The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-10-12
WASHBURN VS.. DOOLITTLE.
SPEECH BY GENERAL c. c. wAsnBURN.

Shortly after one o. clock this afternoon
the Joint meeting To listen to the discus
sion between Gtne1al G. G. Washburn,
the Republican candidate for governor,
and his Democratic opponent, Hin. j. Il,
DoollttIe, was called to order by hon.
Joseph Str.ngham, the Democratic chair
man, who introduced Mr.. Dooli-tle. Mr.,
DoolittIe addressed the crowd for about
an hour, when Hon JAS " Jones, chair
man ON he part of the Republicans, in
troduced Gen WaShburn, who spoke as
f lows:
GEN wAsHBURN's SPEECH.
FELLOW Citizens:
In pursuance Of an agreement entered
into some days ago, my excellent person
al friend, Judge Dooittle, and myself
have appeared be ore you to day to ad-
dress you. Having been nominated by
our respective parties to the high and re
spOnsible Office of governor, we became
thereby, to the extent Of our public acts,
public property, and we have no right
to complain at any fair criticism Of our
acts as public men. The people have
the right to hear from us and to call upon
US to give an account of our stewardships
while the public interests have been en-
trusted to our hands.
invite the closest scrutiny into all
my acts since l entered the public ser,
vice, now sixteen years ago. II that eH-
animation shall disclose that have evt +
betrayed pubic trust, been false TO my
pledges, or to those great principles
which lie at the foundation Of the Repub
lican party, equal aud exact justice to all
men, will retire from the contest.
In appearing before you to day to dis
cuss the issues that divide the two par
ties, find myself arrayed against a per
sonal friend-one with whom it was my
pride to serve the people during most
trying period in our country's history,
and when I could not keep pace with
him in his advanced radacalism, was
content to follow, though with unequal
. steps.
When first heard of my friends nomi-
nation, it was uot without some feelings
of regret, for felt it quite possible, that
when he found himself buried at the
polls by majority Of many thousands,
with no eye to ply and no aim to saVe,he
might attribute his interment to me in
stead of the people and might feel less
kindly towards me than he always has
up to the present moment.
In anything that ! may say here, or at
any time during our discussion hereafter,
I hope not to be betrayed by the excite
ment of the moment into utterance of a
word of personal unkindness Ii am. |
beg you to believe that do not mean it,
for intend that our personal relations at
the end of our discussion shall be as
pleasant as they are now, and it shall not
be any fault of mire if they are not, In
the progress of this dicussion / may be
compelled to speak of myself as well as
Judge Doolittle. IF do, it will be in no
spirit Of egotism or self-glorifcation, for
those who know me best, | believe, will
bear testimony that whatever my errors
are, Gard they are no doubt many that of
Boosting and glorytying myself is not one
and if l speak OF myself at all it shall
only be in regard to my public acts and
public record Upon these acts, and
that record, the people have a right to
demand that should speak, and could
not refuse if wished.
became n member Of the Republican
party at it's earliest organization, but I
cannot remember the time when [ did
not entertain those principles upon which
the Republican party is founded.
Joined the Republican party at its
formation in 1854, and I have followed
its fortunes with undyipg faith to the
present hour.
Why have thus stood by the Republi.
can party through good report until
now? care nothing for party names or
the success of this party or that party as
means of promoting the interests ofany
set of men, but as a means, and probably
the only means of preserving Gin the Ian
guage Of Mr.. Lincoln) the Jewel liberty
IN the family OF freedom" regard the
continued existence of the Republican
party as indispensable. The results OF
the war embody the principles of our
party. Those results now recorded in
our fundamental law are seen in the
equality of civil and political rights now
guaranteed to all. Can that guarantee
safely be entrusted to party that has
opposed, steadily opposed every step by
which those results have been reached !?
Ianswer no, emphatically 40, a Thousand
times no.
Can these results be entrusted to a
party whose jugular vein was cut, in the
language of my friend, in 1854, from
which time he said in 1869, all it's best
Democratic blood had been flowing out ?
That my Democratic friends my under
stand how handsomely and how justly