Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-09-30


the real beneiiciaIies of the claims paid by |
Congress in the past ten years of the class
styled "Southern Claims p and. in almost |
every instance the great part of the money |
flowed into the pockets of Northern and very |
loyal asslgnees who had bought up these |
claims for II song feom their impecuuious
Southern owners, and then employing distin- |
guiHhed counsel at the North, the whole |
claim became suddenly clothed in the uniform
Of loyalty and patriotic duty. and no odor of
Its southern and dangerous origin could be
perceived.
At the great gathering of Republican
ladies and gentlemen at the Academy last |
week there were lawyers, bankers, and states |
men who had more money III their pockets
from "SOuthern Claims. allowed by liepub- |
lican commissioners and Republican courts,
than tue poor South ever received since the
war, OF ever will receive from now until the
day of Judgment.
The checks of many of those wealthy and
distinguished citizens must have tingled with
shame when they heard the Democratic party
assaied for paying "Southen claims and
they knew how large portion had gone into
their own pockets
No, gentlemen; it Is trifling with your in
tolligencc in the face of the history of the
times, and the plain prohibitions of the Con-
stitution to tell You the Treasury is in danger
from Southern claims growing out of the war
Just now it suits the radical press and orators
to seek to fix the stigma Of reputation on
tho Southern States and people, and in tho |
same breath they would have you believe that
they propose to pay every claim, private and
public, in full
And now standing hero in that
commercial centre, which is the gate
way of two-thirds of the imported merchan-
dlHe of the Union, community whose tibrcs
of intelligence, enterprise energy and intlu-
reaching from ocean to ocean, and from gulf
TO lakes the roots of whose prosperity strike
deep in the soil of every state of the Union,
and receive nourishment and aid from the
labor and industry of every section, how shall
address you?
Your energies arc vast; your influence is
justly great, and the man or the party who
would dwarf your sympathies or your corsid
erations to u section only of this grand
country, or bid you select for your confidence
and friendship only certain members of ON
great family of states and view others with
suspicion, distrUist and hatred il certainly
unworthy your support and holds your intel
ligonce but cheaply.
The heart of this city is too big for jealous
les and local animOsities. and the liberality
New York has ever exhibited to victims of
political tyranny; to those vino are cxilcs for
opinions sake; the true spirit Of civil and
religious liberty which has made her the
home Of patriots from every cline and
country, to-day survives, and will wisely reject
and rGbul,o the narr0wncss of spirit that seeks
To prescribe men for their place of birth, their
religious creed, or the locality of their citizcn-
ship.
And 80, tonight, as citizen of the United
States, speak in the cause OF onr common
and in the spirit of harmony and
equal Justice among all the states which form
the great Union. From the policy of aiena-
ton and distrllst of our fellow countrymcu of
the Southern States appeal, and against it |
solcmnly protest, and address You tonight, in
the name of concord and peaceful cooperation
among American citizens everywhere for tho
advancement and prosperity of every portion
of our great Rcpublic.
Believing that it is always easier to be vio-
lent than just and that il the flames of passion
can only be kindlcd, argument and reason are
quickly consumed. ii seems to have been de
dcclded by the Republican mana
gers that n revival of the passions of the war.
and the stimulation of sectional antagonsms,
form to-day their best chance for inducing
the American people to continue public power
in their hands.
Such II proposition is 'abhorrent to every
humane sentiment, aud it will prove as dclu-
sivc and untrue NJ it is morally wicked.
They raise the cry Of the solid South, and
declare it must bn antagUnized by solid
North. hut il the South be solid, for those
things the North needs, and desires. then all
reason for antagOnism is gone. and the solid
ity of both sections for the same end and pur-
pose is surely demanded.
What does the South, as a section, seek to
do which the North should fcar2 Docs the
execution of any scheme of government or
policy now proposed by the Southern people,
or by the political party which controls them,
forhodG disaster to the citizens of the North
or to the Government of the United States?
II ii does, then am opposed to it and them
and will vote and act in opposition.
If / believed the success of the Democratic
party imperilled National honor or interests or
involved injustice to any member of the
Union, then should cease to be Democrat
But convinced AZ am that the unity of our
people il essential to our strength and safety,
and that Justice and good will among our
people are the true cUrnur-stones in the
temple of our liberty, | propose to lay the
foundations broad and wide and deep in the
hearts of or countrymon, and to assist no
party organization which which il tainted
with sectionalsm.
Our system of government il based on
voluntary support by the citizen. From
within his breast springs the fountain of duty
and affection which flows down to join the
mighty river of popular sentiment and
patriotic devotion which is to ill the land
with prosperity and build up its true strength
The inextingnishablG hatred of sectional
party makes all this impossible.
The Southern states are solid for local self
government i'll each state, uninterfered with
by eXtraneous power This is what each
Northern state insists upon under the Cunstl
tuition, and actually enjoys.
They are solid in asking that the tasks Of
government in all its higher positions shall
not he committed to the hands of Ignorance
and weakness. but to individuals rendered
Rpmpntnpt lac aIupnfinn and itinI l,trt
qualities to perform the functions. The
North seeks to do this, and votes down incom-
poteiIce and Ignorance whenever it can.
The South is solid in seeking advancement
in all that tends to its material prosperity, and
through its representatives in Congress
strives to obtain adequate appropriations
for light houses on its COASTS, post Offices and
custom and court houses for the transaction
of its commerce and business. All these ap-
preparations are under Federal control and
for Federal purposes. And Northern repre-
sentntiyCs are just ~ nrtiyc and eager for
similar appropriations for their localities.
The South II solid in responding to friendly
treatment and kindly sympathy with mutual
confidence and support, and responding to
cuntumely and Villiiicntion and injustice with
Indignation and resentment.
This is but human nature, and they would
be less than men il they Were not true to
themselves When II man feels resentment
and conccalS it, then beware of him.
The South is solid for rctrcnchmrnt reform.
economy and good government, state and
Federal. and should not the North br also
solid in these things?
The South, in the great crisis of lS7G-77
was solid in favor of tho completion of the
Electoral count under the law. and opposed
| to throwing the country into confusion and
| the hands Of II military conspiracy. Was that
solidty injurious to Northern security?
| In 1850 the South is solid in favor of the
| election to the Presidency of one of the most
distinguished captains in command Of the
armed hosts that pnt and end To all
hope of separate and independent govern
mcnt of the SouthcrnfStates. Is this II cause
of apprehonsion to the North?
| But the South Ii also solid against II pOliti
| cal party that has never ceased to hold its
| people up as rrllianS and murdcrcrs and
repudlaturs; that has sympathZed only With
those who misrulod and beggared it and
| refused to tolerate that manly Independence
which is the birth right OF American iTeemen,
and without which they would he unworthy
| of respect. The cry of u Solid South il but
an attempt to renew unpatriotic animositics
and an unworthy resort of desperate party
managers.
The south is not solid for anything the
| North need approhend, and its soidity has no
| feature and no result uhfricndly to the pros
pcrity of the entire union.
II is amazing that in community 80 wide
awake and intelligent as this, whose citizens
speed on business and pleasure all over the
land. whose correspondence and business
transactions are cocXtensive with every corner
OF the Union, it anazes me say, to see men
| and parties venture to play upon popular
credulity and supposed Ignorance in relation
to the condition OF business anu society IN TIT
Southern States.
| When | read the lurid pictures drawn bS