The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-06
Expressions of Two Thoughtful
Men Who Have Studied 1t.
A Letter Written by Congressman
Breckenridge, of Kentucky,
And Another by Editor A. B. Will
liams, of South Carolina.
Very Interesting Reading for the Peo-
Pile or the South-The Negro and
His Relation to the Progress
of the Country.
from the Charleston News and Courier.

rum tilc 'Hhilceton VIEWS unu NouIltI.
1t was expected that the Hon. w. G. P.
Breckenridge, the distinguished Kentucky
Congressman, would attend the recent an
nual dinner of the New England Society,
and respond to the toast; 'Forefathcrs'
Day-the seed OF harvest OF other days by
which the World has been enriched" Mr..
Breckenridge had his valise packed and his
speech prepared, but couldno come. lie
is one OF the most eloquent speakers in the
country, and at the same time one Of the
most thoughtful men in public liio- What
he has to say upon any subject is always
well worth hearing 1t is well for those
who read and think, therefore, that Mr..
Breckenridge wrote the speech which he
would have delivered in Charleston had
he been able TO attend the New England
banquet In compliance with the request
OF the Ne,os and Courier, Mr.. Breckinridge
has furnished for publication the text Of
his address, which is as follows:
Mr.. BRECKINRIDGE's SPEECH.
While have not before been in your
hospitabe city, there were days IN which
We rode through your State, and on many
OF those days beloved comrades went TO
God from your fields In peace greet with
affection the state seen only amid the
throcs aud smoke OF fierce aud cruel war
heroic in war, superb in captivity, gener-
Gus in peace-tiod grant that In your
homes be happiness and in your hearts
peace!
At many banquoting tables this evening.
amid the spigndor OF radiant evidences OF
wealth anil power. fliai eloquencc will
charm loving ears and proud hearts with
g. just even II glowing praise Of "Thc Fore
fathers" aud OF the glorious deeds which
have marked the career OF their descend
un's-a career in which the gathering of
rich harvests Is always accompanied with
the sowing OF richer seed; so that the
reaper repays his fathers by securing a
more abundant harvest for his children.
cannot hope 10 rival those eloquent r.
sponsos by the grateful sons OF New En-
gland, and | crave pardon II | take AL
vantage OF the license permitted On such
occasions rs this 10 speak in more honcly
phrase Of our own day and our peculiar
environments And In the time allotted il
would be iniolorable II ] trcspassgd moro
than TO allude 10 one grave problem which
conironts us, and whose shadow Is always
on our future pathway.
Many OF you are the children and grand.
children Of New England, but your lie.
siny aud your duty are bound up with
Carolina, and she is the mother OF your
children and the beloved OF your heart.
Aud tonight Jet me speak 10 you rs the
sons Of Carolina; and be- indulgenl II I'M.
Willingly | step beyond the limits Of a
festive occasion-not intentionally will
do 80.
Standing here tonight, at the beginning
OF the Christmas holidays, In this beauii.
ful city OF the South, 10 commemorate the
landing Of the Pilgrim Fathers Pos years
ago, the truth which presses upon me Il
that the law OF social development Is a.
inhexible aud ~ divine as the law or.
dained by the Creator in the physical uni
verse around us. There are no accident.
In the development Of history aud there
is no luck In the economy Of God. Out
Of the bosom Of the past springs the pres
ent, and with unoTing certainty the dc
vclopment Of the future IL linked 10 oul
actions In the present. II IL not pos.ibl,
30 Us TO stand upon an cminencc NO higl
as 10 be freed FROM the clouds Of prcjudic,
and from the passions Of our own contests
and thereby obtain q clear and certain
vision oi the development oi our race
But II II individually true that ~,
foundation Of all right-,hnking Is ;ha
God created man one race, and tina
ut the very moment Of that creation
lie instituted the ordinance Of civil gov
ornmont by the institution OF the relation
Of marriage; and from that day 10 thi
every human being born into the worl,
came into AN allotted family, surroundct
by prescribed conditions under nm Inst
tutcd form Of government, without optiol
on his part, and with comparatively mar
row margin forimprovcmcnt, development
or change through his excrIions; aud W
the aggregate Of all the changes since tina
first day, until today, marks the growiI
and progress OF humanity the develop
ment OF civilization and the gradual an
sure universally Of Christianity.
II We could tonight obtain perfect
realizing sense Of the condition Of N
world more Than eighteen centuries ago, q
Joseph and Mary were jounoying up I
Bethlehem Ia bo taxed, so that the wurl
might receive Ia the Son Of Mary and 4
man the new Rcdecmcr; and could, q
companion picture 10 this, obtain n
equally vivid aud accurate vision Of IA
condition of the world and Of our own pal
iicular family upon that stormy. winir
day when the Pilgrim Fathers landed !
Plymouth Rock; aud then. In compariso
TO these two, set opposite, upon the 9th,
side OF this banqnctng hall, q picture ,
the world as II IL today, and Of the pal
our particular race Is now playing In Ia o
ialrr. no word that | could utter woul
divert your attention from this dcmonsiri
ton. not only Of tho very grca, aud aln0
miraculous increase Of power Of the ~
glish.spcaking people, but Of lis stead,
gradual and certain growth.
} II IA true, In q sense that Is exceeding
important that every generation has !
own questions 10 confront, aud must So
lie it, own problems for ITSELF We COT
slantly hear In the midst Of some GRE
debate that the matter was settled by v,
ancestors. In q certain sense this Is tru
for what was done by our ancestors ma
have had great, u not controlling, inil
encc upon The final result; but II Is M
true IN The sense that they could ha'
settled II for ~ 20 NJ 10 relieve our COZ
sciences or 10 remove from as the ncccssi
OF performing our full duty. MAY !. will
out irrcvcrence, say that there IL moro
the statement that the veil which hid u
Holy Of Holes has been rent Ia twain Tia