The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1888-06-16

0 brave Montcalm the tribute of admirin
: praise! Who pauses to reflect that
he had won the battle against the galsr
1 Wolf, the destinies of America migt
= have been changed and the tricolor fla
, of France f0ated over half of this might
: continent? We would spurn the wretc
who could insult the generous instincts {
) humanity by venting his spleen over 9Th
grave where hero lies buried" Wher
is the American who can ever forget tina
the dying warrior of Mt. McGregor, er
his mighty spirit took its flight, summon
) ed both Federal and Confederate chief
tains to his bier, made his grave per
petual pledge of peace, and linked hi
name forever with its nobler victories
These examples, sir, rebuke the persis
tence of our strife, and teach us, howeve
unwilling we may be to learn the lesson
that blessed oblivion awaits the animos
tiles of the past. Sir, in the future, tt
which we are Fastening, the patriot pill
grim to the battle shrnes of this grea>
nation, will not be so much concerned a.
we are to know whether the heroic relic
before him wore the blue or the eray
but we will remember that, in the dark,
est hour that ever tried the spirit of 8
people, American manhood rose into the
meridian of glory, was crowned with i'm.
mortal fame, and humanity itself plucked
new trophies from the fields where its
yalor bled. Applause.
Why, then, brethren, should we dis
trust each other any longer? Why
should not the sunlit waves of peace roll
in perpetual music above the chasm in
which ancient prejudice and wrong lie
buried forever? Do you distrust us
because we honor our past? A brave and
honorable people cannot forget or re-
n9Unce their past. The contempt of
civilized mankind would be the lust
penalty OF a craven race who could re-
pudiste the memory of an honorable
ancestry. Should the people of the South
cease to honor their past, should they
ever sink so low as to teach their chill
dreu that they are the offspring of a race
of traitors, should they ever so far forget
themselves as to adopt the estimate put
upon them by those who misunderstood
AMI mlsiudge them, they would deserve
to be hissed from this planet. loud
and continuous applause There is
no race on earth base enough to be the
associates of a people who would degrade
themselves. Self-respect was all that
was left US by the cyclone of war; and
to this invincible sentiment is due that
rapid recuperation which has astonished
the world. But, while we honor our past
and ever will, we do accept, in good faith
and as final forever, the settlement of its
controversies. Brethren. l am Missis,
sippian, Hebrew of the Hebrews,
[ Laughter. a representative of the
new generation that has come
on the scene; and I declare to
you that we have accepted the settlement
Of the war with no expectation and no
desire of ever reopening in any way the
issues which it closed. Applause and
cries Of "Amen"7
Do YOU fear that the spirit of secession
still lives in the Southern heart? You
are mistake, 1t has departed forever. |
1t was extinguished by the storm of war.
The political cult that sustained it has
been swept away by the march of events,
and the abolition of slavery destroyed |
the only conceivable occasion of lis ap-
plication. Instead of the spirit of seces-
sion, sir, we behold the unexsmpled |
spectacle OF brave people who staked
and lost their all in a desperate struggle
for their convictions, and who look with.
out Il blush upon their past, grateful for
the defeat that overwhelmed their hopes
Applause,
Do you fear that we would restore the
)ld order of things? You do not under,
stand the South. A more preposterous
lream never disturbed patroit's sleep-
ng or waking thoughts Laughter.
As soon, sir, expect New England to sell
aves again, as she once did, A voice.
that's true or burn witches at the
tA.st. The South could not, if it would
and I call heaven to witness that it
would hot, if it could--roll the chariot of
IS progress backward single day. Loud
pplause.l
Do You insist that We shall adopt your
method of dealing with our race problem
n the South? Mr.. President, there is
% problem before the American people
re.diticult to. solve than this one, or
ne which we need more the Spirit of {
'hrst to help solve. Cries of "Amen |
'ha s so!'l Sir, it is easy to theorize; ; to {
oustruct an ideal social State; to ere ate J e!
Utopia, and people it with beings of t
ur Imagination. But circumstances
NIT the application of our theories, and c
, our practical dealings with men we a
re obliged to make large allowances for r
heir surroundings. We do not differ t
, much about the theory of Negro ele. Fl
alton, but about the policy by which s.
may be realized. We believe as firm o
as you do that the Negro is a man, a b
,deemed man, freeman, and as such is tt
1titled to all that manhood confers. Q
erhaps we have not done all that we 9
light have done to help our "brother in ii
ack," but you will permit one whose p
ther gave the best years of his life to
visionary work among the Negroes of g
e South, and who is himself the firm is
lend of all wise measures tor their ad- &C
to tell you that We have III
,ne more than you give us credit for. q!
applause. But, sir, we b,lieve that it a. q.
impracticable to ignore the difference 81! 81
tween the races at the South: that the ~ ~
tempt to do it will retard the progress de a.
, desire to promo'e. We We