The true Democrat., 1856-07-01
That Drop of Democratic Blood
 Another Slander Nailed.

The Know Nothing papers have been par tcularly earnest and active in pressing upon James Buchanan the charge that he sad "VI thought Ihad C drop of democratic blood n my veins would ope,, them and let a out"
 This is a gross slander. Mir. Buchanan never used any such language in his life. He denies ever having done so. The following is his let ter written in 1888, denying and denouncing the slander
 To tue Eltor cf the Pennsylvania Inquirer and Courier:
 Washington City, Feb. 27, 1888.
 SIR: 1 have this moment perused the letter of J. F. Cox, published in yesterdays Inquirer. His late official station, as member of the con- vention, induces me to notice the stale slander which he again repeats, and which / now pro- nounce to be utterly and absolutely alSe no matter from a0)lat source at may have proceeded, shaU prt,ceed. I never did, upon any occasion, public or private, whether at the court house in Lan- caster, or elsewhere. declare that [" if I knew 1 had a drop of democratic blood in my veins, I would let it out" or any words to that effect. This ridiculous story is lOithout shado,O of toua datioa,.
 The first version of the story was, that had used the expression in an oration which 1 had delivered at the court house in Lancaster, on the 4th of July, 1915. The oration itself dis proved this assertion, and then, after Mir. Cox had made it subject of debate before the reform convention, in May last, one of the pa- pcrs at Harrisburg solemnly announced that the expression had been used by me on the floor of the House of Representatives, in this city, in reply to Governor Floyd of Virginia, and that it could be proved by gentleman who had for merly been democratic Representative in Con- gress, from Pennsylvania. The scene is now again shifted to the court house in Lancaster, and certain Anthony McGlinn is the witness. He states that ia number of years ago, one evening"" whilst I was addressing political meeting there assembled, he had heard me use the expression already stated "in an emphatic manner, with my right hand elevated above my head" He does not state the year when this expression was used nor the name of any other person who was present at this public meeting.
 It does not seem to have occurred to MT. Cox. that if had uttered such sentiment as that attributed to me in the courthouse at Lancaster, it would have been heard by hun- dreds of people-that it would immediately have become the subject of universal remark and universal condemnation, and that it would have been severly and justly commented upon in the newspapers of the day. Had it been true, there would have been no occasion for him to resoft to Anthony McGlnn to prove the charge, nor to a conversation alleged by Mir. Ford to have been held with Mr. Peter Shindel, who, although respectable, is an aged man; and from defect of memory, incident to that pe- rod of lie, must have confounded what may have been stated to him by others, with what he had heard himself But Iagain repeat, no matter who has been or shall be the witness, the tale is utterly and absolutely false. l Shortly after the islander was made subject