, 1873-09-03
Ho Explains IIis Winchester Speech, and
"Gocs fos' Some Agrieal"
tllral Journals.
Convention of the Farmers Of
Jefferson County, Ill.
They Nominate Full County Ticket, and
Adopt rlain.Spoken Platform
Of Principles.
A Card from 8. M. Smith.

The BolfshncsB Of human nature iB proyorblal,
and ho WHO counts upon mans friendship Is
protty auro, sooner or lator, to bo disappointed.
This truth has been brought homo to mo moro
thnn once since havo noen forced into some
prominence In my connections with tho Farmers
Movomont; but tho Developments Of tho past
fow weeks lavo convinced mo that there cannot
be found In aby other form OF human nature 40
porfoct realization Of the principles Of solash
noBa, ana 10 uttor mn absnnco of anything uko
honor, Us has boon exhibited by tho conductors
Of Homo Of our fnrmera' Journals, So.catlca. I
refor moro particularly to TINT woula-bo organ Of
Tho Farmcrs' Movement, tho Prairie Farmer.
have rofrainod thus for from making n,,y
rcply to tho many Btrioturoa of tho presa upon
the acknowledgements and gnrbled ro-
port OF ny rornarkB at Winchester, whoBe cor
reotnesB Inns boon repeatedly lonied through tho
prosa by many who heard mo there but tho
editorial comments that appear III last wook's
Farmer aro 10 malieiously personal in their
character that havo no longer any alternative
but to give to tho roaders Of that paper como
inkling Of the animus OF It's attacls, or Of &C.
knowlodging tllcir Justice by my siloncc.
1profer, therefore, to run the risk Of TINT to
mo most odious Of all conflicts, newspaper
warfare, to suffering longer in silence tl,o per-
Honal abuse Of that rnpor.
When tho first Fn,7ncra' Convention was called
at Kowaneo, invitations were Rent to the Farmer
and Western Rural. Only tho Farmer responded.
It WAS represented tlore mud gave report Of
tho mocting through itB columns, and, by 30
doing, gained many friend among tho farmers.
At tho Bloomington Convention, tho aa.no thing
VIVA ropoatcl; anl tho fact that Of tho two
farmers papers located ut Chcago, only the
Farmer waa represented thore gave many q
farmer Of tho State, myself among tlom, tho
idoa Tint It was tho ono most worthy OF our
support, ns 1nost hearti1y indorping onr move
mont, when It's espousal of our Cause WAS doubt.
less tho result Of possessing n little moro reaa-
ness to perceive which way tho wind WAS going
to blow, and Of promptnoss in trimming its aails
accordingly. 30 TINT as it may, it sue
coded iu greatly increasing its crcula-
ton by Its decided stand; and I, boliey-
ing it moro worthy Of support than tAoao
who predicted the movement would soon dio out
aud gave il tho cold shoulder, won't to work for
hundreds to its ntlbscription list and incurred
thereby the deadly hostility Of tho 161cster,,
Rural, which has nover failed to give mo blow
whonover opportunity occurred.
The Farmer continued my good friend until
the publication of my pontihc address, in which
occurred q passage advocating tho establishment
Of all independent journal, devoted to tic intcr-
est Of tho Farmers Moye1nnnt-an. enterprise
which I bad been urged to undertake by many
prominent worlsera IN orr ca1lHo, who saw ita
| necessity ns well rs I. The Farmer published
tho speech. o1ntuitting TINT paragraph. aud, at
tho sano time, writing mo That thoy had
to dopond on THE Tn1DuSs for copy,
and could, therefore, not givo it ontiro. / have
| the facts Of tho caso from gentleman who saw
Tho copy from, which thoy printed it, and which
thoy gayo to their printers. with tho obnoxious
| paragraph marked to be left out. wish to say
! to thom here, TINT tr,,at they will not visit
fool at this revelation, as llo was innocent Of ay
| design to iniuro them in tho matter, merely
mentioning the fact to mo in All accidental COLI
| yorsation.
