White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-03-15
Col. Forney Defines HinPosition.

On Thursday night Col; Forney wa
serenaded at his residence il Rhiladelphis
The following report of his sisssh on thai
occasion appears ID the City columns Of
the Press =.
Col. .Forney, in responding, teSk oeca-
sion to thank, from the bott6nz0f his
heart, those kind friends WHO ~ sar-
rounded him with this welcos. ind an
expected greeting to Philsdsl They
had come to celebrate an event N which
he had held the most prominent part
his elevation to position of honor and
dignity. There was something in this
political event of marked popularity
1t was achieved without importantly and
committal. So far as he had any part in
it, that part was characterized by two Ell.
ements: first. the surrender of no princi-
Piles, and secondly, the telling of no lies.
BE was chosen to that position by the aid
Of an immense majority of gentlemen to
whom he had been politically opposed,
and what he would be in the future will
not be at all influenced by the events Of
the present. He stood upon the sacred
right of self-government, neither more
nor less. That principle was the strong
hold of whatever was left of political free
dom in this country. 1t was an irresisti-
bic element at work, revolutionizing the
whole American nation.
All the men who asserted this princi-
pie and defended this right had been per-
secuted, in a manner heretofore unprece-
dented, and eminently disgraceful to our
national character. Prescriptions and
prosecutions of the most infamous char
acter had been psrpetratsd upon them ;
prescriptions and prosecutions which, II
they had been manifested in the old coun-
try, would have stirred even the down
trodden nationalities Of Europe to q
bloody resistance, and would have hurled
many a monarch from his throne. Thank
God in this country we need no war to
accomplish revolution. There is bal
lot-box, public press, an omnipotent
public opinion-and to those agencies he
could cheerfnlly commit the defence OF
American liberty.
Whatever position he had ever occu-
pied-howevsr exalted, however lowly-
he had achieved through long years Of
continued adversely and toll. He thank
ed God He had given him a positive
character to sustain him and sacred prin-
ciples to defend. He perceived that GER
tain journals of the day had been pleased
to give him the credit of having achieved
his position through the exercise of ability
and cunning-that it had been a bargain
of friendships, and barter of principles.
They had called him a Black Republi-
can. He would ask them to suspend
their virulencs until he had gone over to
the Republican ranks-until he had COM
mitted an overt act Of treason against the
pure and true Democratic party. Let
them await the course Of events-let them
watch his course in the future. Wien
the Democratic party ceased to Be a DEM
oeratic party, he ,OOEld jsin the RepU6li-
cans. and in such an event he felt he
would be accompanied by every true
Democrat in the land.
Col. Forney concluded by alluaing
once more to the glorious and unexpec-
ted reception he had met at the hands Of
all parties in the grand old State of Penn
sylvania. He thanked them one and all
from the bottom Of his heart and when
he returned to the city of Washington.
the scene of his official duties, he would
carry with him the most grateful remem-
brance of their kindness.