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Warfields iaaamgwrai Address.
The following is the text of Gen-
the existence of the Union, was elos.
Fellow Citizens: We stand to day
upon an eminence which overlooksa
hundred years of national life, a
century crowded with perils but
crowned with triumphs of liberty.
Before continuing the onward march,
let us pause on this height for a mo
ment to strengthen our faith and re
new our hopes by a glance at the
pathway along which our people
have traveled. It is now three days
more than a hundred years since the
adoption of the first written consti
tution ofthe United States, the ar
ticles of confederation and perpetual
union. The new republic was then (
beset with danger on every hand.
It had not conquered a place in the
family of nations. The decisive bat
tle of the war for independence,
whose- centennial anniversary will
soon bo gratefully celebrated at
Yorktown, had not yet been fought.
Colonists were struggling, not only
against the armies of a great nation,
but against the settled opinions of
mankind, for the world did not be
iieve that the supreme authority of
the government could be safely en
trusted to the guardianship of the
people themselves. We can not
overestimate the fervent love of
liberty, intelligent, courage and sav
ing common sense with which our
fathers made the great experiment
of self government. When they
found, after a short trial, that the
Confederacy ofStates was too weak
to meet the necessities of a vigorous
and expanding republic, they boldly
set it aside, and, in its stead, estab
lished a national union, founded di
rectly upon the will of the people,
endowed with full powers of self
preservation and with ample author
ity for the accomplishment of its
great objects. Under this constitu
tion the boundaries of freedom have
been enlarged, the foundations of or
der and peace have been strengthen
ed, and the growth of our people in
all the better elements of national
life has indicated the wisdom of the
founders and given new hope to
their decendants.
Under this constitution our peo
ple long ago made themselves safe
against the danger from without,
secured for their mariners and flag
equality of rights on all the seas;
under this constitution twenty-five
States have been added to the Union
with the constitutions and laws
framed and enforced by their own
citizonsTo secure the manifold bless
ings of local self-government. The
jurisdiction of this constitution now
covers an area fifty times greater
than that of the original thirteen
States and a population twenty
times greater than that of 1780.
THE SUPREME TRIAL OF THE CONSTITU
TION
came at last under the tremendous
pressure of the civil war. We our
selves are witnesses that the Union
emerged from the blood and fire,
made stronger for all the benificent
purposes of government, and now at
the close of this first century of
growth with inspirations of its histo
ry in their hearts, our people have
lately reviewed the condition of the
nation, passed judgment upon the
conduct and opinions of political par
ties and have registered their will
concerning the future administration
of the government. To interpret
and to execute that will in accor
dance with the constitution are the
paramount duties of the executive.
Even from this brief review it is
manifest that the nation is resolutely
facing to the front, resolved to em
ploy its best energies in developing
the great possibilities of the future,
sacredly preserving whatever has
been gained to liberty and good gov
ernment during the century. Our
people are determined to leave be
hind them all those bittter contro
versies concerning things which have
been irrevocably settled, and the
further discussion of which can only
stir up strife and delay the onward
march.
THE SUPREMACY OF THE NATION. .
and its laws should be no longer the
thesubjeetof debate. That discussion
That-constitution and laws, made in
pursuance thereof are and shall con
tinue to be the supreme law of the
land, binding alike upon the Slates
and people. This decree does not
disturb the autonomy of States nor
rights of local self-government, but it
does fix and establish the perma
nent supremacy of the Union, speak
ing with the voice of battle and
through the amended constitution,
has fulfilled the great promise of
of 1776, by proclaiming liberty
throughout the land to all theinhab
itants thereof.
THE ELEVATION OF THE NEGRO
race from slavery to full rights of
citizenship is the most important
political change we have known
since the adoption of the constitution
of 1787. No thoughtful man can
fail to appreciate its benefits upon
our institutions and people. It has
freed us from the probable danger
of war and dissolution. It has ad
ded immensely to the moral and
and industrial forces of our people.
