Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-11-06

but new power IN poiitier, called kno,
No,hingsm, made It's opposition, and
bslk ed any such project. II
] had 80 far played the mere politician as
TO join the lodges Of this new order, a.
an early day. my success could scarcely
have been doubtful; but Thought II, with
all my might, I'LL il disappeared from our
politics. The odds against me, for time,
were overwhelming. Nearly all OF my
old radical friends joined the order. The
old Wings were IN almost 10 a man, aud
avery large per cent Of the Democrats;
and al my worst estate j believe had
less than twelve political friends, all told,
in the wide world. The situation was
highly encouraging to my old foes, and
in tie glad smile which lighted up their
faces coulds see plainly inscribed: Now,
at last, we have the pestilent agitstor fair
y buried, and the slab OF eternal silence
shall be laid upon his political grave. ="
Bot believing then, as j do to-day, ia the
almightiness Of truth, iand the profitable
ness Of duty. Thought there would be a
resurreetion; and the only harm / wish
my old opponents is that they may 6nd
time to read my carefully argued speech,
published 10 the "National Era and
''Facts for the People, Hip 1855, and judge
me byAmy own words, aud in the light Of
present events. need scarcely add that
our National Republican platform of this
year emphatiealiye asserts the principles
for which | then commended.
In 1856 had fairly emerged into ac-
tive political ifoaeain It'was confess
ed even by my enemies that my situation
was not entirely sepulchral. l was qra-
ciously permitted to occupy the Rep
can platform at mass meetings, as you
viii mber; aud on several occasions
10 the presence Of many thousands of peo'
pie, had the peculiar honor Of being in
iroduced by fellow'who stood very high
in Wayne county (physicnlly) as "Youl
honored representative in Congress, ''and
your old and war worn veteran in the
cause of liberty This fellow. since be-
come infamous, had only a-few days be-
fore declared that 1.-THE id abolitionist's
must be kicked out Of the Republican
party" r .nan
In 1868 what is now known as Radi
calism had grown 20 still greater promi
hence and influence; aud when the Re
publican Congressional Convention fol
this District assembled IN the spring o.
that year. at Cambridge City, the towr
was so inundated with my political friends
that the friends of other aspirants deemed
il prudent to favor postponement OF The
Convention till August, which was hastily
agreed to on all hands. When this second
convention metit was pretty soon discov.
cred that the political wires had been SC
artfully and unscrupulously manipulated
against me, blythe friends of all the 9th
err aspirants, that my defeat was a foregon'
conclusion, though no Intelligent, fair.
minded man doubted that | was the rea
choice Of the people. This convention
was an important event in my career
II ere we're assembled hundreds Of men
many Of them quite Influential, who's
minds had been 80 poisoned against M
that they bad never before come within
the sound Of my voice. Two Formidable
falsehoods, indus:riously illuminated
against me by my leading opponents, hat
kept me down during the previous sever
or eight years: Apd now was 20 have ,h,
senporuunity 10 81 them eHeetually 10 IN
convention, 0ae Of them VAS The usser
I ton that | was ditorganizer, aud wcul'
bolt whenever failed in nomination
This was unsupported by ans shadow O
proof, and uonlradicied by nay uniiorm nc
ton az a member of the Republicans or
ganizaiion; and here before this conven.
ton. assembled from all parts 81 the ID $
triet, and In the presence Of the men vh'
had coined the charge, branded II q
false and confirmed my denial by cordial
" acquiesciug IN the nomination OF Judg
Kilgore. This was dagger 10 my oppo
uenls, which they tried 10 vain 70 parry
Ii did IT. work thoroughly. The other
charge was that / was in favor Of maxim
m Eruption into the South freeing th
slaves by violence, bridging them into ,h'
North, putting down the wages OF poor ia
boring white people, marrying the nc
groes aud playing Satan generally on
very large pcalel This was the substance o
the charge, and not far from the exae
language. and II had been iterated and re
iIoraied 80 zcalously for years that tn
very atmosphere seemed 20 be loade'
down with IL. The coiners of il knew Il {
be false, but they seemed to believe u
the lines Of the poet:
"now full Of weight, how strong, how bold
The big round lie, with manly outrage toldl'
This charge | met with a point blanl
denial; and offered a reward of on
thousand dollars 10 any man, OF any party
who would prove, from any speech | bat
ever delivered, by any word bad eve
uttered In any conversation, that ! had q
any time entertained or avowed any suol
sentiment. This was another dagger
which went straight TO the mark; aud 70
the GrA time In my NE | felt that wa
about TO be understood by the people, Il
spite Of the men who had resolved, at al
hazards, that should not be. This Con
.en,ioa iheVfoV was tho secession Of
poisonaSand A political. .tkumph, Will
i Gen. KiIgore, though nominated, felt tina
his political days were ingloriously mum
bored, and that his defeated compeiito
must be "the coming man" In 1850
was Overwhelmingly nominated and cleo
ted and Il seemed to be done as matter Q
course. La 1863 the fight against me wa
renewed with singular bitterness; but wit
the broadest Radicalism on my banner, dc
handing emancipation and the arming 0
the negroes ~ moral not less than
military necessity, aud openly branding
Gen. Mcclellan as a rebel sympathizo