The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-11-14
Convcruatlons win Great Men.


A custom has been gaining ground for
some years which, it seems to US, would
be "more honored in the breach than the
observance. A correspondent of a city
daily, with an abundance of leisure ON his
hands, sets himself down before some
leading politician, and having obtained
leave 10 interrogate him on the most i'm
portant Issues Of the day, ventilates his
opinions in the organ for which he is a
contributor.
This process of ascertaining and pub
fishing conversations Of distinguished men
acquired its growth during the rule of
President Lincoln, and scarcely a week
passed without some of these persistent
publishers reaching the sdnctun Snctorun
of the President, and obtaining the views
of the great joker for general circulation.
Since his demise the same thing has
been INDUCED in with regard to President
johnson, and kept up with wonderful per-
tinacity to the present time. More re-
Gently these itinerant enlighteners of the
public mind are fitting all over the coun-
try, and collecting the opinions Of every
Radical who has any opinions for the pub
lie eye.
Not long since Thaddeus Stevens WAS
called upon, and the state of health of the
LOT off ba o1t l. a.
sayings had almost the force Of death bed
confessions The result of the visit to
the great Amalgamator was the publica-
tion of column Of trash that nobody be-
ieyed, iDterspersed with an occasional fact
that tRe~Mhole world knew as we'll as
Thad. His rhapsody about negro equali-
ty and confiscation, and al that, found no
response in the public mind, while his as
sertion that Radical corruption was ruin
ing the country and that Governor Geary
was great failure, was just as well un-
derstood without the addition of his testi-
mony.
In like manner Wendell Phillips, Ben.
Butler, and ,ther secondary Radical lights,
have contributed TO the general political
gossip of the day, Thus far, however,
while much that was silly and purile got
before the public, there was nothing real
ly offensive TO morality and decency.
But one of this travelling fraternity
must needs call upon old Ben Wade, who
Is a .profane old curse, and at a very In
OppertHne time, too-on the heels Of the
great radical eI-E..s~ Ohio AnJ
have old Ben. Wade's conversation, with
every oath recorded with due emphasis
paraded IN the papers of the day. The
conversation, without the e1pletives, would
nl an ordinary newspaper column, but
the oaths make it-nearly one half longer.
Old Ben reiterates his love for the no.
gro, and swears most Justify that we must
stand by the negro as he has stood by us,
while he acknowledges that weak -kneed
politicians will go back on the RAIDS. since
the ieac:i n in public sentiment.
He IS terribly down on the non n-committal
course of General Grant says that he
even he-called upon Grant for the very
purpose of drawing him out, but shat
when he talked politics Grant talked horss,
and therefore he considered u, s. better
horSeman than politician. He winds I'D
long rigmareie by attacking, without
gloves Mrs, Lincoln, alleging that she pur-
iolpsd largely from the White House, and
that, from the multitude of boxes which
she removed clkndestinely from the Pres
tdeatial mansion, he gloried in the belief
that she WAS going to open tavern in the
West.
Taking the whole conversation, il is
but charitable to the gentleman from Ohio
to suppose that it was an after dinner
conversation, and that the distinguished
gentleman WAS Ito use n Hibcrnicism, }
9ft'r bis accustomed post prandial pota>
tions
But we did not intend, in the outset, 80
much TO retail these Sayings" as to pro>
test against the practice, aud to hope that
II we must have them, we shall hereafter
get them clear Of profanity and obscenity.