The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-08-08
A PROVEN LIE.

Tt is said there is 'honor among
thieves" Let us hope there may
exist something at least, among those
whose declared purpose it is to beat
Grant at any price. The Democratic
and Liberal papers of the country
have been publishing extracts from
pretended speech of Henry Viii
son, in which foreigners, and partic-
ularly the Germans of this country,
are abused in an outrageous and
shameless manner. They report
that the speech was delivered in
1855, in Salem, Mass, and that in
that speech he denunciated the Ger
mans as set of "saur kraut, butter
milk and potato eaters (tood fit only
for hogs) and lager beer guzzlers. !"
They are declared to be beggars
and Migrants and placed upon level
with the beasts of the fields, and if
they presume to consider themselves
the equals of native born citizens,
must be put down with musket and
bayonet. Such an improbability as
a statement of this kind could hardly,
it would seem, receive the endorse
ment of any one with brains enough
to do the mechanical work of copy
ing it. Granting that Mr. Wilson
had ever entertained such absurdi-
ties, he could never have been gull
ty of the lack of tact and good sense
to utter them. AS politician he
would never have shown such want
of common prudence and most GER
tainly would never have been willing
to put such an indignity upon so
large and influential a class of our
fellow citizens as are the Germans.
1t " ill not add to the credibility of
the story to know that the same
speech was put by the Democratic
papers in the mouth of Mr.. Colfax
four years ago. 1t has been too of
ten contradicted and the lie too en-
phatically nailed to admit of its pub
LEGATION with the slightest shadow of
an excuse. .8 a.ar.. Ills ..-
The speech alluded to was made
by John NJ. Wilson, of Floyd county,
Ind, and was afterwards repeated in
his know nothing speeches, especial
ly in the one delivered In Salem,
Washington county, Ind. The false
hood consists in substituting Henry
Wilson for John M. Wilson, and Sa-
lem, Mass, for Salem, Ind. This
fact has been proved beyond ques-
ton.
Some Democratic papers have had
the effrontery to declare, when con-
fronted with this proof, that there
was no such politician in existence
as John M. Wilson. Retribution for
mendacity has again overtaken tn EN-
in the appearance upon the stage of
this same John M. Wilson, playing
inst the part which his coarseness
and vile abuse would lead US to an
ticipate, viz: that of Greeley Dem
ocrat.
He has become political brother
of the supporters of Greeley, and
they, on the other hand, make com.
mon cause with the man who, &C
cording to the Leader of the Goth,
declared
"Some tell me that many foreigners are
intelligent; yes, intelligent How IN the
name of Almighty God can they say it !?
Look at the Dutchmdn smoking his pipe, and
if you see a rag Of intelligence in that dirty,
idiOtic looking face of his, show it to me.
We must change the laws of the land and
prevent these ignorant, degraded paupers
here from voting and holding office. Viii
lains and ruffians who congregate in .and
around our villages and large cities, and
live by stealing and begging from the
Americans"
This is the language of co-work-
err of the Leader and fellow support
er of Horace Greeley. Is it prepared
to endorse it Or is it willing to &C.
knowledge that it has unwittingly
placed the language of one of its
friends in the mouth of an opponent ?
The further publication of this
SANDER upon the fair name of Henry
Wilson will demonstrate one of two
things : Either inexcusable ignor-
ance or malicious purpose to de-
ceive. Either would be dishonora-
BILE and both alike discreditable to
respectable journalism.-Register.