The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-10-18
Challenge to Carl Schurz.

boston, Mass, sept "a, icoo.
CARL ScHURz-Dear Sir: Having been
informed that You intend coming to Bos-
ton during this Presidential campaign for
the purpose of addressing the pnblic upon
national affairs. l would ask of YOU the
favor Of meeting me, during your visit 70,
the purpose of having public discussion
Of some Of the most important and prom
inent dogmas in the creed Of the Repub-
lican party. to all of which have reason
TO believe that you subscribe
would not have intruded on you, sir,
especially. but for important reasons. Sir
you have been her; lded throughoutathe
country as an eminent defender Of the
Republican creed. an ardent supporter Of
Mr.. Abraham Lincoln for The Presidency
Of the United States. candidate represent
ing only q section of the States composing
ihis confederacy. More shan this. you
are put forth as the representative OF the
sentiments Of the great majority ofthe ''in
teiigeot" adopted citizens OF German birth
aud extraction.
Now, sir, expect that you will accept
this challenge more readily, when inform
you most respectfully that am also an
adopted citizen, and ike you, all exile for po-
litical reasons that l have labored for the
cause ofa free and snted Germany AS
much rs any other man, and that have
sacrificed lucrative position aud the so
cie:y of my nearest relatives and friends,
TO live aud die free man.
Having been an eye witness and actor
in the epoch of l848 and l649. have
learned enough To be here conservative,
whereas | was at that time a revolutionist.
| sanctioned and supported the revelation.
because il was an attempt of the peopie to
strike at those rights and liberties of which
they were deprived by system of abso-
lutte monarchism and sham constitutional.
ism. In March, 1848. the German peo-
pie gained their liberties aud rights. The
representatives. OF German knowledge,
science literature. undergraduates. and state
mansh ip, were delegated to ioim united
Germany--a Germany with no Austria
no Prussia. no Bavaria. no Saxonia, but
united Germany. Did they realize the
wishes Of the people? sal in that famous
cathedral (St. Paul's Kirche) during the
exis.ance of that Parliament; | SAT in the
Roman Saal Ksysersaal) during the whole
existance Of the Committee If fifty; ] sat
in the .'Vor Parliament" Oh could !
assemble all the victims of crazy manage
ment ~iin which you afflicted the good
people of Germany. could l gather the
thousands Of patriots here. | would show
them the very men who destroyed every
hope of constitutional liberty in the father
land have already commenced the scme
work of destruction here.
When. in l848, the kings we're PROSTATE
in the dust; when the army. the children
Of the people, were almost won over to the
popular cause. what did you | mean your
party aud all those now swarming in this
country and their authority and influence
do? Sir. instead Of consolidating the
distracted elements of Germany into con
federacy Of sovereign States. yon talked
about The independence of Italy and Poland
and all the nations Of the world, while you
neglected your own affairs. The army
was insulted--the .'army must be abol.
ished" d"-aud instead of availing yourselves
of the favorable position, and striking
quickly you sa, in the Franz urter Parlia-
ment and made long spesches. ill the
foothold gave way. and you and all of us
sent again into Egyptian darkness
Having wasted time for action. and re
stored darkness and despair at home, you
come hither to bless the people of this
country with your grand dogmas and
and theories; to repeat precisely The same
exploded experiments and absurdiles. -
When your own house was on fire instead
of rushing TO the rescue of its inmates You
sounded the big trumpet Of a ''universal
republic" eve must free Poland" we
must free Italy" 'all the world must be
free" Such we're your valorous shouts.