Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1840-07-02

that brave and patriotic army of kentnck-
iaus, he had always held as the most hoo
oreble commission which it had been the
fortune Of his life to have conferred upon
him.
lie referred to a very recent story-got
up in his own northumberland sent
forth to the world, corroborated by the
sanctity of an affidavit--which represented
him as confessing TO a young man IN
steamboat that he was an abolltlonst, and
that, although he was an aboltionist. and
that, although he voted against restrictions
on Missouri, he did so in opposition to the
suggestions of his conscience, &c. lie
said the narrative bore on its face the proofs
of its absolute falsity--and when he pro-
Rounced it fabrication, without the SEM
blance Of fact or a word for its basis, it
was not because he thought 1t required
contradiction, but 10 evince the reckless
ness and respiration of his political enc
mics, who seemed to have given up every
ground Of hope, save that which they found
in villifying his name. at is melancholy
fact, tellow-citizens, sad Gen. Harrison,
"that tho advocates of Mr.. Van Buren,
should so far forget what belongs TO the
character of an American citizen, AM
so much violence to the nature
institutions, as to place the great pohs
contest in which we are now striving upon
an issue such as this. would no. accept
the lofty station, to which some Of you are
proposing to elevate me, lift came to me
by such means. l would not, If had the
power to prevent it, allow the fair fame of
my competitor to be unjustly assailed and
wounded even for the attainment OF that lofty
aim Of noble ambition. Nay, 1 have Of
ten defended Mr.. Van Buren, against what
! believed to be the Misrepresentation OF
my own mistaken friends and others. Eel
low-citizens, If Mr.. Van Buren, be the last
man 10 raise an objection against it, or to
desire to impose restraints upon the utmost
independence ofthought and action, and
the freest expression of feeling and opin-
ion. 4 love frank and generous adversa-
ry-such man l delight to embrace-and
will serve him, according to nay ability, as
cheerfulIy as my professed friend. But
that political warfare which seeks success
by foul detractiop, and strives for ascen-
dency by the ruin of personal character,
merits the indignation of honest men, is
hateful to every generous mind, and tends
too surely to the destruction of public vir-
tue, and. as a consequence, to the downfall
Of public liberty"
Gen. Harrison apologized for occupying
his fellow-citizens so long. lie SAID he
would but mention one more OF the latest
SANDERS which had come to his knowledge.
A German paper, published in Cincinnati,
almost Mnder his own eye, puts it forth,
with apparent sincerity, that ''Gen. Harri-
son, now a candidate for the Presidency OF
the United States, was, many years ago,
when young man, an aid to Gen. Wayne
dunng his Indian wars-and that, whenev-
err young Harrison found that battle was
coming on, he always ran off into the
wood" (Again there was loud and ire
pressibe laug hter.) H'he editor forgot,
said the General, when he served cup this
little dish. that the only possible security
TO young Harrison's scalp, on the approach
of a battle with the Indians, was in Geepiag
out of the moods! Such story as this can
only excite smile here, at is true, said
Gen, H., but this paper -circnlates not
alone in the United States -copes Of it are
probably read in Europe, where our history
is less known, and where the contradiction
Of such silly falsehoods may possibly never
come.
SIT has long hcen proverbial Of old SOL
diers, fellow-citizens, continued Gen. H.,
'that they delight to go back TO other days
and fight their battles over again. When
I began this address to you, intended on.
ly to speak of my far-famed COMMITTEE
OF CoNscIENcE-KEEPERs" and the Iron
CAGE" in which they coniine me, but l
have unwittingly taken advantage Of your
kind disposition to listen to me, and extern
ded nv remarks to other though kindred
topics. Il will only add that although they
have made a wide mistake who make me
dwell in an "Iron Cage" the unlucky
wight who put,me in Log Cabin was
little nearer the truth than he probably sup
posed himself to be. 1t is true that "a part
Of my dwelling house is a log cabin, but as
to the hard cider, (the laughter which fol-
lowed the allusion to the "hard cider"
branch of the story drowned the voice of
the ,speaker:A
But, said, Gen. SHakrisen, adnoni"
by the proverb, that you may assemble nj,
long speech to the common intrmity oil an
old soldier, and bring me under the >suspl-
cion of the loquacity ofage, l will conclude
these hasty and unpremedlated remarks by
thanking my fellow-citizens OF columbus
for their poiteness on the present occasion
as we'll as for the friendly feeling OF which
thew have uniformly and often heretofore