Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1871-01-25
Meeting Of DIR. William Elder, Of Phila.
delphia, and such Southern leaders as
Breckenridge and Slidcll, during the al.
nlinistration Of neneraI Pierce.

Breckenridge and Slidcll. during the al.
niinistration Of General Pierce.
Col j. w. Forney in one of his arti-
cles on the " Anecdotes Of Public Men. y
writes of the Meeting ef Dr. William Ell
der Who if we have been correctly in
formed, once. practiced medicine at Oak
land, this county, with such Southern
Leaders as Brcckinridgv, Slidell and 9TH
ers of the same class, a. dinner party
given by the Col. during General Pierce's
administration. At that time Col. For
ney and Er. Elder were opposed to each
other in politics. but were warm personal
friends The DR. had not been invited to
this dinner party. hut some time previous
TO it had received an invitation from the
Colonel to coma 10 Warrington and So
ioun at his house. and it 80 happened
that be hit upon the time OF the party
The Colonel save:
He came 10 the evening before the par
~ in question. somewhat 10 the cousterna-
iion Of those af my family who knew Of
his pronounced sbolhionism and the equal
ly pronounced pro slavery views of those
who were to din " iih ne next day. Blu,
there was no help for it; i deed. was
glad to meet the gifted aud polished Doc.
tor"
After the lapse Of = time, during which
the DR. and the southern leaders became
acquainted. one of them says Mr. Forney
asked? Pray. Doctor Elder. how is it
that one of your tastes and learning
should be so opposed to Southern rights
and institutions " Til Il opened he ball.
and, nothing 10th, be answered with
story l can never forget; story which
believe has never been forgotten by any
one who heard it When | lived in
Pittsburg, gentlemen" said the Doctor.
"where had the honor to vote for Jas.
G. Birnev, for President in 1874, being
one of very, very small rarty, which
will soon control Pennsylvania by an
Ancrow Jsck.on majority, We had
strange character among Us who OCCASION
ally made speeches against slavery, and
whose peculiarities were that when he be- |
came excited he gave way to uncontrol-
liable tears and oaths. always went to |
hear him, for there was an oda fasclna-
ton about him. One night he was ad-
vertised to speak against the fugitive slave
lava measure which reused him almost
to madness-and | was among the audi
ence. He closed his haranguc with
passage something like this : Let US
apply this law to ourselves. brethren and
sisters. | live about mile out of town, |
and rarely get back to nv quiet home till
evening; and then the first to welcome
me at the garden-gate are my little girl
Mary and my bright,eyed son Willie
the joy of my heart, the stars of my life
Suppose, when l get home Tomorrow, /
meet my wife, instead of my children, at
the door, and on asking for my darlings, !
she tells me that a man called John c. |
Calhoun, of South Carolina, and another |
man called Henry Clay, of Kentucky. had
come, in my absence, and carried them
down South into slaveryl How would /
You feel in such easel How do yon
think | would feel, What would l do ?
you ask. Well, / will tell you. would !
follow the aforesaid John Calhoun and
Henry Clay; follow them to the South ;
follow them to the gates of death and hell /; |
yes, into hell, and there cram the red |
hot Goals down their damned, internal
throats
And this outburst," added DR.. Elder. |
was punctuated with alternate sobs and |
swearing. have given you one of the
many causes, gentlemen, that have con-
frmed me in my abolitionism"
1t is impossible to convey an idea of
the manner in which DR.. Elder told this
incident, or the effect produced upon the
Southern men around him. They listen
ed with profound and breathless interest,
and more than one with pale cheek and
moistened eye; and though they did not
say they agreed with the eloquent Doc
tor, l saw that they respected him for the
candor and warmth with which be had
replied to their equally candid question
Protection.