Year: 1868




Gentlemen of the Convention


We have seen that under the polio,


of our fathers, whi,h was adhered t,


for seventy years, we became a grea


and prosperous people, with light bur


thens of taxation, which were fairly


and equally imposed, with freedom


from official meddlinq, that made us thu


envy and admiration of the world.


1t is now our duty to see what have


been the results, IN seven years, of thu


''policy of hate" The condition ant


laws OF the land call upon us to sit in


Judgment upon rulers. Sad and pain


tul as the duty may be we must boldl,


probe to the bottom every ulcer ant


every wound upon the body-politic.


The war is ended, but peace has moi


returned We have won the victory


but our Union is not restored. Oul
land is filled with mourning and dis
tress, but anger, malice and revenge
are not softened. The noble strife of
arms has ceased, but the ignoble strug-
gle for power, plumber and place goes
on. Congress has done more to de.
stroy the Union, to break down the
fabric OF our government and to etface
the maxims and principles of our peo-
pie, than was ever aimed at by rebellion
Its system of tyranny and corruption
has not even the merit of being we'll
defined, intelligent or consistent. 1t
has been bewildcred for want Of intel
ligence; moons stent and inconstant
for want of principles cruel from cow
ardice and brutal from its instincts.


These are not charges made only by
political opponents, they are admitted
ny its supporters, many of whom i'm
plore it to stop in its mad career. The
records of this body, and its own stat
ute laws, show its inconsistent and i'm
beetle policy. There are laws which
tell you that when there was an armed,
open, and at the time successful rebel
lion. these men held that the Southern
States were not and could not be out
OF the Union. They formally called
upon them for their quota to put down
their own resistance to law. When the
Southern States laid down their arms
they were told they were not States in
the Union. So the Congressional the
ory is that they did not lose their State
rights by rebellion but by submission.
But these States were told if they would
abolish slavery they would have their
place again. Slavery was abolished by
their action and they made it unconsti-
tutional in any part OF the Union -
They were then told they were no
States at all, but unlawful combinations
So it followed that by abolishing sla,
very they had abolished themselves.
Then it was held that their society
was reduced to chaotic state, and
Congress would at once send down a
military force to organize free, popu-
lar and representative governments at
the point of the bayonet. 1t would
seem that ingenuity could go no fur
ther, but it did.


1t is a very notorious fact that near
ly one half of the people of the exclu
ded States are negroes; that they are
in form, color and character unlike the
whites, and that they are, in their pres,
ent condition, an ignorant and degra-
ded race. 1t is the clear duty of all
men to lift them up as high as we can
In intelligence, virtue and religion. 1t
is no time to stop and dispute about
chronological questions. We must do
the best We can with them and for
them. And have no doubt such will
be the course of the Southern States.
Their safety, happiness and prosperity
demand it. When they were about to
enter upon their duty, Congress again
steps forward, moved by a profound
wisdom, and tells the South there must
be no more black or white men, no
more differences of color, and that they
must sOlemnly declare in their new
State governments that it shall be un
lawful, and high crime to see or know
the fact any man is of African descent.
But the people OF the South replied,
how can we do justice to these people
If we do not respect the truths of their
condition. Congress answers in the
spirit of the witty Frenchman "if facts
stand in the way, so much the worse
for facts" You must pass laws in
your Conventions abolishng these vile
truths. You must not know that there
are such wicked things as differences of
race, color and condition, except you
may. ifyou please, know that a man is
an Indian.


Having abolished the black man and
made him a white man, by act of lcgis
lation, Congress hoped for rest in their
efforts to weave rope of sand which
was to bind these men togethcr,-bu
the Constitution Of Alabama was re.
jected. The people would not vote for
it,-whereupon, Senator Sherman. in
full view OF the fact, that the President
was menaccd with impeachment it he
violated the Reconstruction act, moved
that Congress itself violate this same
measure by admitting Alabama under
. Constitution of its own rejection.


The policy of Congress is more CRU
el toward the blacks than the whites. |
The poor people who are now on trial
to test their capacity to take care of
themselves, are thrust into positions
demanding wisdom, learning ard ezpe
49, Nk4 -
Conventions and official life has expos.
ed them to the ridicule Of the world,
and is . serious hindrance to their pro-
gress. 1t has filed their minds with
false viewa and honoa II has trr,ad /