Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-30
SHERMAN IN VIRGINIA.
AN EXPLANATION OF HIS
BLOODY SHIRT ISSUE.


PETERSBURG, Va, Oct. 29.-SenatOr
Sherman spoke here tonight in the
academy Of music TO a crowded audience.
The stage was filed with white people
while the body OF the building and the
galleries were occupied by colored people,
the outside of the crowd being fringed
with whites. Senator Sherman was in
troduced by Gen. Malone as the foremost
statesman Of the country to whose warm
heart and love for every State in the
Union and for the whole country he
bore cordial testimony. Gen. Malone es-
teemed it a great honor to have the privi-
lege OF introducing the distinguished Sem
atOr from Ohio to a Virginia audience.
lie came here, he said, to address the
reason and not the preiudices of the
people. and he bespoke for him a cordial
greeting and respectful hearing. Senator
Sherman was cordially greeted, and ac-
corded most respectful and attentive
hearing,
sHERMAN's SPEECH.
Mr.. Sherman spoke as follows:
accepted with much din1dence the
invitation to speak in the
canvass in Virginia, chiefly be-
cause / feared the public prints might have
to my position IN the recent canvass in Ohio
that was neither just to me nor 20 the Repub
licans OF that state. / accepted 1t, however,
that light face to face show you how un-
Just is the clamor evoked against the Repub-
licans of Ono, to demonstrate to you that
what the Republican party processes in ONO
as to national questions is the same that 1t
processes In Virginia, and that the practical
application Of the principles Of the Repubi-
can party would be of vast benefit to the state
OF Virginia, while Democratic success would
tend more and more to harden times, and
prevent the industrial development of Vir-
ginia.
THE BLOODY SHIRT.
Not only your newspaper, but the distn-
guished gentleman who ls the Democrats
candidate for Governor OF the State OF Vir-
glnia has said TO you that / was waving the
bloody shirt while he was contendng under
the Union flag. If he meant by waving the
bloody shirt that | sought in any way to re
new the anlmosities Of the war, then he was
greatly mistaken, for IN the speech to which
he refers and in every speech made IN OHIO
constantly said that the war was over, and
that the animosites of the war should be
buried out of sight, that would not hold any
Confederate soldier responsible for what he
did during the war, and that all l wished was
to MAINTAIN and preserve the acknowledged
results OF the war.
FREE BALLOT AND FAIR COUNT.
Among these / claim is the right of every
voter TO cast one honest vote and have IL
counted; that every citizen, rich or poor,
native or naturallZed. white or black, should
have equal civil and political rights, and that
every man Of lawful age should be allowed TO
exercise his right TO vote without dis
tnction Of race or color or previous con
ditioD. l charge, among other things, that these
constitutional rights and privileges had been
disregarded by the Democratic party, especi-
ally IN the Southern states; that at the last
election, in the year Of our Lord 1884, where
ever the votes OF the colored people would
affect the result they were deprived OF their
franchise nv OgVlpp q other. thus the
political power apportlOned to the cOlOred
population was transferred to and exercised
| by the white Democrats OF the South so AS to
make their political power greater than that
Of other citizens, and, by these means, Grover
Cleveland became President OF the United
States instead OF James G. Blaine.
Ieo DE THE BASIS OF CRITICISM.
II was upon this declaration of mne made
with full consideration and with absolute Ger
tainty OF its substantial truth, that the DEM
Ocratic press and Gen. Lee as well declared
that was raising the bloody shirt when the
events TO which was referring occurred last
year and not in 1861 or 1858; that they rela-
tel not to the war but to frauds 8nd crimes
committed long since the war, which over
threw the sAnct ty OF the ballot box and mp
turned the foundation Of republican or
tho ballot DoX and not the war Of the rebel
lion that | arrrigned. The truth OF what
said was not controyerted by Gov. Hoadly
nor Senator Thurman, nor, as far as l am ad-
vised, by Gen. Lee.
HIS AUTHORITIES.
pointed to public records which proved
all said, and especially quoted from recent
leading publications in tho South their full
and uDequivocsl admisslonsof Of the facts stated
by ms 50 far az they affected the States Of
South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi, and
their frank avOwal Of and defense Of their
conduct. made no appeal 10 Union soldiers,
but 10 all good citizens, South AZ well as
North, and sald l would do 1t to the people
OF Virginia. Gen. Lee, on the other hand, II
! am not mistaken, has conducted his canvass
almost entirely upon the basis OF an appeal
10 Confederate soldiers, to the pride Of Vir-
ginia for the courage they exhibited in the
war.
LEES CAvALCADEs.
With military trappings. flags and cayal-
cade, he tries to turn the attention OF your
people from the questions Of the present time
from your material Development, from pro
tective tarin. 70 the memories Of the war in
which the Nirginians fought bravely while
there was hope and submitted hOnorably TO
the arbitrament OF arms when their cause
was lost. II was OF the present was speak
ing and not Of the past, and 1 said that this
evil of depriving the legal voters OF their
right to vote WAS 80 great and wide-reachlng
IN It's influence that Il would never be sub
mitted 10, but that some remedy would be
found 10 prevent its success. ] did not at that
time dream that the same tactic5 Of fraud and
violence In the South Of which ! complained
were about 20 be transferred 20 the state Of
Ohio.
THE OHIO FRAUDS.
Yet 80 it was IN the recent election In tho
city OF Cincinnati, where the Democratic
party had control Of the police and subetan-
TALLY Of the election, they res0rtcd 10 fraud
aud violence 20 gross and Bhameless that even
among the Democrats or Ohio there Is an out
CRY against such proceedings. / deBOunce
them ~ ! denounced klndrcd frauds
Ia the S0uth, and invoke against them
the honest indignation Of Nrginiens
az did Of the people Of Ohio. Fellow citi-
zenH, the great and pressing issue OF the times
10 which / invite the earnest attention ~
every Democrat, as well ~ OF every Repubi-
can, involves the fundamental principles Of
our government, that the elections must be
free and open and fair; that every honest
voter should be permitted 70 cast his vote and
every honest vote should be counted and no
others.
THE GOVERNMENT ENDANGERED.
n this principle is once oyerthrown repub-
iioan government is at an end, and war Of
strife between factions, and Of riots, Will
commence, and there will soon be an end OF
all elections. In support Of this might quote
what has been said by Washington and Jeifer-
son and Jackson. and al the leading men OF
the past. who Justly denounced any violation
OF tie purity Of elections a. the greatest crime
against the republic.
An APPEAL TO vIRGINtANs.
therefore appeal 10 men OF all parties, IN
the name Of ar the great men Of Virginia, in
yOkinF your Just pride In your history % SEQ
10 it that in the present election, whavevcr
may bo the result Of IL, that every man en-
titled By the conHtituiinn and the laws Of
Virginia and Of the United states % vnieehail