Year: 1867

JUDGE KELLEY'S SOUTHERN TOUR
large MEETING OF WHITES AND BLACKS AT MONT


GoMERY AbABAMA-sPBBCH or JUDGE KELLEY


--sBNsrBLR ADVICE TO THE PEoPLE-oRDERLY


CONDUCT OF THE AUDIENCE, ETC.


MONTGOMERY, Alabama, May l9.-Judge
Kelley addressed a large meeting, composed
about equally of whites and freedmen, last
evening, at the Capitol grounds. He was intro
duced by MIR. John G. Keffer, of General
Swayne's civil staff. Governor Patton and
many other distinguished citizens, Of both
parties, were on the platform Several car
riages hlled with ladies' were on the ground:
interruption. The speaker was listened to with
profound attention and respect


Upon being introduced, Mr.. Kelley said that
he wished them to understand that he did not
come to promote discord among any people or
section, but to heal, If possible, with such In
huence as he could command, the wounds of q
bleeding country. The results OF the war, ter
ficent in the future. He regretted that it was
inevitable, but 1t seemed to have come in the
order OF Providence. All great benefits reached
us through suffering. The throes of agony
which afflicted alike the North and the South
brought with them the birth Of new nation.
ness Of the South and that of the cold North,
where men had to toll for every dollar; but still
more OF the luxuries of life. Alabama alone
had more resources in mineral and other
wealth than all New England put together. In
none of the Eastern States was there coal, and
little iron; they could not grow corn there. In
"A
in the North; but they had not done so because
they relied upon other States for food, and
Vegetables can SI be sToWn in This state. There
were copper, lead and gold in their hills. and 1t
would be their fault If the North did not cease
to send abroad for their crude birthstone, speci-
mems OF which and other minerals he had seen
moment ago In the Executive chamber,


These facts told in foreign lands, and the fact
that they had freedom now and common
schools being known abroad, capital and labor
would pour in from those countries. They
have their coal and iron slumbering In the
ground, and throw the toll upon the shoulders
their laborers, and throw the heavy work upon
machinery. Young, tender girls, and the
widow Of the soldier, tend the loom and direct
the thread while the steam engine does the
heavy work In coming to the South he
thought that his experience might be of service
membered for doing them some good


he alluded to the common school system in
man, rich and poor, is taxed, and the humblest
boy may step from the school to college, and
commercial establishment. This was his own
story. Since his eleventh year he never was a
WdRgRnS TO ssepe he
We're no such cities as New York, Philadelphia,
Cincinnati, or st. Louis in the South, yet they
had at their command In connection with their
other resources the richest cotton-he and
the richest ricefelds OF all America.


Both sections of country had the same Consti-
tuition and flag; but IN the North the boy was
educated TO rise in the world and become the
richest man in the community, and the law
guaranteed to the working man fair wages for a
fair days work. He urged them to build rolling
al Watumpka and UP in the other cotton dis
tricts, and to rotate their crops as we do in the
North. The day will come when Alabama will
not confne herself TO cotton as her sole crop,
but she will send her railroad iron to the Gulf
those around him would spin the cotton. They
need not tell him they can't do it, for he had
visited tne coiorea senooi&sano Sane 10 Iouno enough OF
that they had the laborers at hand If they only


addressing the white people, Mr.. Kelley said
he failed to ind any other reason for the differ
ence between the North and South than their
urged them to set aside their prejudices and
reconstruct the South promptly and willingly.
IL that were done he would declape. in behalf
of the whole country, that the present laws of
Congress would be q finality unless 1t was driven
to enact harsher measures, and before many
wears the South would be more liberal and as
prosperous as the North. He then addressed
hs rssdd the aSt TO toll or ther 1ng
and get paid for ii, but in doing SO they must be
Freedom means that a good man is better
than bad man, and the smart man wins the
race. They were at liberty TO protect their
wives. and they should take care OF them and
send their children to school, that they might
have lighter task to endure than their fathers.
They must live in peace with the people Of
Alabama. They will have to pay taxes and
study the politics of their country. Let those
who were mechanics try TO start for themselves,
and those who were farm laborers should avail
themselves of The Homestead law; or, If the
IoTId see that land offices should be brought





nearer to the people (Cheers) He was not the
agent OF a party, but he loved the party he be-
lopged to because of It's great principles. Devo-
tfon to the Union and belief in the rights of
man were its two bases.


AlIuding to the views of the Republican party
upon national interests, he said that they be-
lieyed that the 1evees of the Mississippi, whose
vVretched condition had lost millions OF acres
TO the South, should be kept in order by the
general Government because they believed
that that river was great national highway,
and essential to the prosperity OF the whole
country. Congress will not go farther than It
has done In the matter OF reconstruction, and
al had done nothing that was not essential to
the maintenance of a Christian republic. Citi-
zens of Montgomery, have spoken to you as
would have spoken TO the citizens of Mobile
had they listened to me If there be anything
Offensive in what have said. then proclaim,
as the Mobile people did, that ought to be shot
down. (Crles of mo, no." and loud cheersO


Amid the cheers Of the audience Judge Kelley
4 retired. This morning he left for Atlanta


SOUTH CAROLINA.


. ANoqHER VEHEMENT LETTER FROM EX-GOVERNOR