The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-07-29
KiIDatrick,s Speech.

hllpatr1ck>S SpeeCHs
The speech of General Fitzpatrick at City
Hall on Saturday night was an evident disap-
pointment to the thin veneering of "Libera"
Republicans, by which the architects of the
affair sought to disguise the fact that 1t was
Democratic meeting. These ex-Republicans
expected that Fitzpatrick would put into form
some excuse for their apostasy, that he would
show that the present Administration does
not deserve the confidence of the people by
criticising its public measures, impugning the
sagacity of its craftsmanship and showing
that the Republic is suffering harm from its
conduct of affairs. When the control of gov
eminent is to be changed from one set of
managers to another, thoughtful people require
some statesmanlike reason, and, unless such
reason can BE- given, will not perceive the
necessity of a change. The speaker on this
occasion gave no such reason. His harangue
was collection and rehash of the personal
attacks on the President which have formed
the stock in trade of Democratic journals and
orators for three years, and whose groundless-
ness and absolute falsity have been conclu-
sively shown over and over again. -.
We have not the space nor the patience to
enter upon a REPUTATION point by point of the
gross and indecent charges made in this
speech. Every point made can be fully and
easily met, and we shall take them up from
time 10 time as occasion requires during the
campaign. One point which he directly chal-
lenged us to answer we will briefly meet,
which is the well worn bugaboo of "gift tax
ing.'' .........-. ... -
Immediately after the war large number
of wealthy citizens, grateful for the eminent
services Of Gen. Grant in saving the nations
integrity, by subscriptions in different cities
presented to the victorious hero house in
Washington, a house in Philadelphia and a
quantity of Government bonds, the whole
aggregate value being little less than $150,000.
Gen. Sherman received similar gifts amount
ing to about $125, 000 General Mcclellan re-
ceived, after the battle of Antietam, fine
house in New York city and other valuable
gifts by similar subscription and no cutlery
was made about it-thanks to the decency
and propriety of the Republican party-when
he became Democratic candidate for the
Presidency. General Sheridan and Admiral
Farragut received similar testimonials of APP
probation of their distinguished services.
Nobody questioned the propriety of these
things until, in the desperate search for
something to beat Grant," this matter of
the "gifts'' was fished up and made cause
of complaint against him.
fhaoa pio1c 10 IL,
dwindle into insignificance and make the ma
ton seem almost ungrateful when compared
with the unstinted lberality with which Eng
land showered rewards upon the Duke Of
Wellington after the Peninsula war and after
he had beaten Napoleon at Waterloo. They
gave him an estate near London valued at
91,500,OO0 sterling and large sums of money
and annual pensions from the public treasury,
until his annual income from this source
reached the enormous. sum of e150,000 ster-
ling, five times as much per year as General
Grant received in all. Wellington, too, won
his distinction in war of ambition, in which
the integrity and existence of the British EN-
pire was not at all involved. And yet, in the
face of history, in the light of the great deeds
of General Grant, enjoying the peace and
prosperity of nation saved by his genius,
these shabby journals and orators attempt to
make political capital against President Grant,
out of this very moderate recognition of his
distinguished services. Shame be upon any
man who will descend to such paltry warfare !!
And these petty warriors descend to still
lower depths when they attempt to convey the
impression that General Grant received these
gifts after he became President, when in fact
they were MAIDS BEFORE HE BECAME PREsI-
DENT AND BEFORE HE WAS EVEN SUGGESTED
FOR THAT OFFICE. So much for the infa-
nous ''gift taking'' roorback.
One more point, which we exceedingly re-
greet to be obliged to make, is forced upon us
by the insinuation IN Gen. Kilpatrick's speecb
against the Presidents personal integrity-an
insinuation which very few persons have the
effrontery and indecency to make. Where
such insinuation is made publicly against the
head of the nation it well behooves the people
to look closely and see what manner of man
makes the charge and whether it comes from
a source worthy of credence.
We have in our possession copies from the
records of the War Department of affdavits
which show that on or about the 18th day Of
September, 1862, Gen. then 1t. COLI Kill
patrick seized on plea of military necessity
two mules, their harnesses and a wagon.
which he promised to return to the owner,
He (Kilpatrickl sold the mules to a sutler fol
seventy-ive dollars which he put in his pri-
vate pocket. The owner, being able to OBJ.
tain only his wagon and harness, -Kilpatlick
having gone North meantime,-made com.
plant substantiated by his own affidavit and
that of the man who bought the mules, where.
upon Fitzpatrick was arrested, confined for {
considerable period in the Old Capitol Prison
and then kept under arrest for several months