The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-04-18
TO CITIZENS OF THE NEW SOUTH.
what the President Said During His
Visit to Memphis.
He Would Greet Veterans of the
Confederacy as Brothers,
And Was Glad That Their Country
Was Happy and Prosperous.

MEMPHIS. Tenn. April 1.-THE specia
| train bearing the Presidential party arrived
here this morning at o'clock, promptly OF
schedule time after an all night run from
Birmingham, Ala. A large crowd, including
the local militia, were gathered at the sta
| tion and cheered the President when he ap
peared on the platform. The party wer,
Immediately assigned to the carriages which
awaited them, and driven up Main street tt
the Merchants Exchange, fronting on Cour
square, which was massed with people. The
President was escorted up the iron steps and
introduced to the assembled crowd by Mayor
Clapp. who welcomed the President on be-
half Of the city. The President replied as
follows:
| My Felloto Citizens:
The name Of the city of Memphis was ia
| miliar to me In my early boyhood. Born anC
reared upon one of the tributaries of the
| great river upon which your city Is located
these river marts of commerce were the ia
miliar trading posts of the farmers of the
Ohio valley. L well remember when on the
shores Of fathers farm,t old "broad horn
was loaded from the hay press and the corn
crib to market with the plantations along
the lower Mississippi. remember to have
heard from him and the neighbors who con-
stitated the crew Of those pioneer crafts Of
river navigation. OF the perils Of these great
waters, Of the snags and caving banks of
the lower Mississippi. In those times these
states were largely supplied with grain and
forage from the Northwestern states.
Here you were giving your attention to
one or two great staple products. for which
you found large foreign market. con-
gratulate you that the progress of events
has made you not less agricultural, but has
diversified your agriculture so that you are
n NJ nn nNu hnlI Iu dnnn dQnf
staples for the income of your farms. 1t is
great thing that you are now raising more
wheat, more corn, more hogs and cattle
that you are now raising potatoes and water
melons and cabbage. lCheers.
II see evidence that the people are turning
their attention TO new Industries, and are
bringing into the midst of these farming
communities large population OF artisans
and laoorers to consume at your
own doors the produce of your
government Is making this great waterway
to the sea safe and capable Of an uninter-
rupted use. l am glad that 1t is here making
the shores OF your own city convenient and
safe, and that 1t Is opening, north and south
an uninterrupted and cheap transportation
for the products Of these lands that lie along
this great system of rivers. / am glad that
1t Is bringing you in contact with ports Of
the gulf that look out with near and inviting
aspect towards great trade in South Amer
believe that these great river towns will
speedily exchange their burdens with Amer
lean ships at the mouth of the Mississippi
to be transported to foreign ports under the
nag Of our country. Groat cheering This
government OF ours Is a compact Of the pee
pie to be governed by majority, expressing
itself by lawful methods. Cheers Every
thing in this country is to be brought to the
measure of law.
II propose no other rule, either as an indI-
r q 9 a II In
degree let down this rule lcries Of 'No" and
cheers without violating my official duty.
There must be no other supremacy than that
of lawful majorities. Therefore think that
while realize and sympathize with your diff
hculties, we must all come at last to this con-
clusion that the supremacy of the law is the
one supremacy in this country of ours.
Cheers. Now, my fellow citizens, l thank
you for this warm and magnificent demon
stration OF your respect, accepting cordially
ernment that you are sincere, earnest, pa
tIleolie. e deyoted @ people: beg beg to leave with with
place shall do what he can to maintain socia
order aud public peace, that the lines here
and everywhere shall be between the we'll
disposed and the ill-disposed.
The effort of speech to this immense throno
IS too great for me. l beg to assure you that
carry from the great war of sentiment NO
III will to any. Cheers. / am glad that the
Confederate soldier cOnfessing that defeat
WHICH mas Drought MIN blessings tldt would
have been impossible otherwise, has been
taken again into full participation In the ad-
ministration of the government; that no
penalties. limitations or other inflictioas rest
upon him. have taken, and can always
take, the hand Of brave Confederate soldier
with confidence and respect. Great cheer
ing. ] would put him under one yoke only,
and that Is the yoke that the victors In that
struggle bore when they went home and laid
oil their uniforms; the yoke Of the law and
the obligation always to obey it." Cheers.