Speech #470057368

I have not had the honor to see or hear of it. The country will watch -with interest his course during his second term in the United States Senate to see whether the calcium light of his great abilities shall be thrown upon the side of law and order. or. as heretofore. be hidden when that question is at issue under the shadow of a Bourbon bushel. He is too able. too distinguished. and too prominent a political quantity to safely rest longer under the imputation of silence. 0o wonder. under this condition of affairs. that less than 1.000 immigrants came into the State during the year just closed. notwithstanding more than 600.000 were distributed during the same time among other States of the Union. The newlyelected governor of Mississippi makes. in his recent inaugural address. a plaintive appeal for immigrants to come in and help build up the waste places of that naturally rich State. The greatest of all authors makes one of his characters exclaim. "I can callup spirits from the vasty deep " and another to answer him. "Why so can I. or so can any man. but will they coine when you do call for them ?" Now. it is a very easy matter for Governor Lowry to advertise to the world the great needs of Mississippi. but let him be forever assured that until the policy of his State is so fixed and understood abroad as to protect all shades and all classes in the full and free exercise of their religious and political convictions. immigrants. with sense enough and vigor enough to seek new homes will never select that State as a place in whie% to raise either their families or their fortunes. This is an age when freedom is asserting herself. and when the prejudices of the narrow past must give place to the broadening and liberalizing spirit of enlightened progress. if he really desires to see his State grow and prosper. let him first impress the people that the laws must and shall be strictly and impartially enforced upon all classes equally and alike. and that. no matter what the opinions of any man may be. all shall have the free and untrammeled right to openly and freely proclaim them. This is the way to et immigrants and this is the way to make Mississippi rich. powernu. prosperous. and happy. Only a very short time ago this House was agreeably entertained by the honorable gentleman and accomplished Hibernian orator from New York. Mr. Con. in a very proper defense of the rights of foreignborn and naturalized citizens of his own complexion. He then very wisely said thatWhen a nation is forgetful of its duty to any of its citizens it is in process of decadence. Nay. sir. it is alresdy dead for its primal purpose. for it has lost the exultant spirit of nationality which makes it honored and respected by mankind. When a man ceases to be worthy of the protection of the State. the law ceases to be worthy of respect by its citizens. When ournation fails to give its protection it fails before mankind in its duties. whether it be a foreignborn or a naturalized citizen. Now. these be brave and commendable words. and the country will watch with some degree of interest to see if the distinguishea and honorabe gentleman will raise his potential voice to insist upon the same rights for his nativeborn fellowcitizens who have for so long a tine been deprived of them in the sixth district of Mississippi. and for no other reasons than that they honestly believed the Bourbon party to be an enemy to freedom aid to progress. and because. furthermore. their skins happened to be of a dusky hue. I know that when the question of a free ballot has been an issue. our good friends on the other side have had so jealous and sacred a regard for the venerated principle of "State sovereignty" as to oppose all national measures calculated to guarantee American citizens in their lawful franchise.