sheridan. What
was the first act performed by this military
hero? He proposed to carry on the war in
times of profound peace. He sent dispatch
on his arrival at his military posi-, to the
War Department, in these memorable words,
81 am not afraid" His courage was never
suspected until ne penned this dispatch.
WHAT didhe do next He advised the au-
thorities at Washington to declare Martial
Law, suspend. the writ of H1beds Corpus,
that he would organize his drum-head court
martial, and hang the prominent rebels of
louisiana as outlaws and banditti. Is it
any wonder that this Insignificant specimen
of the genus homo, brave in peace, and
wsging relentless persecution with fire and
sword upon defenseless women aud children
in time of war, should be Ioathed and con-
tenned by the American people
What sentiment had Gen. Hancock just
uttered listen: "We are in a state of pro-
found peace-henceforth let it be our pur-
pose to cultivate sentiments of friendship,
and not of luminosity, among our fellow
citizens" Hear him again: "All classes
of our people must share alike in the bless
inss of the Union, and are equally concern
edin its perpetuity, and the proper admin
;siration of Dublir affairs Hear him