The national leader., 1889-04-27

want both men and money to develop
them and enhance their prosperity.
The wise and loyal people in these
states know very we'll that they can
never be prosperous: that they can
never have their share Of immigration,
from at home or abroad, while they
are known and disting uished for In.
tolerance, fraud, violence, and lynch
law. They know that while this char
acter attaches to them, capital will hold
aloOf from them, and population shun
them as it would shun a land blasted
by pestilence and death. They know
that their rich mines and fertile soil
will fail to attract immigrants from
any country unblasted by slavery.
They know that Industrious and enter
prising men, searching tor homes will
turn their backs upon the South and
make their way to the west and north,
where tEey can hold and express their
opinions without fear Of the bowie
knife and shotgun Of the assassin.
Thus the self-interest Of the people
of these states will yet teach them JUS
tice, humanity. and civilization. For
the present, the better element at the
South Is terror stricken and silent, but
encouraged by the trend of the nation
to higher and better conditions of ex-
istence, it will not always remain dumb
and inactive, but will assert itself as
Missouri is already doing, and as
Arkansas will yet do. 1 was in this
latter state only few days after the
assassination of John M. Clayton. I
saw the wholesome horror manifested
by the intelligent and worthy citizens
Of that state at this dastardly political
murder. They were anxious for the
good name of Arkansas, and asked me
how the people of the north would re-
gard them. 1 had to tell them in sad
ness that the outside world would look
at them through the warm red blood of
John M. Clayton and that the state OF
Arkansas would be held rgidly re-
sponsiOle till the arrest, trial, cOnvic.
tion. and punishment of
THE ASSASSIN AND HIS INsTIGATORs.
In conclusion. while 1 have plainly
portrayed the sources of danger to our
people, while have described the re-
dictionary forces with which we have to
contend, l have no fears as to the
character of the final result. The
American people are governed, not
only by laws and selfish interests, but
by large ideas of moral and material
civilization.
The spirit of Justice, liberty, and
fair play IS abroad in the land. 1t is
In the air. 1t animates men of all
stations. Of all professions and callings,
and can neither be silenced nor extir-
pated. It has an agent in every bar of
railroad iron, a servant in every electric
wire, missionary in every traveller.
1t not only tunnels the mountains, fills
up the valleys, and sheds Cpon us the
light of science, but it will ultimately
destroy the unnumbered wrongs in.
herited by both races from the system
Of slavery and barbarism. In this
direction is the trend of the nation.
States may lag, parties may hesitate,
leaders may halt, but to this complexion
1T must come at last. States, parties,
and leaders must. and will in the end,
adjust themselves to this overwhelming
and irresistible tendency. 1t will
make parties, and unmake parties, will
make rulers, and unmake rulers, until
it shall become the fixed, universal and
irreversible law of the land. For fifty
years it has made progress against all
contradictions. 1t stemmed the cur
rent of opposition in church and state.
1t has removed many prescriptions. 1t
has opened the gates of knowledge. 1t
has abolished slavery. 1t has saved
the Union. It has reconstructed the
government upon basis of justice and
liberty, and it will see to it that the
last vestige of fraud and violence on
the ballot box shall disappear, and
there shall be one country, one law, one
liberty, for all the people of the United
States.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Douglass's
oration the choir sung the doxolOgy,
and the meeting was dismissed with
hon ictinn hu Rev DIR Wilsnn