The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-01-16

We take pleasure in laying before |
our readers this week the full text of
the very able and eloquent speech of
Henry w. Grady, delivered before
the Boston Merchants Association on
the occasion of their Annual Banquet
Dec. 18th. and which probably cost
him his life. Being introduced by
President Jonathan Lane, Mr.. Grady
said:
Mr.. PRESIDENT :-Bidden by your
invitation to a discussion of the race
problem-forbidden by occasion to
make political speech-I appreciate,
in trying to reconcile orders with pro-
priety, the perplexity cf the little mail
who, bdden to learn to swim, was yet
adjured: "Now go, my darling, hang
your clothes on a hickory limb and
don't 20 near the water" The stout
est apostle of the church, th:y say, is
the missionary, and the missionary,
wherever he unfurls his flag, will never
find himself in deeper need of JUNCTION
and address than |, bidden tonight
to plant the standard of Southern
Democrat in Boston's banquet hall,
and to discuss the problem of the races
in the home of Phillips and of Sumner.
But, Mr.. President, if Il purpose to
speak in perfect frankness and SINGER
ity; If earnest understanding of the
vast interests involved if a consecrat-
ing sense of what disaster may follow
further misunderstanding and estrange
ment if these may be counted to
steady undiscipllned speech and to
strengthen an untried arm-then, sir,
| shall find the courage to proceed.
Happy am | that this mission has
brought my feet at last to press New
England's historic soil, and my eyes to
the knowledge Of her beauty and her
thrift. Here within touch of Plymouth
Rock and Bunker Hill-where Webster
thundered and Longfellow sang, En-
erson thought and Claiming preached
here in the cradle of American let
ters and almost of American liberty, |
hasten to make the obeisance that
every American owes New England
when first he stands uncovered in her
mighty presence. Strange apparation!
This stern and unique fgure-carved
from the ocean and the Wilderness
its majesty kindling and growing amid
the storms of winter and of wars
until at last the gloom was broken, its
beauty disclosed in the sunshine, and
the heroic workers rested at its base
while startled kings and emperors
sazed and marvelcd that from the
rude touch of this handful. cast on a
bleak and unknown shore, should have
come the embodied genius of human
government and the perfected model
of human liberty! God bless the
memory of those immortal workers.
and prosper the fortunes Of their living
! sons-snd perpetuate the inspiration
of their handi~ork. Two wears ago,
sir, l spoke some words in New York
that caught the attention of the North.
AS stand here to reiterate, as have
done everywhere, every word | then
uttered-to declare that the senti-
ments | then avo~ed were universally
approved in the South-I realize that
the confidence begotten by that speech
is largely responsible for my presence
here tonight. l should dishonor my
self if l betrayed that confidence by
uttering one insincere word, or by
Withholding one essential element Of the
truth. Apropos of this las, let me
confess, Mr.. President, before the
praise OF New England has died on
my lips, that | believe the best pro-
duct Of her present life is the process.
sion of 1900 Vermont Democrats
that for twenty-five years, undinin.
ished by death, unrecruited by birth
or conversion, have marched over thei,
rugged hills, cast their Democratic
ballots and gone back home to pray
for their unregenerate neighbors, and
awake to read the record Of 26,ooc
Republican majority. May the God
of the helpless and the heroic help
them, and may their sturdy tribe in
crease!
Far to the South, Mr.. President
separated from this section by line
once defined in irrepressible difference
once traced in fratricidal blood, anC
now, thank God, but a vanishing
shadow-lies the fairest and riches
| domain of this earth. 1t is the hom,
of brave and hospitahle people
There is centred all that can please O.
prosper humankind. A perfect climate
above a fertile soil yields to the hus
bandman every product of the temper
ate zone. There by night the cotto,
whitens beneath the stars, ant by da,
the wheat locks the sunshine in it
bearded sheaf In the same field tn
clover steals the fragrance of the wind
: and the tobacco catches the quicl
5 aroma of the rains. There are noun
tains stored with exhaustless treasures
forests-vast and primeval; and river
that, tumbling or lettering, run wan
ton to the sea. Of the three essentia
items of a. industries-cotton, iro