The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1888-01-21
HON. J. c. L0NGSTREET.
HIS ELOQUENT AMID BEAUTIFUL
SPEECH
Placing Gen. r. g. WalthalI In NOmiua-
ti0n For:the U. g.. Senate,
In the Jsint Democratic Co"cus at
Jackson.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen:

Two brief years ago, supported oy
the voice ofthe whole people Of the State
Of Mississippi, it wss my distinguished
pleasure to place in nomination for the
Office now to So filled by your selection,
one of Mississippi's noblest and greatest
sons. Tonight, in answer to the voice
of that same people, who. with all OF
warm endorsemerk all of confidence and
all of loving pride, have with unbroken
unanimity demanded him as his own
successor, it is my honor to offer in nom
instion, tho name of Gen. Edward q.
Walthall Of Grenada.
As man pure and upright, as SOL
dier as true of courage as any knight
that e'er braved on burning Southern
sands the perils of Moslem steel and
SPsynim lance; and as a statesman, pro-
found and eminent, his history is writ
ten in your every heart, and the bright
record Of his acts and his deeds is the
proud recollection Of every MissisApian.
No need then have 1 to strive with
laudatioh or praise, to exalt him before
you. But we may rejoice anew, think,
that in this wonderful era OF our Nation-
al development and existence, we may
have in the councils of the nation, as
one Of the representatives OF this fair
State, one, who rs o statesman seems
peculiarly fitted tor the time and the
spirit that is in il. The time is wonder
i1l in its momentous forces and motives,
and the rapidity and Intensity of their
action. To-day, none OF the engines that
drive mankind along the multitudinous
paths of industry and achievement ever
rest idly and still, while others work,
but all roll and whirl and thunder to-
Hether and all our life, individual, social
and national, responds in universal ac-
tion.
There never was 6 tune when the
adage that he who lags is lost" was
fuller Of truth and philosophy, and the
man who waits for time for preparation
loses all opportunity. For such an age
And for such a spirit in it, Senator Wal
thall as statesman and actor seems pre-
eminently designed and fitted. With a
massive and forceful intellectually; with
= keen and penetrating acumen; with
wonderful accuracy; splendidly equip.
ped, fearless. incisive, quick, no oppor.
tunity for achievement finds him unpre
pared, no weakness or failure are in his
efforts. Only tonight has the message
come Of his ready aud noble service tn
his State and to his friends-action char
acteristic OF him as man, and demon
strsting the truth OF what l have said.
Asa man, there are in his character
no dark and secret hiding places for tow
ering ambitions or unscrupulous personal
designs. but frank, open, clear and
strong, the virtues whir'l make him
whole, stand manifest to aIl men. True
as steel to his friends, firm in his convic-
tions, tender as woman in his sympa.
thies and quick as t1 livid lghtning's
fash to resist the wrong, he is man
who bears the love of strong men, and
bears it proudly.
In the annals OF war there is a chapter
OF martial lyrics, and one of the bright
est and most triumphant record, the
story of his military renown. / will
not pause to detail the stories of Frank
lin, of Fishing Creek, of the army of
Tennessee-of Atlanta. But let me say,
that on fields of battle red with blood,
where brave soldiers of the South un-.
flinchingly faced death as it came shrek
ing to them on hurtling shells, where
courage and chivalry had the test Of cru
chile, was Walthall and in those days
and on those fields where the grave
"gained its thousand victims and honor
gained a thousand heroes" on his brow
fell bright chaplet, great and enduring
love and fame,-Honor's tribute to those
who do heroic deeds and are noble in
the dong.
Aud when that great conflict was
over,-back with the men he loved SO
well,-back to the State he would have
died for,-came Walthall. No longer
commander, high in rank, no longer an
officer clothed in superior authority but
a soldier with sodiers.-a Misslssippian
with Mississippians. With him II was
"present arms" again. but they were
both outstretched arms which he pre-
sented to men in whom he no longer
saw subordinates, but friends and equals
n honor and in right
And from that dark day to this brighter
one, he has come hand in hand with
his people; bearing his part nobly, doing
his part nobly, until to-day he stands in
the splendid plentitude of his mstured
powers, one OF the foremost men in this
broad Union, and one of the foremost
ones in the hearts OF this people.
1t is my distinguished pleasure to
place in nomination Gen. Edward G.
Walthall of Grenada