| effect that no such newspaper was needed, and
| in which the alnrm which their aolfiehness and
! jealousy had taken cropped out 30 plainly that
1t waa observed by all itH roatlera, and comment
cd upon by many IL my prosenco::, From that
timo It has neglected no opportunity Of trying
to iniure mo, and is copying all articles con.
iemning my reported apooch at Winchester, and
ignoring entirely the statements of those whc
hoard mo there that TINT report was incorrect.
| It is now sotting aside md placing iu tho back.
ground. aa fur as poauible, ttho State Aasocie-
tion, which, In ith open character, and BY the
untiriug etiorta Of its officers, with tho hearty
corporation Of both Clubs aud Oranges, ol
which it is composed, hno set this ball OF reform
!
never have been dono by eithor Club or Grange
alone, and especially not by the Oranges, whose
| work is secret, aud who aro forbidden to act it
their organized capacity upon the political quoa
unturnod to ingratiate itHelf with tic Oranges
and, inBtead OF harmonizing md unit
| lug tho two organizations, which havt
conn, common purpo3s;o, for ;; whieh they art
each othors elforta, but, united, may sweep al
before them, it il, for ts own eelasL PURPOSES
fostering jealonsies which, had it tho in1uonc'
it bolioves itself poHHessed Of, would ineyitabf.
destroy much Of tho good effects Of tho work nj
ready done. Thanka to it's own folly in 50 trans
parently displaying the BelflshnoHs by which it II
actuated, 1t has 20 weakened ita influence among
tho farmers TINT have no fear Of the rcAult
and tho meetnga multiplying throughout th
State and In others Invitations to speak n
tho enthusiasm With which I nm ever:ywlor.
grooted at those meetings. prove tint itH effort
tu wealson my influence with tho farmers lav
thus fur as aignally failod. Lot mo Hay further
for cao their notea 6sao sa o tho esst %ta 10
farmers Sworo iii good Dcmocrnts and gooi
Republicans, but who found out, directly W
began to break loose from party nloorings ant
t.ne!are our determination TO pilot ous own boa
through the troubled sea of politics, TINT it wa
an u,,sound craft and tta ollicors uuBafo an
dangerous, that thcHo officers never sought tn
position thoy occupy - TINT tloy hay0 heo
pushed to tho front by the people, Further
that tho otlitor OF paper published in tho city
or any otlior resident Of tho city, immurod in
city-oi1ice, mil seldom or ncyor mingling will
tho common pooplo OF tho rural diatrcts. unat
footed by tho carno of thoir pufrorings, aul
therefore, il,crouous Of its extont, laa but lit
Ito conception or tho intensity Of foeIing exist
ing among them, anil their strong Discrimination
to right their wrongs at al lazartls; whio
Henry Ward Dcoc!er could expresH in tn
phrase, Reform or Revolution, and DO applantlo
therefor. bubfor which 7, one of thon, aul foelin
tlloir wrongs NJ intesoly. Gro set upon by ever
peuny-n-liNer in Tho Union when similar lat
g,lago iH attributed to mo, though had I uttore
it, should 1.-Two but eellood tho sentiments q
lie people as Expressed by tho nottoos upon th
bun,lore displayed na their meetings.
tnho this OCCASION to Auy again. aB hay
eait before, that did not uttor n sentiment 4
the Winchester meeting TINT could, it correctl
ropol tod, lo CONSTRUED into Ayrarianiam or Con
mlniBm Tlln is What did roy, aftcr callin
attontion 10 tho poor luis lad Boon OH my wa
thore, surrounded III They woro with unEroko
corn-ileldA: Tltat waB n loyolor, III that wol,l
level those ilutH up and bring the 1woilorB
taom, tho co,n.protliscers, moro upon an oqaaliI
with tho tlwollerB in tho mansions Of tho corr
| ~ui1 H.. nj 1,y Ufy