Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-07
REPUBLICAN STATE TICKET.
MIR. Harlan and tho Newman Letter.

FO DUpcJIHteNUeWW 1uOGtC IWSt5UCttOH
ALONZO: ABERNETHY, of Crawford
Mr.. Harlan and tho Newman Letter
Apparently at the instance and
BY the advice. OF % most unwise
counsellor, the editor Of the Daven'
port Gazette, Mr.. Harlan has been
induced to rush into print on the
i subject of the alleged letter or cir
etlar from DR.. Newman published
i in the Dubuque Herald a few days
since. Mr.. Harlan's letter, which
sIs published in the daily papers is a
Aremarksble and entirely character
Nfstic document. 1t marks an era in
1.-THE Senatorial contest; an era to
(which we predic; Mr.. Harlan will
not have occasion to revert with
complacency or satisfaction. 1t fur
aishes as complete an illustration
Of the demagogery of the Senator
as his direst enemy could wish. 1t
shows that he is willing to do and
to justify what was done in the
Newman letter, namely, make APP
peal to sectarian prejudices for po-
litical support, and, going beyond tt,
lay claim to the crown Of martyr
dom in the cause of Methodism-
"Why then, when my name hap
I pens to be mentioned in connection
with official station must be point
ted at asa Methodist, as if that was
4 badge of dishonor?:" The dema-
gogue!
! We have not the space for Mr..
Harlan's long letter or for anything
like a full review of it, but would
like to cali the attention of our
readers to certain points, more OF
less significant. First, Mr. Harlan
throws some light upon the New
man circular. AS our readers arc
aware, we have been disposed to
treat this whole story as DR.. New
mans appeal to the Methodist clergy
of Iowa to use their influence at
1 primary meetings i'll Mr.. Harlan's
behalf as pure fabrication, but
1Ir. Harlan's letter staggcrs our
faith in thai theory. After stating
| shat he received in Washington a
Better from friend in Iowa, con-
corning supposed photographic
letter purporting to have been writ
ten by DR.. Newman, Mr.. Harlan
/ says:
Happening to meet the Doctor,
i handed him this letter to read. After its
perhssl, he requested me to state to my
friend that he (Newman) had sent no
iisuch lithograph letter to Iowa, or else
where, on that subject, and that no one
shad done so for him, or in his name, so
| fir as he knew and believed; that he had
written no private or confidential letter for
which any one but himself was response
lble; that he claimed to be a freeborn cit
lizen of the United States, having the right
lin common with all other citizens to en-
I,ertain and express his opinions Of pub
llfc men and public measures"
| 1t will be seen that DR.. Newman's
ldenial goes to the extent of repudia-
ting a photographic letter, admitting,
however, that other letters Of the
same tenor were written by him,
"for which no one but himself was
responsible" but, of which-he not
denying tit is fair to infer, others,
possibly Mr.. Harlan, were cogniz-
ant. The authenticity of the New
Imam letter thus established, Mr..
FHarlan's next step is to justify it
land make an attack on the motives
of those who at first doubted it's au-
k.henticity. He says:
4 Why should the authenticity of such
letter he denied and asserted, pro and con,
bv these self constituted champions? Is
there anything in it, which any one might
not say of another to mutual friend, if
he supposed his statement to be true?
Why, on the one hand, inform the public
with so much circumstance and assumed
Eturprise that the writer is Chaplain Of
A..',e Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal
Church, and assert with apparent aston
tishment that sit is understood that all
! the Presiding Elders in the three Confer
ences Of the State who could be trusted
as reliable Harlan men, or who were not
ayowedly opposed to him, were favored
i with copy?" And, why should the
other champions, with such complacent
Indignation, assert that it must be a
fabrication or forgery, as il genuine
letter Of the kind would be clearly in
/ famous
/ Let us see if there is anything in
fNewman's letter switch any one
might not say of another to mu-
Stual FRIEND" both friends being min
sters of the same denomination, and
sthe Senator in behalf of whom the
apAeal is made being also an ex-
minister of the same church. Mr..
Newman says to his ministerial
brethren, on know the Importance
Zof early and earnest action. The
,smcmbcrs Of the next Legislature
the next Senator. 1t is there
,ecessary that the right men
-u,iiiinated, and hence attention
must be given to the primary meet
ings." Now what is the important
end which requires ''early and earn
est action" by ministers ofthe gospel
in 'sprimary meetings." and which
requires them to interest themselves
sin all suitable ways" to accom-
plish? | Is it some great moral re-
form, Something involving the eternal
welfare iof the race, which as mem
hers Of i high and holy calling they
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