Nevada national., 1859-08-06
mr.. L..Aa-,. vi.ss..ss.-.

has been read by thousands. A more thor
ough refuiaiion Of calumnics, more perfect
vindieatioa Of personal character, was never
made, we venture to say. from the commence
ncnt OF our political history TO the present
time. Disdaining to base his de fence on the
weakness Of the case made ont by bis accusers
he boldly and triumphantly Ito use HE own
laneusge) rrOrsd his O,cn innocence We
regret that our limited space will admit Of
our publishing My few extracts from this
the great speech Of the campaign OF 1859.
After an appropriate introduction, the or
ator proceeded to state the first charge to
which be would reply, in the following Ian
gusge -
A Senator OF the United States-a rep
resentative of the sovereignty OF the great
State OF California-saw it, In this place,
few nights ago, before n large and respect
able audience Of the people OF California, to
make charge against me, which. IL true.
would wipe me out of the consideration Of
all men of respeetability and standing. lie
stated that during the Senatorial controversy
W ACots HHtn M tittttu OtuAtOi VI tut-
United States. the reason he saw fit TO change
hi. strength and influence from me to SEN
ator Gwin. was because was guilty Of the
disreputable act ofprocuring friend TO pur-
loin a written pledge given by me to one OF
his friends, to support him for the post OF
Collector of San Francisco. Gentlemen,
when he uttered that statement, he uttered
an unqualified. an inexcusable and most in
famous, damnable lie.
Having met Broderick's statement by this
direct and emphatic denial, Mr. Latham pro-
ceeded to sustain and corroborate IL by a
minute and frank narrative Of the facts con
nected with his written pledge to Judge Til
ford. and its alleged surrcptitious abtsrac.
tion; sustaining the same by the letters Of
Judge Tilford, which had been already pub.
lished. and the points Of which, at a later
hour OF the evening, were reiterated by that
gentleman in person, speaking from the same
stand.
Mr.. Latham next adverted 10 Broderick s
statement that, after giving written pledge
to Judge Tilford. he (Latham) had "sgreed
to support another OF bis tB.'s) friends for
the same Office" This the speaker pro-
nounced false /; and, in proof, read letter
from Hon. W. M. Lent. supposed to be the
other friend alluded TO above. Mr.. Latham
also denied having ever promised to support
Mr.. Conness for the Collectorship.
Next follows a full detail Of conversations
between the speaker and Broderick, includ-
ing the attempt OF the latter to persuade Mr..
Latham to sacrifice his political friends. as
for receiving the nomination
to the U. S. Senate from Broderick and his
followers. Having srurned the overtures Of
this political huckster-this Shylock insist
ed. like bis prototype, on the pound Of flesh,
Mr.. Latham was defeated of bis election Ia
concluding this branch Of his speech, Mr. La
than thus characterizes his accuser:
And yet this gentleman who approaches
you with SO much purity, before the ink was
dry on the parchment which gave him a
right to q seat where Clay and the other
bright lnminaries OF the nation sat-whle
yet the robes OF Office hung loosely and in
appropriately from his shoulders-turns
about, and in n manner that would suit a
fish monger in London. or denizen of the
Five Points in New York. to seek the spoils
OF Office for his dear, dear friends. [Grcai
applause.] / say, gentlemen. that this act
that his course as represented even by one
Of bis own friends tonight. shows. that
though be was q senator, and had the robes
OF Office on him. that be no more come up 10
the standard of that Office. than did Benedict
Arnold come up TO the standard OF patriot,
though he was IN officer and wore the uni
form Of an American General. [Appluse.l
Mr.. Latham next replied at length to the
charge Of attempted bribery. He says
come now TO another charge against me. in
comparison with which, all have stated.
pales in iusigniicance. have been charged
by the Opposition press. with vindictivenes
aud malevolence whish shows the intensity
of their personal hatred, with the crime Of
attempting to hrbe the Supreme Court Of
your State. From the first time the matter
was broached by my opponents, have never
responded. l have regarded il as so infa.
nous; as betraying 20 much malevolence--
so much of the keen vindictivcness which
characterizes the opposition 10 me, as to be
unwor thy OF my attention as man and
citizen. This very silence has been con-
strued by the Opposition press as an evidence
Of guilt. A more foul-a more Infamous
a more outrageous slander and.calumny was
never perpetrated against the dead, as we'll
as the living.
After detailing the facts bearing on this
subject. Mr.. Latham read, in support OF bis
allegations, letters from Judge Terry, Hon.
J.R. Mcconnell, Mr.. Vincent Z. Geiger,
Judge Heydenfeldt, and an affidavit Of J. R.
Beard. late Clerk Of the Supreme Court
The reading OF these documents was received
with the most enthusiastic applause by the
audience, when Mr.. Latham continued as
follows -
Now then, gentlemen, have only to say
thit: They have called, themselves, these
witnesses on the stand. They admitted.
from the first. that they could not prove this
charge themselves. They indicated that
these men could, and they have come for
ward to night and proved to you and the
/ people of this State my entire innocence
/ Ia al Ibis persecution which has been forced
iupoa s-e, have done what no criminal ever
asssiSssd at the bar has done-I have takef
,1i;sative, aud proved my innocence o.
! &c ss',ee charge. ! have shown to you to
f'sa. qua II Judge Murray ever entertained
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