The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-09-08
A Great Day for Hancock and
English
OVATION TO GENERAL wALTHALL
ELOQUENT SPEECHES FROM wALrHALlL'
BARRY AND PRICE
w.rnu.1L M1ss.. AUG. 30. lssO.

WALrHAIL. Mss, Aug ~, 1851
DrR CLARION: In compliance with your
request, 1 will give you shortaccount OF the
Grand rally of the unterrifed at this place on
the 18th inst.
II was. in many respects, glorious day ana
will long be remembered. The iaet 'nA'
besides Hon H. d. Money, Col Fred Dairy
and Judge VIM Price, Gen. E. Z. Walthalp
who is especially loved by our people had
promised 10 be present, made the occasion one
of unusual interest, and swelled the crowd 10
about 1900 of both sexes. We do not WISH 10
| be understood as Understanding the ValuA-
BILE services of the other distinguished gentle
men who honore1 us with their presence; the
appointment was made more especially 1or
Gen Walthall, was his first visit to our town.
and there was for these reasons a perfect
ovation to him. He was greeted on has ARRIVAL
on the evening of the 9th with the booming
of cannon and early next morning, enthu'l-
astic crowds poured in from every direction,
eager to hear the man whom they dellghted TO
honor, and whose plume like that OF Navarro
had guided many of them where none but the
bravest of the brave and the truest of the true
dared to GO
And here l wish to tell you of scene that l
wish could have been witnessed by every
Northern man, and especially every hater oil
the South who has lingering doubt as to the
devotion of "Confederates" to the union.
Just before the speaking commenced, about
thirty of the famous old 10Th Mississippi Reg
iment at one time Commanded by zen Mal-
thall, without any previous arrangements,
collected themselves together, had badges
printed 10Th Mississippi Regiment" fasten-
ed them on the lapels of their coats with Han
cock and English badges, and marched in a
platoon down to the residence of the friend
with whom the General was staying and es-
corted him to the speakers stand.
This demonstration was intended to have
no other significance than an expression o.
the deep affection these big hearted, brave
men had for their big hearted brave COM
mander; but in the sequel there was an inn
portant political significance to which we
would direct special attention.
During his speech Gen Walthall delivered
glowing eulogy on the character of General
Hancock the brave defender of the union,
the hero of Gettysburg, who after victory
had perched upon his banner, and the Con-
federate forces had bsen ovetpOwered
aud crushed, held out the olive branch of
pAlee and reconciliation to the desolate
!outh and proclaimed that the great princi-
pies of American liberty were the lawful in
heritance of these people, and ever should be,
chat the over, AMI though lie came
with the seeptre of absolute military power
ais mission was of peace, to protect them
in their rights of person and property, and to
sustain rather than overturn the civil authori- |
ties. He then referred to the nomination, al |
most by acclamatioI, Of Hancock, at Cincin |
natl, in preference TO such able statesmen as /
Bayard, Thurman, Field, and Hendricks, be- !
cause being one of the most conspicuous and t
able leaders of the UnioS army When the /
war was over, his utterances and record made !
him the most conspicuous advocates of recon |
ciliatiOn and complete restoration of peace
and union. That though he would, perhaps, |
have been defeated in 1858 or 1872, had he I
been non, mated when his name was presented
to Democratic National Conventions as the |
candidate of reconstruction because the bit |
terness engendered by the had not then !
passed away. Yet now the era of reconcilia. |
ton had come. The great mass of the people, /
North and South, were yearning for it. That
this had secured the nomination IF hancock /
at Cincinnati That no politician or set of I
politicians had anything to do with it. That
1t was the result of a great popular upheavaI I
That around Hancocks banner the North and |
South would rally together and make one /
grand civic fight for the Union and peGce in k
the Union, which would result in his trium- /
plant election. That the dFsire of the people !
for completa restoration was sEronTs- man
party ties, and thousands of p--nuhlicans in
the North had absolveh me connection with |
this party 81 nate and sectional strife, and
working for the election of the great soldier |
and statesman.
During this part of Gen Walthall's speech |
of which | have attempted to give fai MT idea |
from memory, | noticed many of those old |
members of the 10Th, so full of emotion that
thAu had nor IF NV thaT liztau 10 hal
grand description OF the character of the mag
unanimous Hancock, and the bright picture of
peace and perfect reconciliation between the
North and South which his election will ensure |
And | thought surely there was no brave
man who had worn the blue, though he had
heard the rebel yell of the old 18th on every
battlefield from Fishing Greek to Franklin |
could have witnessed this scene and hesitated |
to shake the hands of these old Veterans with |
perfect confidence that the war was over with I
a real pride in the valor of Southern manhood, |
and real joy at the prospect of genuine |
reunion and reconciliation in the election of |
Hancock.
We regret that are not able to give full
report of Gen. W. lthalPs speech, it was
certainly one of the best efforts of his life !
For nearly two hours he held the vast audience |
spellbound.
He was followed by Col. Barry, and though
did not have the good fortune to hear but I
little of his speech, | was told he sustain I'd his
reputation of being of Mississippi finest
orators, and most effective canvassers
lie Is doing yeomAn service Tor the DemOc- /
racy all over the State, and is the right man n
the right place.
Judge VIM. Price. the talented elector for
this District concluded the days work by an |
excellent and effective speech although he /
spoke under very unfavorable circumstances
the audience having been held together near
y four hours.
Altogether the days work was a big boom
lor Hancock and English, and you may set
down Sumner county as all right in Novem