It has liberated master as well as
slave from the relation which
wronged and en-feebled both. It
has surrendered to their own guar
dianship, the manhood of more than
5,000,000 of people; has opened to
each one of them a career of free
dom and usefulness. It has given
inspiration to the power of self help
the People's
NEWTON, N. C., SATURDAY, MARCH
anction of the law. But the danger
IGNORANCE IN THE VOTERS
cannot be denied. It covers a field
far wider than that of negro suffrage
and the present condition of that
hides in the sources and fountains of
standard by which to measure the
disaster that may be brought upon
US by ignorance and vice in citizens,
in suffrage. The voters ofthe Union
who make and unmake the constitu
tions and upon whose will bangs the
destinies of our government can
transmit their supreme authority to
ations of voters
If that
blinded by ignorance and corrupted
by vice the fall ofthe Republic will
be certain and remediless. The cen-
in both races by making labor more . alike,
honorable to one and more necessa-
the appalling figures which mark
how the dangerously high tide of il
literacy has reached among our
voters, and their children. To the
South this question is if supreme im
portance. But the responsibility for
the existence of slavery did not rest
upon such alone. The nation itself
is responsible tor the extension ofthe
suffrage, ami is under special obliga
tions to aid in removing the illiteracy
which it has added to the voting
population, for the North and South
ry to the other. The influence of
this force will grow greater and
bear richer fruit with coming years. '
caused serious disturbances to our
Southern commmunities. This is to!
be deplored though it was perhaps
unavoidable. But those who resist
ed the change should remember that
under our institutions there was
NO MIDDLE GROUND FOR THE NEGRO,
between slavery and equal citizen
ship. There can be no permanent
disfranchised peasantry in the United
constructing
ACROSS THE ISTHMUS
which unites two continents,
And now, fellow citizens, I
about to assume the great
which
Scieni
and
am
trust
committed to my
thoughtful support
this government in
law, the government
to a
loci 1
suit!
void
on 1J
ofthe people. I shall greatly rely j min
upon the wisdom and patriotism ofieilhl
Congress and of those who may Ao rd
share with me the resppnsibilties
and duties ofthe administration ; and
above all, upon our efforts to pro
mote the welfare of this great peo-
ently invoke the support and ble:
ings of Almighty God.
A Talk With Artemus Ward.
I met Artemus Ward but once. I
was quite young at the time, and
was acting as city editor of the Slur,
published at Schennectady, New
York. While I was city editor of
that sheet I met Artemus. I was
standing on a bridge at the time, and
in talking about newspaper work,
was about to say something in re
gard to my heavy editorial responsi
bility, but Ward checked me by say-
“What crock is this ?”
Why, this
BUT ONE REMEDY.
All constitutional power of the nation
and of the States, and all volunteer
forces of the people should be sum
moned to meet this danger by the
saving influence of universal educa
tion. It is the high privilege and
“Why, of course, it is navigable
from one end to the other.”
“Well,” solemnly replied Ward,
“that beats all the streams that I
ever heard of. By the way, I think
sacred duty of those now living to
educate their successors and fit them
by intelligence and virtue, for the
fullness of blessings so long as the
law or its administration places the
smallest obstacle in the pathway of
any virtuous citizen. The emanci
pated race has already made remark-
able progress with unquestioning de
votion to the Union and with a pa- :
tience and gentleness not born of
fear, they have followed the light as'
inberitancee which awaits them.
In
this beneficent work sections and
races should be forgotten and parti-
find a new meaning in divining the
oracle which declares that “a little
child shall lead them,” for our little
children will soon control the destin
ies of the republic. My country
men, we do not now differ in our
judgement concerning the controver
sies of past generations, and fifty
years hence our children will not be
divided in their opinions concerning
God gave them to see the light, bless their fathers
They will surely
They are rapidly laying the material God that the union was preserved,
foundations of self-support, widening
the circle of intelligence
ning to enjoy blessings that gather'
around the homes ofthe industrious!
poor. They deserve the generous’
encouragement of all good men. So,
far as my authority can lawfully ex-!
tend they shall enjoy the full and,
equal protection of the constitution!
and begin-l that both races were made equal be-
fore the law.
the final reconcilliation. Is it not
with time by anticipating and ac-
terprises of the highest importance
Full and free enjoyment to our moral and material well bein
of equal suffrage is still in question,
and a frank statement may aid the
solution.
