The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-07-17
A Tetter from Mr.. ShanklIn.
FRANKFORT, KY., July ", IL

find that you have copied letter
from myself, to a Committee of Con-
servative Union men, expressing my
sympathy with the Union men of Ken
lucky, in their contest with the Brock
inridge or secession Democracy of the
State, with not very complimentary
comments thereon. t a ~
should not notice anything which
you have been pleased to say about
me, were it not that my home is IN
Evansville, and as its people are my
people," / do not wish to be mis-
represented, even by an editor, who
pardon bluntness,) was never known
to state the true position of political
opponent, or deal fairly and candidly
with an opposing political organiza-
tion. os'.'i'e
It is not to be expected. of course,
that Radical newspaper is the proper
authority for one to consult, In order
to establish the complexion OF De-
mocracy, consequently, you may un-
derstand, that for this reason, your
paper has never been regarded as
al ft medium for the dissemina-
ton of Democratic views. When.
therefore, you combat the pro-
position made by myself, that " the
mass of the Indiana Democracy"
sympathize with the Union Demo
eracy of Kentucky by the bold and
unwarranted assertion that Indiana
Democrats are in sympathy with the
g 4Gse SNofa
doubtless give great comfort to your
Radical readers, who wish from their
hearts that such was the case, but |
fancy will hardly succeed in convinc-
ing Union Democrat that he must
consult the columns of the JOURNAL
in order to ascertain his political
status. But the Louisville Courier,
Frankfort Yeon,an, and your jour
NAL, take exception to the expression
:" in common with the mass of the
Democracy of Indiana" made use of
in my letter, each arguing that have
no right to speak for the mass of the
party in our State. When [ made
use of that expression, | did not in
tend to speak for the Democratic
newspapers, or the accredited. leaders
of the party. / simply said, accord
ingly as believed, that the mass of the
Democracy were in sympathy with the
Union Democracy, and against the
success of that party in Kentucky
which counts two-thirds of its sup
porters among those who, but
two years ago, clad in gray and
well armed, were in the ranks of the
rebel army | spoke for the mass of
Indiana Democrats, not as the result
of personal conference with them as
to the race here in Kentucky, but on
the strength of the patriotic spirit
which the rank and file of the party
has at all times evinced. The eager
rush to arms of the thousands of In
diana Democrats, when the tocsin of
war was sounded their heroic deeds
on the sanguinary fields of the South;
the lamented braves who fell in battle
against armed secessionists; the noble
souls who persisted in Confederate
prisons; the gallant spirits who, their
prison doors being unlocked, came
home with impoverished blood only
to die when life seemed dearest to
them. These were all fresh in my
memory, and when, therefore, in de-
clining to speak for candidate who
himself Democratic soldiers sup
ported by the Democratic soldiers
and Union men of the State, against
one, who, bat for the repeal of the lato
lohich disfTGnchiSed returned rebel SOL
diers, their oiders and dbetors, 7oould
not receiue .JfUe thousand 0otes IN the
State, / thought it perfectly proper
for the Union loving Democrats of
Indiana, as well as fol-, myself, to ex-
press sympathy with a Democratic
soldier and his cause. Nor do / be-
lieve / have made mistake.
Since the war closed, 5a i have
seen no evidences of disposition on
the part of the Democracy of my
State to forget the hardships endured
in the field for the sake of the Union,
or the prosecutions it has suffered at
the hands of a corrupt Administra-
ton because of its firm adherence to
the Constitution as given to us by the
Fathers of our country, without
amendment or abridgment; and Z
therefore believe it was not at all
improper for me to declare their OPP
position to radsc0tisnl, whether born
Of armed rebellion against the unity
and free institutions of the Govern
ment, or whether the child of North
ern fanaticism, to be nursed until
strong enough to overthrow our Fed
eral system.
Before closing this letter, i hope
you will allow me to state the politi-
cal situation in Kentucky, because /
see you are either laboring under a
mistake as to the real issue, or for
party purposes are willfully misrepre-
senting it; and being charitably in
clined, prefer to ascribe your es-
pousal of Hobson cause to ignorance
even you, gentlemen, will not lay
claim to infallibility. ,-s
When the JOURNAL entered the lists
for Hobson, [ remember it stated
: 49, .=o..ll rooond oro..xz hloru