Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-08-27
OLD BEN WADE.
Plain talk about Grant, Greeley, and Sumner.


The Conneaut (Ind.) Reporter
says:
Hon. B. +. Wade addressed Grant
and Wilson meeting in Jefferson
some days ago. He made one of
those speeches characteristic of him
self.
lie traced the history of the Re-
publican and Democratic parties on
the questions Of slavery, secession,
and equal rights. He thought, not
withstanding its platform, the Dem
ocratic party of to day was the old
Democratic party. There was no
evidence that they had repented.
1t was more probable that the few
thousand Liberals had changed than
that three million Democrats had
changed. He did not know why
they were styled Liberal Republic
cans, unless it was because they
were more liberal to traitors Am
nesty had been carried as far as no
wished to see it. He was not ia ia
vor of granting amnesty to those reb-
els who bad been in Congress and Ia.
Ken an oath 10 support tho Constitu-
ton, and then taken counter oath
to support the Confederate constitu-
ton; all others have been pardoned.
If Greeley were elected it would be a
Democratic triumph and Demo-
cratic administration.
Democrats would elect him, and it
would be just for them TO cLntrol him;
That the Liberal Republicans would
stand no more show with Tweed
Seymour, Forrest & Company in re-
gard to offices ond Federal patronage
than "bOb-taiIed bull in fly time"
lie then passed to the record of Hor-
ace Greeley. He had been Il friend
OF Mr. Greeley great many Years.
1t gave him no pleasure to speak
against him. But his conduct for
the past few months had been the
most unaccountable of any public
man he had ever known While be-
ing the leader of his party, he had at
tempted to betray it into the hands
of its enemy for the sake of Demo-
cratic nomination.
He then spoke very highly of Cen
era Grant He had spent many
nights in Grants camp, aud he knew
him to be an honest. unassuming and
hard working man. There had been
the most vilainous systematic at
tempts TO break him down of any
public man that ever lived. General
charges bad been made against him
in such manner as to deceive seven
the very elect" but they were "false
as hell" He thought the nation ow-
ed Grant debt of gratitude it never
could pay. lie explained the San
Domingo quarrel between Senator
Sumner and General Grant, claiming
that the removal of Minister Mot y
was the cause Of Summers opposition
TO annexation. Sumner would have
nothing TO do with the President or
State Department except to quarrel
with them. There were nine treat,
les IN his hands that he would not
send to the Senate. For this reason,
when the committees were organized
for the next session he was not cho-
sen rs chairman Of the committee on
Foreign Relations, but was given the
craftsmanship OF another committee.
Although he highly esteemed Mr..
Sumner in many respects,yet from a
personal knowledge of the whole af-
fair he knew Mr.. Sumner to be in the
wrong. During his speech he was
interrupted by man exclaiming,
"But Grant burdens US with taxes r.
Mr.. Wade replied that Grant taxed
no man; that his whisky and tobacco
were the only articles taxed by the
General Government" and Congress
was responsible for that; that if the
gentleman had ga horse or an ass it
might be taxed by the State, but
not by the General Government"
He then spoke for some time on the
finances, showing that while the Ad-
ministration had paid s300,000,000
of the public debt, and thereby stop
ped $50, 600 600 year of interest, it
had reduced the taxes $3.50 900 900
per year. He had been a close OBJ.
server Of the different Administra>
tons for eighteen years, and he knew
the present Administration TO be the
most honest and economical one our
Government had had during that
time.