The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-14
Judge Thurman Defends the South
Against Sherman's Attacks.

dlthOugn frequently lutcituptOu ~
coughing, and after apologizing Tor
! writing his speech, read from printed
copy, frequently stopping to add an
| extemporaneous remark. be ewas listened
to with the greatest attention.
Judge Thurman, on being introduced,
began his speech py reference to the
Mount Gilead speech OF Senator Sner-
man, at the opening Of the campaign,
which he said was an indictment OF the
South and a revival of the charges OF
crime and outrage made in years gone
by. He quoted the words of Garfield
in opposition TO the revival of sectional
hatred, and said that the last presidential
campaign was opened by the Republcan
candidate on the tariff as the chlel
issue, but before the campaign closed
this was dropped and the bloody snirt
raised as the banner of certain Repupll-
can victory, but when the votes were
counted the banner was found traiilng
in the dust.
Particular stress was laid upon the
sentiments of Grant that the passions OF
the war were at an end. Amazement
was expressed that a man speaking over
his tomb should be so audaclous as TO
say there is no reconciliation; that the
rebellion is not at an end; that the only
effective way TO suppress 1t IS again 10
send the boys in blue TO the South.
Quoting from Senator Sherman's
speech, the speaker in replying thereto,
said:
"Now, it is impossible, as it seems to
me, to misunderstood these utterances.
They are either vain and empty decla-
nation or
DISGUSTING BRAvADo
such as no man of the ability Of Senator
Sherman or in his high station could
indulge in without disgrace, or they are
his real sentiments, anu mean when
thoroughly analyzed, that if the Repub-
lcan party cannot obtain power in any
other way, it shall obtain and hold it
with the sword. / know that such an
idea, if you do not reflect upon it, is
calculated to excite your derlsion; but
stop and reflect: If the great State OF
Ohio can be carried by such appeals to
passion and prejudice as Sherman Is
making; if his weapons shall be sufficient
to thrust from office the men whom two
years ago you elec5ed; if they shall
hew the way to a fifth term in the
Senate for their author, they will become
the creed of the Republican party in
1888, and the doctrine of hate will be
strongly, if not permanently established
in the land"
Judge Thurman said the issue raised
by Mr. Sherman is a dangerous one to
the business and the prosperity OF the
American people, and the effort to blow
into flame the dying embers OF civil
strife should be frowned down by all
loyal people.
The speaker next proceeded to answer
| the arguments of MIR. Sherman concern
ing the grievous condition of the colored
race in the Sodth claiming that they
were now in the enjoyment of greater
prosperity and civil rights than were
ever enjoyed on this globe by an equal
number of their race. He dated the
prosperity of that section in 1873, when
! the Democrats came into control and
Radical rule and carpet-bag government
ceased. At the end Of ten years 1T can
be safely affirmed that there is not
an industry in the South but is more
prosperous than it ever was in that
region before, until now they have in
many lines of manufacture become the
rivals of the mills of the Eastern States.
The speaker sketched briefly the
numerous enterprises and developments
of the South, the free schools for colored
youth. the contentment which exists
among the colored people, and the fact
that they have not migrated to any OF
the old free States-all this was argued
to prove that they were not discontented,
murdered and deprived of their rights
as depicted by Sherman and other he
publican orators The colored men
seemed to prefer living with the white
meu of the South, even though they be
Democrats; to dwelling ia the tents OF
the Radicals, even though they be saints
1t was argued that all these things could
not be so if the negroes of the South
were in the state of wretchedness which
, has been so often asserted.
. Judge Thurman here quoted at length
from the tenth census of 1880 statistics
. in proof of the assertions which he hac
made. The principal point being thai
the colored people are in the majority II
but two of the Southern States-Soutl
Carolina and Mississippi-he confined
his argument to the census of those tive
! States. The object in those figures wa
apparently to show the depression in al
, values in the period covered by Republi
, can rule and the advance of all materia
? interests under Democratic government
+ After disposing of wilderness of figure
in regard to the condition of Soutl
Carolina, the speaker summed up b.
saying:
I'm short, everything that feeds o
y clothes the negro in that State is within
his reach to degree chat he never knew
) before. Now, once more put it to you
Could this be the case if South Carolin
;. il in the lawless condition that tn
: | Radical speakers represent itY No, M
: fellow citizens This continued strean
;, of prosperity under Democratic rul
: proves that it is benefcent, and tn
! auiet that prevails in the State prove
: that the people of all classes there ar
: contented under their government.
: Judge Thurman denied the assumI
: ton Of Senator Sherman that all colore
= voters in tie South are Republicans an
: would vote that ticket if not terrorizeC
n He said:
= eff it were true it would be seriou
: question as to whether people s
1s seryile and cowardly are fit to exercis
: the elective franchise. But for one,
do not believe that they are so utterl
= debased. | believe that having goo
reason for not voting the Republics
= ticket they abstain from doing so
= GREAT numbers or vote the Democrat
= ticket. [ know very well that und
= the manipulation of Freedman's Bures
~ AGENTS. soon after the war, the colort
=, people of the South were to gre
- extent drawn into Republican so-calls
ie union leagues and were taught to belle
10 = that it the Democratic party succeeds
" they would be once more reduced
y slavery. l do not deny that gre
= effect was produced upon their minds
~ these false pretences, but we have go'
!. us reason to believe that year by year the
false impressions have grown weaker al
:, weaker, and that they have, to gre
7: degree. learned the truth
W. The speaker here quoted at leng
~ from letter printed IN the Cinclnn'
ne Enquirer of Sept. 81, from K. w Dav
ss ,ss of Columbia, S. c., which gave
~ BRIEF HISTORY OF THE csRPRT-B
ut GOVERNMENT
for af that State. He hoped that eve
AZ one in the audience would read
yh. letter in full
Zee Judge Thurman then turned his att
ne ton to Mississippi, and read from
nd American Encyclopedias for 1870
10 proceedings of the taxpayers cow
~ lion of that State, held at jackson
an January 4, 1875, when it was shown &
the the last levy, which in 1869 was
noe cents ON 800 Of the assessed value
ia. waa four times as great In lt