Year: 1870

GOVERNORS ALCORN AND WARMOTH
Colonel MeCOmb's Speech


The Jackson Pilot reports more fully the
speeches at the railway meeting at Jackson
last Tuesday evening. The report of Gov
ernor Warmoth's speech does not do him
full justice; as the speech was infinitely
better than the report:


Mr.. Speaker Franklin. on motion of Sen.
atOr Warner, being called to the chair, said !:
have the pleasure of introducing to you
Governor Alcorn, Governor Of Mississippi.


Governor Alcorn: The object of our meet.
ing, gentlemen, is to do honor to those dis.
tinguished gentlemen who are here in the
interest of the great railroad enterprise,
and to welcome them and those who accom-
panied them on this occasion. l am called
upon Unexpectedly, and it is no part of my
purpose to make a speech, but in simple
terms of friendship bid you hearty wei
come to the capital of our State. We have
no form nor ceremony here; we use
no language of empty compliment, but
with words of hearty welcome We receive
you. We welcome you, Colonel McComb,
and you. gentlemen, who have come in
company with him on the excursion train.
We bid you welcome al-welcome to the
Gubernatorial mansiOn-welcOme to the
halls of egisstion-welcOme to whatever
we can contribute to make your visit happy
and pleasant: But not only do we welcome
you, but we offer you our congratulations
on the changed condition of affairs we are
now permitted to witness. The sound ard
turmoil of war have passed away, and we
can meet now, though from ditferentStates,
as citizens of a common country. we are
glad that we are permitted to receive the
visitation OF his Excellency the Governor of
louisiana; we are glad that he is here to bid
us God speed in the prosecution OF
that good work which Is now going
forward, aud that so successfully, and
with so much profit to all classes OF the
people of these States.


Gentlemen of the Legislature, this is the
first time that we have been honored with a
visit of the Governor of a reconstructed
State. Let us do ourselves the honor OF re-
ceiving him with that cOrdlallty which the
merits of our guest and the occasion so pro-
pitious and full Of promise calls for.


present to you his Excellency, Governor
Warmoth, of the State of Louisiana.


Governor Warmoth-Mr. President, and
gentlemen of the Legislature: The emotions
which experience on being thus introduced
: to you by his Excelency, the Governor OF
Mississippi are such as almost to preclude
my replying at all to these hearty greetings,
and to those words of kindness which have
fallen from the lips of the Governor; but,
gentlemen, though l have no words ade-
Ouate TO lexpress the sentiments and feelings
that possess my heart, do beg you to accept
nv heartfelt thanks for the hearty reception
which has been accorded to me. We have
come, gentlemen, not for speech making,
but we have come to see the condition OF
certain railroad property in which our peo-
,,lo ;,ta ta1 m rpnnrt tn
Zens at home what that condition is. We
find this property, gentlemen, in condition
which will require great capital and great
energy and skill to make it what 1t should
be, and to fill the conditions of first-class
road. We believe that We have placed the
stock and the capital in the hands OF COM
pany which is determined to place that rail-
road in a condition that will give satlsfac-
tion to the people of our States. We have
been everywhere overwhelmed by the kind
ness and cordiality with which we have
been received in all parts Of our travel. We
can congratulate you, If not on the actual
condition, yet on the prospects OF that road
in which your State and mine have COM
mon interest.


We are glad, fellow.c citizens of Mississippi,
that YOU are back into our glorious Union,
and that too under more prOpitiOus state
of things than that which we have mad to
encounter in Louisiana. Those heart
burnings and deep-seated animosities that
for so long a time embittered our very K
isterce you have happily escaped. The
trouble is, that we got out of the Union too
soon and got back to it too quick. But
however painful the attendant clrcumstan-
ces we are back, ana you we rejoice are
back too, and we can join hands IN the
great and glorious work OF reconstruction.
But great as has been the strife, herce as mas
been the conflict through which we have
passed, may wenot hope that this is ''un fait
Accompli," work thoroughly and etfectually
" completed without danger Ottuture disaster,
much less of miscarriage?


Yes sir, in this confidence we stand, and
we will never look back, but only forward
to dawning glories of the future, praying
only that God may give us strength to go
on to the end, till we shall have consolidated
our laws and our liberties on a firm and
enduring foundation, and attained to the
perfection of government. l believe the
future is dawning upon us propltlously-a
future which the clouds of adversely will
not overshadow or obscure. Among the
most hopeful and pleasing signs OF the
times is the fact that all classes are becom.
ing satisfied that the new order of things
has refuted those calumnies, which could
only have been promulgated and believed
when the evil passions engendered py war.
and strife, and bloodshed, were totally
dominant; when all that is noble and gener-





every clement of malignity was in the as
cendant. The people of the South are begin
ming to see that men hailing from the Nortn
are cot necessarily the very worst people IN
the world after all. l believe that all par
ties are beginning to see the folly OF keep.
ing I'D this bad blood and fomenting strife.
I believe this from what see here IN Mis-
sissippi that much the same spirit exists
here as in Louisiana. l congratulate you
upon it my fellow citizens. l believe the
time is coming when we shall not ask the
color of mans skin or the place of bis
nativity, before welcoming him to all the
rights of an American citizen. These things
are beginning to give way, and the reign
of prejudice to yield to the sway of rea'
son. The bad men who are appealing
to the prejudices which have existed
against the lately enfranchised, are begin
hing to be regarded as class OF chronic
thalcontents, who are not amenable tc
ne;nson and will soon become the victims, as
per,y are already the dupes of their OWL
whis7. The man who INDUCES himself In
SEuNSishing sectional feeling and stimulating
f0tJpreiuiice of race, will not fail to be
OAlrded as a disturber of the public peace
nnds a fool to the best interest of the State


i'd want to cultivate no other spirit bu1


dtdship and concord. The success OF our


tolican government depends more upon


cultivation of these principles than upon


other consideration whatever.


t'ey hope that my friends Of Mississippi


t,materially and successfully contribute


f'-d bringing about that state OF things


4 A, r. nd