Year: 1872




my party anyhow. / began it, and
am the father of it. I was spresent when
it was organized. 1t was in 1867.
heard thatsome of our friends at Macon
proposed to re-Organize the Democratic
party, and l went down there and there
was not one of our old Democratic lea
Gers there. They were under tho house.
was chosen president of that conven-
tion, and reorganized the Democratic
party, and 1 am the father of it. Tap
plause.] tell you it is the best DEM
ocratic party that ever was formed, ana
1t is tho only one ever wanted to be-
long to. tAppl.sase.1 My old Whig
friends, you need have no fears about
it. l have christenetl it and washed 1t
clean. [Applause.l Some of the spots
were hard to get out, admit, but they
are all out, and it is the best we can do.
For the eriis Of tie times there is no
better party, and tie principles uo,c
are right u they are onLy adhered to.
But warn you now, that whenever
that dragon of intolerance, lifts its head
again and seeks to rule this country by
system of brow-beating, the party
will be in danger. Don't allow it to
lift its head again lest you fall. Let us
all feel that we have u common destiny.
We will not charge you with the fail





were doing what was best for the coun-
try, but if you have failed, you owe il
to us, to your country, and to your
selves, to exercise this spirit of motiera-
ton, fairness and kindness.


AS to you young men, I desire to saw
u low words. Tho young men who
have not acted with any party, who
arc not identified with the Whig party
or the Democratic party, and I believe
there are no young men in this country,
thank God, who are identified with
the Republican party Tapplause1, are
the hopc of our State. There never
was generation of young men that
had greater responsibility resting
upon them than rests upon you. l came
to this hall for several days after tho
first assem- blage Of the Legislature for
the express purpose of watching the
young men, and Of seeing who they
were that would bo prominent in the
history of tho state in years to come.
also watched each graduating class
at our university, and put my mark
upon every young man whom thought
was going to be distinguished In tho
future.


Thank God there arc men coming
forward who are going to be shining
lights, and arc going to be the strong
men of this country. I feel grcat
pride in them, but let me warn YOU
now, young men, don't commit the
blundcr of tying your necks, IT'S you
enter the boistcrous sea of public life,
to the milestone Of defeated theories.
1t is cruel 1t is unkind oh, it is terri
bly, cruel for those who are old and
gray, and who have been wrecked up
on their theories, to spend tho remain
der OF their days in urging the young
to follow in their unfortunate foOtsteps
/ tell you the revolution has wrought
results, and auch.men arc but the lin
gcring echoes of dead systom. l do
not ask you to approve Of those results.
I do not say they aro right. I would
lose my right rrm before would say
they arc all right; but tell you there
is no greater truth in history than that
power is the chief element of law, and
power has wrought results, and he can
never be a wise statesman to guide tho
future lcstinics of this country and
build up its prosperity who does not
recognize these facts and go to work
accordingly. Why, fcllow-citizcns there
is scarcely q government on the face
of the earth that is not the result of
t,surpation. The time Will come,
believe it will come, ] have faith that
it will cOElc-mOdcratiOn, prudence,
dignity, forbcarancc, kindness to each
other, abstaining from abuse OF cacl,
other or of anybody will hasten it;
when u dark line will be drawn around
this infamous chapter in the history of
mankind, and when reconstruction
will be bIottcd out from the records of
the country. 1t may not be i'm your
day, it may not be in mine, but be-
licvc it will come ut last. 1t is not in
your power to accomplish it, but you
can promote it. You cannot promote
it by passion, hatred or intolerance,
but by good will toward each other, by
forbcarance, charity and moderation,
by going to work and building up your
own material interests-your own uni
vcrsitics, your own schools, and by
engaging in all those noble works for
the revival of your prosperity. you
do this, the time will come when pas
sion will subsidc and II reaction will
take place and there will be II sense of
justice in the Northern people, and
they will say, we repeat that in our
malignant passion, we offered such an
! insult to our brethren Of the South,