Year: 1877

FaSG PefllS or the Countrywide de-


mands and tho needs Of the South--A


Plea for Peace.


Governor Hampton, on Thursday,
tho 18th inst, delivered the opening
address at the Winnebago County,
ILL.,, Fair. Tho following extracts
include tho most interesting por-
tions of his speech 80 .Nf a'a.


Mr.. President and n,y Fello,o-
citizens Of Wioois-If any evidence
was needed to show the high ap-
probation i'll which I hold the in
vitation which brings mo hero
to day, it would surely be found in
tho fact that L have travelled moro
than one thousand miles that I may
make my acknowledgements to you
for the honor you have conferred
in person. Applause.] Under
ordinary circumstances T should
scarcely have felt ut liberty to have
left my official duties to participate
in an occasion of this sort, however
gratifying to mo the honor might
have boon but the invitation of the
Winnebago Agricultural Society
carried with it such weight that it
imposed on me ON obligation which
I felt I couldn't neglect. It was
this society u year ago, before tho
political spirit which has now so
happily subsidized had abated, that
was among the first to inaugurate
that spirit of reconciliation which is
now spreading with such wholesome
force over this land of ours.
Therefore, when they made O call
on me, as Southern man felt
that it was my duty to 60 and make
u response to them in porson, and
thank them for their course in the
interest of harmony, and to pledge
my cordial co operation In this
patriotic and noble work. Cheers ]
If I comprehend the purpose Of
your invitation to me, it was not
that [ should speak to you merely
on agricultural subjects, but that
l should discuss those graver and
broader issues which are distracting
the country. But, my friends, in
doing that, you need not fear that
l shall violate the proprieties of the
occasion by giving you political
speech. I shall speak to you for
no man, for no party, for no section,
but for tho whole country, lap
plause j and in doing that I shall
strive truthfully to sink all mon and
partisanship, and to place myself
on the grand high plane whore true
and pure patriotism can be found
[Applause. ''''''"'


You must admit that worry many
of the evils which have fallen on the
country have como from the mis-
conception of the purposes, each Of
the other. You remember there is
a profound truth, rs we'll MS O
knowledge of human nature, em-.
bodied in tho fable, where it is told
that in the olden timo q shield
white on ono side and black on the
other, was hung at the intersection
of two roads, and two knights ap


preaching in opposite directions
disputed as to the color of the.
shield. Finally their lances were
put in rest, md they perilled life
each to support his own convic-'
tions. It has seemed to mo, in
looking over all these questions,
that something of the Same sort
happened between the North and
the South. Tho Constitution was
the shield, viewed as it WAS from
different points and constructions.
The dispute upon the points waxed
warmer and warmer. The sword
was called in, and under it's red
arbitramont many O brave, and true,
and knightly soldier laid down his
life in support Of his conviction.
What might have happened my
friends, had prudence and not
passion ruled the hour, i. is useless
for ps to say now The statesman
looks to the past perils Of his, cQun-
try simply that he may tgpard
against them, and the prayer and
work Of the patriot should, tend
to the same end My friends,i i
speak for the South. We Of, tho
South have had not only enough,