one made at the
residence of Mrs. Polk, the widow of President Polk. I remembered
her when she was the honored occupant and mistress of the White
House, at the time of my first visit to Washington in the winter
of 1846-47. She was still in vigorous health, and elegant and
dignified lady.

I wish here to express my grateful appreciation of the reception
given me by the people of Nashville on this occasion. There was
no appearance of mere form and courtesy due to a stranger among
them, but a hearty general welcome, such as would be extended to
one representing their opinions and identified with their interests.
I met there several gentlemen with whom I had served in Congress,
most of whom had been in the Confederate service. One of them paid
me a compliment after hearing my speech by saying: "Sherman, your
speech will trouble the boys some, but I could answer you."

This speech was made on the evening of the 24th of March, 1887, in
the hall of the house of representatives. It was carefully prepared
with the expectation that it would be delivered to an unsympathetic
audience of able men. I delivered it with scarcely a reference to
my notes, and substantially in the language written. Tennessee
and Kentucky had been Whig states, strongly in favor of protection,
and before the war were represented by John Bell and Henry Clay.
I claimed my fellowship with the people of Tennessee in the old
Whig times, and, aside from the questions that grew out of the war,
assumed that they were still in favor of the policy of protection
of American industries by tariff laws. I did not evade the slavery
question or the War of the Rebellion, but said of them what I would
have said in Ohio. I made an appeal on behalf of the negro, and
quoted what Senator Vest had eloquently said, that "the southern
man who would wrong them deserves to be blotted from the roll of
manhood." All we asked for the negro was that the people of
Tennessee would secure to him the rights and privileges of an
American citizen, according to the constitution of the United
States. I then presented the questions of the hour, taxation,
currency, public credit, foreign and domestic commerce, education
and internal improvements. On these questions I said the people
of Tennessee had like interests and opinions with the people of
Ohio, that the past was beyond recall, that for evil or good the
record was made up and laid away. I discussed each of these
subjects, d