The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-05-17
GORDON,s GOSSIP.
CENTENNIAL CHOP FEED.
A Dreary Discussion Of the Dead
Doctrines OF Desperate
Demagoguery.
A RADICAL SPEECH.


MAJOR ]. W. GORDON TRIES THE KEYNOTE
BUsINEss-CoNvINCEs HIMSELF THAT HE
MAY VOTE THE REPUBLICAN TICKET
TOUCHES ON THE ELECTION RIoTs-AND
MAKES A SPEECH ABovE THE CoMPRE-
HENsroN OF HIS AUDIENCE.
The play advertised by the Journal for
the Academy of Music as the spectacular
drama of "Molton's Friend" proved to be
an unmitigated fraud. 1t was no play, IL
was no drains, aud it was not spectacular.
It was only a monologue, with Major j.
Wellington de Gordon in the title-role.
By drumming through the streets ell day
with a wagon, which started out witD the
announcement that the "Majer" would
make his first appearance at the Academy
last night, large audience was
gotten together, all the seats in
the house and much of the standing
room being occupied. At about O'Clock
the trouble began by the sole proprietor
stepping to the front and moving to make
the Hon. }. ID. Rowland chairman. Mr..
Rowland, on taking the chair, referred to
the well known modes y of MsJor j..
Wellington, and as a mere matter OF
form, introduced him to the audience.
He opened out by saying:
"MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLow-cITIzENs
Before proceeding to the delivery of the
speech which have prepared for this oc-
casion, thought it best TO say that, in
opening the Republican campaign in this
the Centennial year of our government,
felt that ought to give great care TO its
prt d aration in order that il might not be
crude and i'll shapen. My speech Is to be
devoted to the two parties, having
special references to the late city election"
He began by q general explanation OF the
right in a free country that every man has
nh
like an honest Democrat, and
very little like a radical Repu blicsn.
He apologiZad for not noticing other
parties besides the Democratic and Repub-
IIcan, and then devoted half his speech
to show thai there ought not to be any
other parties. he went on to
APOLOGIES FOR HIS CONNECTION WITH THE
REPUBLICAN, PARTY,
csndidly admitting that there could be
better parties. and saying that it had often
cost him some considerable sacrifice OF
feeling to remain q member of that ring
with which he had been Identified. He
seemed to make little if any distinction
between The two political organizations.
Meth er OF them is wholly bad, and both
OF them are relatively so. Neither OF them
is wholly good, and both or them are rel
stlvely so. He presented what he chose to
term q review of the history of the Democ-
racy, and repeated the stale, fiat, unprotits-
BILE and long since-sxploded lie that the
Democratic party is responsible for the re-
bellion oil 1861. He then devoted cousiders-
BILE time to prove, what is admitted by
every body, that government is necessary
among men, and ought to be respected
by all men. From this point until
near the close the address lost
the character of political speech,
and was devoted to an explanation OF how
political parties are formed, how certain
individuals may perpetually hold office,
and what the duties or all good citizens
are. He finally got back to the history OF
the two great parties. He said the first
difference between the two was funds-
mental. The Republicans assert that the
government of the United States is GEN.
tralizsd power; the Democrats assert that
r. Is the creation of the people of the states.
When he reached the point at which he
b gan to speak of the Republican party,
no spoke of Holt, Stanton and Dix, as Re-
publicans whose forms should be pre-
served In marble and brass, their deeds In
song, and their memories IN the great true
hearts of the people side by side with
Washington and Lincoln. After further
reflection he admitted that If the Demo
cratic party did counive at the rebellion,
their course could be reconciled with
patriotism on the ground that the United
States is a creature of the peOple of the
states, and said that it was only the Re
publican party that protested to the
participation in regard to the late wal
as treason. Regarding In. Jackson
THE HERO OF NEW ORLEANS,
as the founder of the Democratic party, ht
said that he had maintained bis Democratic
principles by unanswersble arguments
He charged that the crime of the war LAY
at the door of the Democracy, and then ex
sulpated SO per cent of the whole party by
saying that his remarks did not applyto any
of those Democrats who rushed TO the de
tense of the government against the rebels
indeed, he said, that there was more homo
due the Democrats than the Republics
who followed the nag of the Union in the
great rebellion, since it could only be pat
riotism that called them out. He com
mended Governor Hendricks for his con
sistency throughout long public life, anC
said that his example was by no means tb'
only one fonnd among northern Demo
cra.s. He condemned the party for no
presenting the name of Republican like
Chase as the presidential candidate instead
OF one who had always been Democrat
and abused it like pirate for nominating
for the chief msgistracy the puress snC
best Republican the country bad In
1872. He sarcastically, but truthfully
characterized the Republicans as pitilesI
rascsls, and then eulogizsd the leaders O
the Liberal movement OF 1872 as the pures
and best men in the party, and laid they
were called 70 Cincinnati to organize 8
new party because they were ashamed o
the Republican partv. He compared the
purify of the people under the old Demo
cratic rule with their corruption under The
present Republican rule, and instanceC
the fsct that Henry Clay was defeated sn6
destroyed by the mere charge of 20.
litical bargain and sale, while to-day IN.
blushing bribery is common. He sale
that when the president was asked about
the prosecution of the ring thieves he re
piled, LET no guilty man esespe,u but b.
did not add that the president was no
then aware that Bsbcock or Belknsp were
guilty, nor did be say whether his excel
1ency changed bis mind on learning of The