The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-06-20

by charging it upon some one else, to see
how it will take. The wish was father to
the thought
Now, in answer to the pronounce"
"hurl,' and brand" of the gentleman, I
will submit to the public the following state
ment of Hon. William Downing, of Morris
county, as a small portion of the proof which
1 have, that Mr.. Eskridge is the author of
the shallow, visionary idea which he charges
upon me, with such a choice selection of
words:
NEosHo P. O.. MoRRIs Co.,
April 10, 1868.
FRIEND PAGE: Yours of the l4th inst.
came to baud last night. You think told
you that Eskridge said, if your amendment
carried, be would introduce bill detaching
Neosho Rapids from Lyon county. think
very likely told you so, but do not recol-
lect it, But c. V. Eskridge, of Emporia,
while in the Legislature last winter, and
while the location of the State University
was under consideration, told me that if
Page got his amendment passed, locating
the University in Lyon county, the place to
be selected by commissioners appointed for
that purpose, he (Eskridge) would intro
duce bill in the House, bleaching Neosho
Rapids from Lyon county.
The above may not be verbatim, but the
substance is true, and am willing to SaOear
to 1T as being true in substance. To make
this statement is very unpleasant, but it is
my right and duty to tell the truth.
Respectfully yours, WIN. DOWNING.
I think this statement will be conclusive
evidence that Mr. Eskridge did make the
statement, and did intend so doing. Any
person that knows Mr.. Downing will not
question the truthfulRess of his statement.
Any person that does not know Mr.. Down
ing. and is acquainted with Mr.. Eskridge,
will not hesitate to believe that his Down
ng's) statement is entitled to equal credit.
The epithet ''lar,' which be pronounces,
and hufls upon me, lie can place upon one
of his unsolicited" and unexpected"
shoulder-straps, and l will find a suitable
word soon to embellish the other. 1t seems
after all tLat my ''ill- begotten bGntling,"
to use his own term, was a source of some
difficulty to him. He went so far as to cal
culate how to dispose of Neosho Rapids.
This certainly shows the gentleman to be
tender upon this subject.
I stated in my first article, that brides
and threats were both used to secure har-
in what manner they were used. Mr.. Es-
kridge, for fear that my "banting'' would
become successful, proposed that If would
not urge it he would make position for
me-woud agree to secure all the votes Of
Emporia township to me for any Office l
might desire hereafter. Iquestioned wheth-
er there were not some men in the town
ship with the same muIish propensities,
which he charges noe with possessing so
Drominently-men that would not be sold
He offered to me an interest in Emporia to
withdraw my amendment. was remind
ed of the devil on the mountain.
questioned the title, and had l considered II
good, should have been equally mulish
Finding tina this proposition did not suit,
he then talked Of my constituents repudiat-
ing my action. AS tthey do not do it, he
arrogates to himself the lower to annihilale
me politically. 1 understand that IN his
speech, after returning home, he proposed
that hereafter | should be known as a C!ank
Page in the political history of Lyon coun-
ty. This affords the sequel, however, to
the question. ''Who defeated the UNIVERSE
ty Bile" and fully explains why Mr. Es-
kridge made this attack upon me: was
not plastic enough for his purposes. l was
not one of 'hiS men" AS he called hem.
He wished me to represent the Emporia
District. | was elected in the 65th dis
trict, and did what l could to advance the
interests Of that district. He does not wish
a politician to exist in the county that he
cannot control. Whilst he asks such SPLEEN
did specimens of disinterestedness on my
part, we find him ready to return only sor-
n ii IHrh y
To bring arguments to prove that Mr..
only be proving what nearly every person
is ready to admit, and his attempt to throw
the responsibility of defeat upon me, against
the statements Of every public journal in
the State, that has spoken upon this sub
ject, Is fair specimen of the "shallowness"
with which he conducted the University
contest | think sufficient proof has been
given from all sources TO show that his idi
otto dishonesty alone answers the question,
"Who defeated our bill?''
now propose to show that his corrupt
heart not only trifed with the dignity of the
Legislature, but was ready and anxious to
steal the hard earnings of the people of the
State, and Of the people she had the honor
to represent" In making this charge
upon the gentleman, my purpose is to give
a better proof of the fact that he is not
only dishonest with his enemies, but that
dishonesty is the prevailing characteristic
of his nature, and that his actions are per-
fectly consistent with his organization.
The gentleman thinks that two hundred and
twenty miles would be the distance from
Emporia TO Topeka and back again, because
be filed bill of mileage for that distance
in the Auditors Office. The Auditor thought
one hundred and ten miles the true distance.
The gentleman argued and demonstrated;
his bin for mileage was thirty three dollars.
He swore to the account as being Just and