The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-01-02
VOL. VI.
Grady Defends the South

18th ult. was Mr. IL. w. Grady, OF the
Atlanta Constitution, from whose elo-
qusnt speech on that OCCASION we e1-
tract the following
"When will the black cast free
ballstY When ignorance anywhere
10 not dominated by the will OF the in
telligent; when the laborer anywhere
casts vote unhindered by hs boss
when the vote. of the poor anywhere is
not Influenced by the power OF the
rich when the strong and steadfast
do not everywhere control the suffrage
oi the weak and shiitlsss then, and
not till then, will the ballot of the ne
gro be free The white people of the
South are banded, Mr.. President, not
in prejudice against the blacks, not in
sectional estrangement,not in the hope
OF political dominion but in deep
and abiding necessity. The negro can
never control in the South, and it
would be well il the partisans at the
North would understand this. have
seen the white people Of State set
about by black hosts until their fate
seemed sealed
But, cir, some brave man, banding
them together, would rise as Elisha
rose in beleaguered Ssmaria, and
touching their eyes with faith, bid
them look abroad to zee the very air
filled with the chariots of Israel and
the horsemen thereof II there is any
human force that cannot be withstood
it is the power Of the banded intelli-
gence and responsibility OF a free com
muity.. Against it numbers and cor
reption cannot prevail. 1t cannot be
forbidden in law or divorced in force.
II is the inalien able right OF every
free community. n just and righteous
safeguard against M ignorant or cor
rupt suffrage.
at is on this, sir, that we rely in the
South, not the cowardlv menace OF
the mask or shotgun, hut the peaceful
msjesty of intelligence aud respnnsi-
bility lnassed and unified for :heprotec-
tiun Of its homes and the preservation
OF its liberty. That. sir, is our reli-
anee and our hope, aud against it all
the powers Of earth shall not prevail.
at WAS just as certain that Virginia
wouId come back 10 nchallenged con-
'lr,J 0i her white race, that before the
hnorsi and matrria power ot her peo-
pile once more unified, opposition
would crumblc until its last desperate
leader was left alone, yainly striving
.to rally his dsordered hosts, as that
fire should fade in the kiudling glury
,nf The sun You may pas4 force bills,
hut they will not avail. You may sur
render your liberties 10 q Federal
election law, you may submit in fear
of necessity that does not exist that
the very form OF this Government
may be changed. This old State,
which holds in its charter the boast
that il "is a free and independent Corr
monwealth," may deliver its election
machinery into the hands Of the Gov.
ernment it helped to create But
never, sir, will single State cf this
Union, North or South, he delivered
again to the control Of an iguSrant
end inferior race. We wrrsltd our
State government from negro suprem
acy when the federal drums beat roll
ed closer to the ballot box, and feder-
al bayonets hedged it deeper about,
than will ever again be permitted in
this free government. But, sir,
though the cannon OF this Republic
thundered in every voting district OF
the South, we still should find in the
mercy OF God, means and courage to
prevent it's re establishment.
"Such, Er. President, is this prob
Ian MS we zee it, such is the temper in
which we approach it, such the pro
gress made. What do we ask OF you
First, patience. Out OF this alone can
come perfect work. Second, conf
d,ncr, In this alone can you Judge
fairly. Third, sympathy. In this you
can help us beat Fourth, give u,
your sons Ms hostages When you
plant your capital in millions, send
your sons that they may know how
true are our hearts and may help tc
swell the Anglo Saxon current unit
it can carry without danger this black
infusion.
Fifth, loyalty to the republic. Fol
there is sectionalism in loyalty al
in arrangement. This hour needs
loyalty that is loyal to one sec
ton and holds the other in enduring
suspicion and estrangement Give III
broad and perfect loyalty, that roye
and trusts Georgia alike with Massa
chusetts-that knows no South, M
North, no East, no West, but en-
dears with equal and patriotic low,
every faut II our slil, every State q
our Union. A mighty duty, sir
mighty inspiration. impels ever.
one of us tonight to lose in patriots
conservation whatever estranges