The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-11-04
Hon. E. Barksdale's Speech at Halle
hurst
THE COURTHOUSE CROWDED WITH INTENT
AND ENTHUSIASTIC LISTENERS.
Hazlehurst Signal. /

Hazlehurst Signal.
According to previous announcement
Hon. Z. Barksdale spoke in the Courthouse
at this place ON Monday last, and large
crowd was present to hear him. We are
sorry that we did not get the speech in full,
as it deserves the widest circulation. We
can merely give synopsis of the principal
points touched upon.
He was introduced by 10 Purser, Esq,
Chairman of the County Executive Com
mittee, who made especial mention of Maj.
Barksdale's defense of the people of Copiah
when unjdstly and falsely assailed by her
enemies. Maj. Barksdale, in commencing
his speech, said that in defending the peo-
pie of the county from the malignant as
saults of her enemies, he had but performed
a grateful duty, and hoped that his right
arm would forget its cunning and his tongue
cleave to the roof of his mouth ere he
proved so faithless to his trust as to remain
silent when he should speak in their behalf.
He congratulated the people of the county
on the establishment of good government,
and said that the seasons might be ever so
propitious, the people ever SO industrious,
and the soil ever so productive, but there
could be no genuine prosperity unless their
local government was pure and honest.
He spoke of the questions with which he
would be required to deal in his capacity
of Representative, and of the issues upon
which the sovereign people had rendered
judgment in their presidential election.
They had decided that the sectional agita-
ton which had been kept alive for so many
years by the Republican leaders should
cease. The Democratic party had planted
itself upon the broad national doctrine
that in common country, there should be
no North nor South except as geographical
designations, and was pledged to legislate
for the good of all sections. If the colored
people had been deluded into the belief
that their rights had been imperiled by
Democratic success, that delusion had been
dispelled. He alluded especially to the
emigration of the colored people some years
ago under the delusion that they were the
victims of some great imaginary wrongs.
but when they arrived in Kansas among
their pretended friends. they were received
coldly and not given Office, but were even
denied the poor boon of employment by
which to earn their living. Many of them
had found graves in the land of the stranger.
and others had returned to Mississippi
convinced that their best homes and their
best friends were in the South.
He alluded to the scheme of the Repub-
hcan leaders to keep alive sectional strife
despite the popular verdict, and to their
threat to reduce the representation of the
Southern States in the electoral college and
in Congress, and said it was the madness
of desperation; that the Southern Demo-
cracy would not be driven from their pro-
priety, but would continue to know moth.
ing but the Constitution and their duty as
true and faithful citizens of common
country.
He said the election was decision that
the 4ax
war tariff should be reduced That the in
ternal revenue tax-the tax on spirits and
tobacco-yield more than S100,000.oO of
revenue annually; that to repeal it would
necessitate the continuation of the tax on
the necessaries of life. and that he was in
favor of reasonable tax on such s'iuxuries-
as spirits, ETC.. and the lowest possible tax
on such necessaries as clothing, tools. ma
chinery, etc.
He said the election was :ision in |
favor of the Democratic doctrine hat leg
islation should tend to the equitable distri- |
button of property and the prevention of |
monopoly. That the national platform |
which the people had endorsed, declared in |
favor of the strict enforcement of individual |
rights against corporate aggression. and |
cited the State platform, that corporations |
are supervisable by Legislative authority
for the protection of the people. He de
fined the difference between State and In
ter-State commerce., and spoke of the
measures that had been introduced in Com
gress to carry into execution the authority
conferred upon it by the Constitution to
regulate commerce among the States. He
said that IN consequence of the failure of
the two houses of Congress to agree. the
question was still open; and expressed the
opinion that In the combat between the
people and the corporations, the people
would Win; that their cause was Just and
the Constitution had placed a weapon of
defense and assault in their hands.
He explained the provisions of what is
known as the Blair educational bill and
referred to its endorsement by the State
Democratic Convention and its resolution
requesting the Senators and Representa-
ives OF the State to support it, and that
MS Judgment taught him that he should do
%; with the distinct understanding. how I
'ser, that the exclusive management of the {
und should be confded to the State as in
he case of the State University and the A. {
3 NJ College, both of which were founded I
lpon donations by the federal government. :
He regretted the determined effort that |
being made to contravene the Democratic
'iatform declaring for honest money con
lstlng OF gold and silver or paper CONVEX
Ibie into conn., It was a scheme to elimi-
ate the silver dollar from the monetary 9
ysfem OF the country. It was sprung on |.
he eve of the adjournment of the last Con- l
TESS aud was rejected by decided vote. I
liver, he said, was demonetized by the act 7
+ 1874. It was restored to its legal tender I
unctions IN 1878; and though the law of =
6I8 has been followed by the most bene 9 9
cient results, making the resumption of
Decial payments possible and preventing Q