The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1860-09-13
Remarks of Peter Cartwright.

called upon at the Democratic mass i
meeting, held at Carrolton August ,
9, 1860, came forward in the pres 4
ence of 10000 people, and in the
course of q few remarks, used the ,
following language: 1
l am an old man, and it would
be impossible for me to make my
voice heard by this vast assembly.
l do not desire to make q political
speech, for it is my sphere to talk
upon another subject. Besides,
there are others here better
able to address you than myself, l
only wish to explain a few facts
that have been circulated in the
papers in regard to a converse
ton which took place between my
self and certain others on the cars,
the substance of which was as fol-
lows:
While on a trip to the East, l
found myself in the company of
some Northern Abolitionists and
Republicans, and in the course of
our remarks some one asked what
State l was from, and 1 replied
from Illinois. "Then," said he,
you must be acquainted with Mr..
Lincoln, our candidate for Presi-
dent. l had ought to be, for l liv-
edin the same county with him for
many years." He then asked,
"What kind of o man is he?"
Smelling a rat, as the old saying
is, and wishing to avoid a political
discussion, I thought I would di-
vert the attention of the company
from this subject, and said 1: "He
is about six feet four, and if q line
were let fall perpendicularly from
the crown of his head to the sole of
his foot, it would cut him in too
about three times"
l also told them hat 1 had been
twice elected to the Legislature,
and was a candidate against old
Abe, and beat him, and that he
not only suffered defeat, but was
the hindmost man of the three can
didates then in the field. I also
remarked hat l entered the politi-
cal arena because there was an at
tempt made by some corrupt poll
ticians to change the State Consti-
tuition so as to admit slavery, that
l left Kentucky because I did not
like to live with the institution of
slavery, and I naturally desired H.
linois, my adopted State, to remain
free; hence upon this issue I be-
came a candidate and was elected,
majority of the people preferring
q free, and a small minority a slave
State. Abe consequently became
o Wing when there came q MAORI
ty of that party in his county. 1
have always been a Democrat, and
if it were not for what little reli-
gion I hare got, I would slap the
jaws of some of those Republicans
who accuse Democrats of being
pro slavery. The papers say Old
Abe beat me for Congress, which is
true, but I wish to explain how it
was. The Wing majority in the
district was thirty-fve hundred. /
was nominated by the Democrats,
but 1 told my friends 1 could not
and would not canvass the district.
!, however, canvassed one county,
and in that beat Abe ten votes =
and 1 believe if I had canvassed
the whole district I should have
been elected to Congress.
Abe was elected however by ff-
teen hundred majority, I having
reduced his party's majority two
thousand votes and ifthis is getting
beat L am willing to be beat any
time. If any do not believe these
facts let them 60 to herecords and
see for themselves 1 had intend
ed if Douglas, whom I assisted in
getting his first Office in this State,
and who 1 hope will be elected,
was not nominated at Baltimore,
to declare myself an Independent
candidate against Abe Lincoln, for
! am confident l could beat him,
and | know I would make a better
President than old Buck or Abe
either. Some say that Abe was
only thirteen years old when I was
elected to the Legislature, and il
so, l have only to say / beat a big
Baby. In my Biography there are
many facts hastily thrown togeth.
err, the time of their occurrence not
being recollected or not definitely
specified. In my remarks I mean
nothing disrespectful to MI. Lin.
coin; I have nothing to say against
his private character, but l think
he has some ''spots" rs we'll as the
rest of us.
1t is needless to say the audience
gave the most strict attention, anC
that the venerable Elder resumed
his seat amid deafening shouts Of
applause.-CdrrOlto Gazette.