Year: 1878

WAsHINGToN, May 3.-Night before
last MIR. Chalmers, OF Mississippi, made
the opening speech on the Texas and Pa
ciRc, coupling with it an advocacy OF
other Southern Improvements. The to-
lowing gives an idea Of the character OF
the speech: 1t is evident, therefore, that
we are indebted to Northern Republi-
cans, and not to Northern Democrats, for
the favorable report of the Texas and
Pacific bill; and it is to be
remarked that the Eastern Re
pubicans were against us, while the
Western Republicans we're for US. There
is a significance in this vote which the
student of politics Will not fail to con-
slider. Mr.. Calhoun sas far back as lS45,
said that the Mississippi river was a
great inland sea, and that It's waters
washed an empire. Since then that en-
pire has grown rapidly in power, and to-
day the sixteen States which are washed
by the Mississippi and its tributaries con-
tam 3 majority OF the electoral votes Of
this union, and their people are natural
allies. From the great Northwest came
the boldest and best soldiers of the Federal
army. They won the first victories
against the South, and they are the first
now to extend q helping hand TO - fallen
Toe. This is lesson We shall not soon
forget, and the Republicans who show
thi. disposition will learn that the hearts
of men who were brave IN battle and
firm under oppression yield to kindness
what they deny to hate. Political parties
are now undergoing q change. The cur
rency question has separated political
friends and brought foes together. The
tariff question and the income tax Will
divide Us sill further. Upon these ques-
tions the w est and South have principally
united. The South IS the producer OF
gold bearing staple, and might have
united with the hard money men OF the
East, il she had not sympathlzed with
tle suffering West; and now when the
question of her material development
comes up, her representatives will watch
with deep anxiety the East and the West
to see which shall sympatize most with
them. They look frat to their Demo
cratic brethren. They point them to the
fact that when the South was represented
here by Republicans, the Republican
party stood ready to help her. Southern
claims were freely paid by Republican
Congress to the extent OF SlOO,OOO,OOo.
By q Republican Congress the Texas and
Pacific railroad was chartered, and land
grant gwen; a survey Of the Mississippi
river preparatory to an appropriation for
levees was made; levee bill passed the
lower house of a Republican Congress,
and funds were distributed for sgricul-
tursl colleges in the South. 1t now re-
mains TO bU seen whether Democratic
South shall receive less from Dem
oCratic Congress than q Republican
South received from Republican
Congress. | ask nothing for war claims.


But we ask Just distribution Of the
public funds for public improvements.
Ii our Democratic friends refuse this 10


us because they fear they may be defeat.
ed tor reelection, l say to them they
must remember that we, too, have con-
stituonts to please. If we ally ourselves
to party which is afraid to do justice
to our constituents they may leave US at


home and select other representatives,
who may make other alliances with men
who are not afraid to do justice to their


friends. To the Republicans, say,
"You have made fatal mistakes in


your treatment of the South in
your reconstruction measures. But
Tor those measures and the spirit which
prompted them, your party might have
found a broad and enduring basis in
Southern society. The policy of distrust


hate and oppression cemented the South
ern whites in opposition. The contin-
suce Of this policy, while it will not unite
the North, insures the continuance OF q
solid South. The next President, il
elected by the people, whether he comes
from the East or the West, must possess
two essential requisites. he must have
been loyal to the Union during the war
of secession to satisfy the Norin, and he
must f4ver the material development OF
the South now to satisfy her. Let those
who aspire to this position take notice"