It is alleged that in many commu
nities negro citizens are practically
DENIED THE FREEDOM OF THE BALLOT.
invite us, and offer ample scope for
the employment of our best power.
Let all our people, leaving behind
them the battle-fields of past issues,
move forward, and in the strength of
liberty and the restored union, win
the grander victories of petice.
I can make out some
anchored up the stream
are they, propellers or
ers ?”
1 replied that they
there, what
Ude-wheel-
mere
canal boats,and were moved by horse
“Ah! I didn’t think the stream
was as shallow as that,” replied Ar
temus.
“As shallow as what?”
“Why, you say that those boats
are pulled along by horses. Now, of
course, they must walk along in front
ofthe boat, mustn’t they. I used to
run a stone boat on my lamented
Uncle John’s farm, and 1 distinctly
remember that the horses walked
I mentally declared that I had
never before met with such ignor- ■
ance. 1 spent some time in explain
ing the peculiarities of the big ditch,
and just as I bad begun to think j
that at last I had set the stranger
right on the subject, he knocked my
hopes into kindling wood by remark
ing:
“I suppose that when the stream,
dries up in summer they put the,
boats on wheels, don't they ?”
Then 1 began again arm explained ; c( j I
every feature in the canal, from New e ] u ]l
York to Erie. IIow attentively he
listened to my words, lean still 8e e o vel
that melancholy face, lit by the sad
light of the stars, and those mourn I geei
ful eyes looking into mine so earnest , 0 p J
lion is admitted, it is answered that
in many places honest local govern
ment is impossible if the mass of the
uneducated negroes are allowed to
vote. These are grave allegations.
So far as the latter is true, it is only
a palliation that can be offered for
the opposing freedom of the ballot.
Bad local-government is certainly a
great evil which ought to be prevent
ed, but to violate the freedom and
sanctity of suffering is more than an
in will destroy the government it
self. Suicide is not a remedy. Ifin
other lands it would be high treason
to compass the death of the King, it
should be counted no less a crime
and stifle its voice. It has been said
that“unsettled questions have no pity
for the repose of nations.” Itshould
be-said with the utmost emphasis
that this question of suffrage will
never give repose or safety to States
or nations until each within its own
THE INTERESTS OF AGRICULTURE
deserve more attention from the
Government (han they have yet re
ceived. The farms of the United
States afford homes and employment
for more than one-half of our people
and furnish much the largest part of
all our exports. As the government
lights our coasts for the benefit of
commerce, so it should give tillers of
the soil the best lights of practical
science and experience. Our manu-
after I had talked for nearly half an I
hour, going fully into the details of
i “Any saw-mills on this stream that
bod
mos
Shortly after some gentlemen came 1
along who seemed to be acquainted
with my obtuse friend, Presently ■
one called him Artemus, and then I ;
commenced to reflect. I alway re- j
fleet best when I’m hid away some
where, so I went and bid myself.— '
Detroit Free Press.
dustrially independent, and are prov. j
ing to capital and labor new and I
profitable fields of employment, j
Its Action is Sure and Safe.-
The celebrated i'erncdv Kidne
Their steady and healthy
should still be maintained.
cilities for transportation should be
promoted by the continued improve
ment of our harbors and great inte
rior waterways, and by the increase
of our tonnage on the ocean. The
bird
the
tim
now be obtained in the ! bittl
growth usual dry vegetable form, or in i moi
Our fa- liquid form. It is putin the latter Sim
way for the especial convenience of takJ
’those who cannot readily prepareiin^
i it. It will be found very concentra- so g
l ted and will act with equal efiicien- ! gest
! cy in cither case. Be sure and read 1 hear
I the new advertisement for particu-i reliJ
, jmca
development of the world’s com-I
merce has led an urgent demand for | lars.—South and West.