The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-04-29

audience in the city OF Peoria to hear him
plead at the bar or speak from the stump. as
"Bil O'Brien."
But she made himself odious to his fellow
senator's by his incessant stream ftalk, and
his unblushing readiness to sell out to the
lobby" and "went home to Peoria fully de-
tested by the better portion of his party
Mr.. O'Brien never was in the senate, and
could not we'll make himself "odious to his
fellow-senators" He was in the house,
where he was favorite with both parties.
He made but few speeches, but those few
pointed him out as one of the thinkers and
leaders of his party. That his legislative ca
reer was both honest and honorable has new
er been questioned by any man of any par
ty, till the foul and dastardly traducer in the
Journal undertook the task, and when he
made the state ment about selling out to the
lobby,m he knew himself to be both liar
and a dastardly scoundrel. Mr.. O'Brien's
legislative record is public one. We call
on this foul slanderer to show that it is not
pure. Can he do it7 We challenge him to
the task.
Upon Mr.. O'Brien's return home from the
legislature, Notwithstanding a heavy rain,
he was met at the railroad depot by about
Eve hundred of the leading democrats of Pc
oria, led by Capt. P. W. Dunno and a splen.
did band of music, and escorted to the court
house, where he delivered a short address
amid the widest enthusiasm.
Space will not permit US TO elaborate the
other charges farther than to show them TO
be utterly false. Mr.. O'Brien never was,
| and never under any circumstances pretend
| ed to be, a catholic; consequently he could
not be an apostate from that faith altho'
| his wsrmsst and most enthusiastic friends
| everywhere are catholics. On this point we
can refer to hundreds of respectable men in
Chicago, if necessary, but for the present
will only name r. J. Brass, Esq. Tim
Lynch, ESQ.,, William Hughes, Esq, and A.
Bishop, all of whom are we'll known in Chi
cago all of whom resided in Peoria when
| Mr.. O'Brien came here in 1854, poor boy
without money, property, friends OF influence
| We would on this point also refer to P. L
Sherlock, and T. X. Barrett, of Chicago
who have known MIRO 'Brien for years. AlsC
to Hon. II. S. Austin, formerly of Peoria
now of Chicago; also to c. c. Bonney, Esq.
who was Mr.. O'Brien's legal preceptor il
Peoria, and who has known him intimatel,
since 1855. We also refer to any respecta
Bile Irishman in Peoria, be he catholic OF
a protestant, democrat or republican, wht
knew Mr.. O'Brien when be first came here
and has known him ever since. 1t is equal
ly false that Mr.. O'Brien was ever sxcom
municated from the presbyterian church O
association, nor was there ever a charge O
any kind made against him, but on the con
trary he is now a member in good standing
of the second presbyterian church of thi
city. Now if the charges male by Ia,
Journal, one and all are flagrartly false. an,
we charge that they are, and if the torego
ing statement is in all respects true, and WI
are prepared to prove that il is, does not th
Journal owe ii to itself-owe it to truth
honor and decency--owe it TO a gentleman
whose character it has most foully aspersed
to come out and make public amends by
public retraction? viii it do it? We vii
see. Mr.. 0'Brien asks no favors in III
coming contest. He is ready, able and wi
ling to meet the enemy on the basis of trut
and honor. If Mr.. Logan is so much HI
superior, then he will have so much the ad
vantage. The Peoria Transcript, one {
the most radical journals in America, pub
lished at Mr.. O'Brien's home, publicly SO
knowledges that Mr.. O'Brieu is the ables
and strongest man on the state ticket. Ha
, the Journal or the Transcript the bes
means of knowing? The Journal know
that Mr.. O'Brien possesses all the element
{ of popular candidate. hence its early an
shameless assaults. No young man in til
great west has made nobler record tina
Mr.. o 'Brien, and in the contest Just openin
. be will succeed in two things: he ,cW smit
the radicals hip and thigh, and he 'r.N b
be elected