St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-07-21

no government except the govern.
ment recognized and upheld by the
Tee will Of the people. Law
governs by the popular will and
protects private property and
private life. 1t protects the right
Of the laboring man to dispose OF
his labor and sell II where he
pleases, and when that right is in
vaded by Mr.. Debs, or Mr.. Any
body else, it is . defiance not only
of the laws of the whole country,
but it is the Inauguration Of . sys-
tenn of slavery never known in the
past history Of this country.
The institution Of slavery has
been wiped out in the blood drawn
from the veins of Northern and
Southern kindred, and there never
has lived man on this continent
who had the right to order . man
of his own blood to cease from
labor.
Why, sir, where is this country
to-day? 1 stand here in this high
chamber and recall with some
misgiving, 1 confess, the woeful
prophecy of Lord Macaulay. that
in some great public upheaval, like
that which confronts US to-day,
this fair republic would either
lose its civilization through mob
law, or in putting it down by the
strong arm Of power, would lose
its liberties. Sir, I do not believe
that, but l confess that il such
doctrines as We have heard on the
floor this morning become popular,
well may we pause and consider
whether Macaulay's prophesy is to
be fulfilled or not. Rather would
1 think with the great Gambetta
when he said that all the liberty
loving people Of the country would
unite to save the country, however
much they might fight in politics.
The day is on us right now, and
stand here, not rs . Southern
man, but as an American citizen,
and I wish my Voice could range
through the heart Of every law
breaker on the continent, when l
say that the men who wore the gray
from '6l to '65 and confronted the
stars and stripes, will he found
side by sidewith those who wore the
other uniform, following that flag in
upholding the dignity Of the coun-
over which it floats. Applause. J
One more thought. The distin-
guished Senator from Minnesto
(Mr. Davis) said truly and wisely
that the great backbone of the
country was the common class. /
belong to that class; I am =
farmer and only q farmer. and IS
their representative I stand here
to-day to say that South Of the
Potomac river you will not see
farmer, be he black or white, who
will not rally to the support of the
government, in the support Of the
power which the people have elect
ed. l wish the matter could have
been settled. l regret the blood
shed, but I want to say, ~ an
honest man. that the blood which
has been shed, or will be shed, be
it an ocean, Is nothing to the price
Of theis republic and Its value, and
the sons OF the men who made it
will save it, whatever be the cost"
The speech sent a thrill through
The old soldiers Of the South, and
resolutions have been adopted BY
camps OF Confederate veterans in
dorsing the sentiments uttered by
Gen. Gordon, and pledging their
support to the Presiden: to sustain
him in every effort he may make to
suppress lawlessness and to MAIN
tain the dignity Of the government.
Every Southern man shonld be
prond of the fact that there has
been little if any disorder this side
Of the Potomac, and that our peo-
pie are = unit in denouncing the
outrages Of the rioters, in Illinois
and California, and that tho milf
tary Of every Southern State is
ready ut q moments notice t..
respond to the call Of the President.
The manner in which Gen. Gordan's
speech was received in the North is
highly gratifying, because it shows
that at last the people there appre-
oiate the fact that the South is Is loyal
and as patriotic as they, and withal,
more law-abiding. -. Tlmes-Demo-
crat.