The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-04-11
MISSOURI POLITICS.
Hon. B. Benson Cahoon
Twenty-Seven Years
Ago.
Prophetic Extracts From the First
Political speech of Il. B. Cahoon
Over rTwenty-Seven Years Ago
On the Enfranchisement.o .of
the Ex-Confederate and
Negro.

On the Enfranchisement;o ;of
the Ex-Confederate and
Negro.
Before us. as we write, is the old
and time worn manuscript of the first
political speech ever made by Hon.
3. B. Cahoon in Missouri. 1t was
made at Fredericktown, September
18th. 1868. when Mr.. CahoOn had been
in Missouri but two months and was
then but twenty-five years of age. The
speech was the first on that line made
in Southeast Missouri if not in the
State and thus early showed the breadth
Of the man. as We have ever since
known him and it then betokened that
the elements of statesman were in
him.
The circumstances under which that
speech tEenin advance of public senti-
ment were made, proves Mr.. CahoOn
is and ever has been a leader and not
follower of public opinion. Among
many good things in it we Gull these:
The Republican party that gave to
the world the dearest name of the nine
teenth century-Abraham Lincoln-and
the greatest soldier Of modern times
-Ulyssus 5. stamped on
them the impress of its genius and in
return is animated by their charity.
courage. humanity and patriotism.
Under their inspiration. under the
humane tendencies of true Republican,
ism. We must not. we can not tear
down a single man but must build all
men up.
As Grant showed at Appomatux in
his generous terms to Lee that he was
more than Il soldier. that he was a
great and broad statesman whose
creed was and is that love is stronger
than hate. and that we cannot and
will not have a revolving Ireland in
the United States as England has be-
cause of her inhumanity to Irishmen
so we too. Republicans of Missouri.
must here. al once. follow Grant ;
example by Immediately enfranchising
every dis-franchised EX-Confederate.
We must do il because it i logical
and humane Republicanism to do
it because they are and we wish them
ever to remain Americans. because
they worshipthe same God We worship.
kneel at the same alter and drink
from the same sacramento cup we do.
while their children and our children
blend harmOniously together in loving
social intercourse and marry and in
termarry with each other The nation
the party or the man who lives
on his hates and prejudicas is uuwise.
il is hard to subdue our prejudcies but
the nObleSt act is the one which en-
ableS Us to do so. He who conquers
the bad elements in himself is greater
than he who conquers city. To
nurse ones wrath to keep it warm is
to make most miserable the man who
etarnally hates. The enfranchise
ment of all the eX-COnfederateS should
bc done at once because it is right in
itself. because it is unjust to disfran-
chise an American citizen for politi-
cal offense. how so ever grave, as GER
tainIy was the rebellion. after you,
under Grants noble example. have
said the surrendered cX-COnfederates
shall not be molested. To longer dis
franchise any man because of his atti-
tude in the war now that it is over is
only to unnecessarily irritate the man
already Justly forgiven by our great
leaders. Lincoln and Grant-thc man,
too who is now a tax paying and law
abiding citizen. Wrong, Certainly he
was wrong. SO each of lis are often
wrong. for who of Us is without fault?
y eften as We are wrong We need
some injured person ; forgiveness. The
true spirit OF real Republicanism. my
friends. i the spirit of Pope's univer-
al prayer:
Teach me TO feel another's woe
To help the fault I see
That mercy to others show
That mercy show to ne.
That was the sentiment of Lincoln
that noble man who never permitted
his resentmeuts. if he had any.
20 control his public action. and it is
that same spirit which must and will
II once enfranchise both the ex-CoE-
federate and the negro. 1t matters
not to me that when I couple both
these demands I receive from you no
applause. and only get frowns. care
not Time. and E.1e stars in their
course will prove l am right. The
passions of to-day will pass away and
the better and kindlier elements of our
nature will soon assert themselves and
YOU who listen disdainfully to me now
and perchance call me a crank. will