Weekly Trinity journal., 1868-01-04
A Day with Ben. Wade.

JEFFERSON, Ohio, November 2, 1861.
Travelling in this section OF the State,
thought it would not be amiss to pay visit to
the home of Senator Wade, and ascertain,
through short interview, howSthe old Radical
war-horse felt over the result of the recent cleo
tions and what were his views of men and mea-
sures at this interesting period in the political
history of the country. had been told along
the Reserve, by those who pretended to know
him, that would find him dropping and des-
pondent over the loss of the race, but this soon
discovered to be great mistake. There he was,
nas large as life and twice as natural head
and tail erect, as full of snorting defiance
though he had won instead of lost. His health
had very much improved since the close of the
campaign, and he looked as we'll as at any time
during the past ten years. Voice and strength
were pretty much worked out of him during the
contest, but a months leisure had recovered
both.
I saluted the old gentleman, in the language
of Artemus Ward. /" How do you like it as far as
you've got ?" "It's the fate of war" said be.
We're id badly whipped, but it can't be
helped. We must get ready for another round
at EN-"
THE CAUSE OF THE DEFEAT.
"The nigger whipped u.s. said Mr.. Wade.
&c We went in on principle and got whipped
We should have carried the State by good ma
iority if it hadn't been for the suffrage issue.
was to do over again I'd be for putting it again,
and I'll be for keeping it up until we do win,
for, by the eternal God, they can't beat us all
the time on a question like that. had no idea
there were so many Republicans in Ohio who
were willing to see negro suffrage in the South,
but wouldn't let the few niggers of Ohio vote.
That's what got me. They all seemed to be in
favor of it as a measure of reconstruction, just
as much as was. l didn't dream that they'd
be mean enough to vote against it here"
In answer to a question as to whether he
thought the greenback issue had anything to do
with the defeat, Mr. Wade said he didn't think
it had. 1t was nothing but the niger. The
greenback issue was not fairly before the people,
for, when you come to sift the matter: the DEM
ocratic speakers made very little Of an issue on
the greenbacks. The nigger was the only strong
point they had, and they beat us on that, iair
and square ; but they'll have to keep on beating
US, for we'll give them no peace till we beat
them.
"Now," said Mr.. Wade, a" because we've
been whipped on the first trial, suppose some
of the weakened brothers will be for backing
out on that question. But won't back id
inch. I'm for it now as strong as was before
the election, and stronger, too, because there IS
more need of being strong for it, to conquer a
mean prejudice. But you'll see men trying to
hush the thing up, and to smother it and to
dodge it in every way they can, and men who
call themselves Radicals, too. Helps full of
such Radicals as we'll have now. I'm for it be-
cause l think it's right, and | know it's right /;
and, if thing is right, the only way is to keep
at it till it wins, for it's sure to win sometime
| or another. There is not great reform IN the
history of the world that wasn't unpopular at
| FIRST And not one of them was ever carried by
dropping it, and running like scared hounds
| from it, after it was beaten once. No, sir; we
are committed to the doctrine of universal suf-
frage, and no man is a Republican who would
desert it now But, although that's my belief,
mark my word, there'll be the damnedest craw-
fishing Won ever saw from this time forward.
Well let them go. We can win without them,
and we will win, too, just as sure as the Al
mighty is Just and heaven above US. 1t will be-
come harder every year for the Copperheads to
beat us on that issue, and they won't beat US
very often, either, if we only make bold front,
and 90 at them with fixed bayonets every
time"
MR.. EwINGs LETTER.
Iasked Mr.. Wade if he had read Tom Ewings
letter on the lesson of the late elections. He
said he had read only short extract from il, :,
but could hardly make out what the old fellow
was driving at. "Old Tom isn't the best poit-
ical guide in the world, of late years. and don't
think what he says will have much effect on the
Republican party. He went off with the John
son brethren, and we haven't been taking ad-
vice from such sources lately"
Well" said !, the sum and substance of
the letter is, that the Radicals ought to back
down from their Reconstruction policy, and
abandon negro suffrage in the South, because it
has been voted down in Ohio.'
Never, in Gods world" said Mr.. Wade.
n far q Onu vnf mill hop