Year: 1872




We are assembled here this evening


my cOuutrymen, not to determine whs


we are 70 do; 1 ana happy 10 believe tha


most OF US have made up our minds Ol


that subject. But we wish 70 consult a


% the best means TO do our work thor


oughly and accomplish our end com


pietely. Next Tuesday q great battle i


10 be delivered, not physical, but pOliti


cal, to which we all shall be called {,


take q part. At that time millions o


American citizens viii go up to deposi
IN silence a little bit Of paper with a few
words upon il in a ballot-box, whose con
tents viii probably have more momen
U0us consequences than the cartridge
boxes in most OF the best-fOught fields il
modern times. No military field ha
ever been fought on which half the mel
appeared who viii be engaged in thi
great political contest.


There are q few great physical battle
on which the destiny Of the world ha
oeen said TO have turned at the time
hut not all Of these have led to NOR,
mOmeBtOus results than viii flow from
the great civil contest Of next month
The battle Of Pharsalia was said to hav,
involved the question Of imperialism o
republican form Of government il
Rome. And is not this very question
involved here? II all power Is to b,
concentrated in the Federal Govern.
ment, and the President is 70 be armed
with absolute authority over a vast see
ton Of country in time OF peace, undel
the pretext OF martial law, what othel
result can We expect than 8 change L
imperial government IN this country.
need not pause 10 demonstrate to thi.
III
power in the general government must
end IN monarchy; our fathers have done
this work too completely to make anv
further demonstration necessary here Ia
Oid Virginia. l might repest what we
sil have learned, and, I trust, still re-
member, but 1 could not add to its
force. What must be the consequence
Of entrusting the President TO declare
martial law over the South in time OF
peace seems to me TO be equally obvious.
We all know what


MARTIAL Law


means here, even when 1t left arbitrary
power In just and friendly hands. To
what il must lead when used as q sup
plement to the odiOus kuklux laws and
directed by hostile power, who would
Ee at 8 loss to imagine? In all govern
ments Of a popular character il seems 10
have been thought Necessary in times OF
war and supreme danger 70 deposit
more than the usual power Of govern
ment IN some single hand with author
lty TO use il arbitrarily and at his own
discretion. In such cases the Romans
appointed a dictator, but with great re-
luctance. The hberty-lOving Anglo
Saxon in England and this country
-. har-a eH,.,Hr--1.#
some such power was necessary IN his
form Of popular government, and be has
sought TO accomplish his end through
the device Of martial law, which means
the same thing, in fact, as the dictator
ship IN Rome. To allow the President
70 establish martial law in timeof peace.
and at his pleasure, in large sections Of
country, is virtually to declare him die
tator in that region and over its people.
Once


DICTATOR OVER THE SOUTH,


what becomes Of liberty in the rest Of
the United States? 1t may be said that
General Grant meditates no such change.
eerhaps not. But Presidents viii be
elected who wiz desire such change,
and what a precedent will they find
ready established for their use. Now,
do not say that the election Of General
Grant viii establish Imperialism in this
country. Neither did the battle Of
Pharsalia establish it in form at once; il
only made Caesar dictatOr-an emperor
in fact, but not in name. But / do say
that the election OF General Grant, IN
der the circumstances and the principles
Of bis party, tends very strongly in that
directiOn-in other words, that it has
"an awful squirting toward monarchv.n
The greht victory of Charles Martel over
the Sar acenes near Tours is said 10 have
decided the destiny and character Of
European civilization. And what Is to
be the character hereafter Of


SOUTHERN CIVILIZATION


If this great Radical party is 10 rule
hereafter as it has done for some time
past, and As it viii have the power to do
il Grant should be reelected? II the
inferior elements Of society are to be put
over the superior, If the places Of honor
and high trusts OF government are to be
put in the hands Of those who are inca
pacitated frJm want Of character and
information to discharge their duties
properly, what is 20 become % the peO-
pie under their control? Who will look
20 the occupants Of such places as ex-
amples 70 be avoided and not f0llowed2
What must become in the end Of the
spirit and character Of such a people
from q continuation Of this kuklux legis-
lation administered in the spirit which
has heretofore characterized our rulers.
and after q long course Of such treatment
a. has been tust described, from those
who really control them, In which they
see nothing 50 evident a. e design 10 de
grade them and destroy their self-re-
spect? II We are 10 judge the future by
the past, have We a right to expect any
other than these results, ii


GENERAL GRANT


and his party should be continued IN
power. And Is not al this involved as a
consequence Of the great political con-
test which, in few days, VIII be de-
cided2 Was there a. much difference
in European civilization between the
wild and yet uneducated Teuton and
Celt and the Saracen uf that day a.
there il 30 Southern civilization between
the Radical and the pal y supporting
Greeley at the present tine? II we
elect Mr.. Greeley do We not know that
we shall place in power q man and
party who will treat the South justly
and kindly? That under such rule the
South VIII enjoy real peace, with none
70 make her people afraid 20 long q
they do their duty and violate no laws,
but that each man may repose In quiet
under the shadow Of his own vine and
fig tree, without any apprehension Of
being dragged TO a Northern prison, not
70 remedy any wrong, but % accom-
plish political purpose purpose, per
haps, Of hate and Of revenge. II we
FHfs frs he.
rule, does any man doubt that we shall
stay the further progress Of the concen-
uatlon Of all power in the hands Of


THE FEDERAL 0OvEREMENT,


and the further tendency toward impe-
rialism in our political institutions, If,
indeed, the two things be the same, as
We hsYe always been taught 70 believe,
until the people can be brought up 70 the
rescueI In such a contest as this, can
any Nirginian doubt as 10 the side be
VIII take? Remember il is q question
OF popular rights; aye, Of American
liberty Itself. Can any man doubt where
Virginia VIII stand in such a contest a.
this2 She assisted to plant our tree Of
liberty when Il was a seed no larger than
that spoken Of in Scripture. Our fathers
watched its growth with tender solici-
tude. Virginia has defended il in peace
and ia war. She has watered It with
her blood and her tears. As it put forth
its branches 70 the heavens and covered
the land with its sweet and refreshing
shade, with what aifectionate pride has
she beheld the weary and afflicted Of the
earth, resOrting TO that shade for repose
and protection. That tree, as We believe.
Is now IN unfriendly keeping, perhaps
in hostile hands. Shall we do nothing 2
VIII We not give vote to rescue il?
Are we 70 be told that we viii not accept
HONEST AND POWERFUL ASSISTANCE
in this great and good work, because
there are some old scores to be first set
tleds For one viii do no such thing.
I VIII raise no question for indemnity Of
the past, If they viii give me security
for the future, for the just and kind
treatment Of The South, and for the dis
eontinuanoe Of those measures that
threaten 50 much 20 American liberty
be VIII do these things, be and his
shall have the honor aud Offices Of this
government, 50 far as my vote can give
taf m to him. If my house be on fire
viii not refuse the bucket q WateI