The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-01-16
THURSDAY, j n. 16, 1890.
A SPEECH THAT WILL LIVE.

We offer no apology for devotins
the entire reading matter space on tn
outside pages of our paper this wee
to one article, the speech of the la
mented Henry w. Grady, delivered
before the Boston Merchants Clul
only short while before hi; death
and which very likely cost him his life
1t is one of the ablest discussions O.
the " Race Problem" we have seen
bold, manly and truthful, and ough
to be read and preserved for future
reference. The State Chronicle say!
this of Mr.. Grady's speech:
This last speech Of Mr.. Grady's wa.
remarkable one in every way-re
markable for its great candor, its tren.
chant expressions, its lofty patriotism
and its heart touching eloquence. His
eloquent portrayal of the peculiar af
fiction between the Southern white
man and the Southern black man
touches responsive chord in the heart
of every Southern man, land it must open
to the honest hearted man of the North
an aspect of the problem which he can
not find in dry presentations of the
question. 1t IS IN the peculiar love
and perfect understanding which the
two races have of and for each other
in the South that we hope for the
peaceful solution of the Grace Prob
lem." 1t is with unfeigned sadness
that we note any decadence of that
love and confidence. If DESTROYED,
we have no hope that we will as two
races come up to the full measure of
the duty which the civilization of the
age and of our environment places
upon us.
The speech must have fallen as
new revelation upon his Boston hear
ers. With boldness never surpassed
he held Harrison up as the first Pres-
dent who had "stamped with the great
seal of our government stigma upon
the people of a great and loyal section;"
and he did this in Boston where South
ern men have not often talked plainly.
He answered-and answered fully and
forever-the inquiry of Mr.. Harrison
in his message "Whcn will the black
men cast free ballot?" His manly
proclaiming Of the Presidents parti-
zanry and injustice rings with the
magic boldness and eloquence of a
Patrick Henry. Heholds up the little
man who is now in the Executive Of
flce to the contempt of men of broad
minds by contrasting his "stigma"
upon the South with the statesman
like example of Grant, "the great
dead soldier, who held the helm of
state for the eight stormiest years of re-
construction" and who "never found |
need for such step" The reply is
respectful in "rigorous plainness of
speech" and must be terribly crushing
to the Presidents tair-minded friends. |
The boldness of Mr. Grady did not
stop with his rebuke of the President.
He tells the men of Boston that it was
their ships that brought over the slaves.
He does not defend slavery, nor their
traffic in slaves. He does not for them,
or for the South, attempt to
Compound for sins they are inclined to
by damning those they have no mind to-"
but with fairness and comprehensive
grasp of the great question, and the
differences upon it, North and South,
he discusses it in statesman like way.
Mr.. Grady's logics and facts are
irresistible. We have read many
speeches and papers upon the % Race
Problem" and while his is not SO full
or so exhaustive as some-(the limits
of an after dinner speech rendering it
is the frankest, fresh
est and best speech We have seen upon
this old and important theme. God
grant that the truths ne uttered, in the
State where walks abroad to-day the
spirit of John A Andrew who used
these immortal words, al do not know
what record there is against me in the
other world, but | do know this, that
never despised man because he
was poor or because he was black"
may find lodgment in the minds and
hearts of the whole American people,
Ind bring forth a rich harvest of Pa
fence, Confidence and Sympathy, as
he men of the South in uttermoSt
ustice and abiding friendship" for the
negro seek peaceful solution of the
great problem