The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-04-06
HOW GATH sLANDERS THE LEAD
EIfs AND PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH
AND A LATE TEXAN SENATOR.

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The Graphic, Of the twenty-second inst,
contains an ingenious story in which it is
sought to compIioate Jefferson DAVIS, Jake
Thompson, Glenn Clay, DIR. Blackburn, the
late Senator Oldham Of Texas, and other
respectable and distinguished gentlemen OF
the South, with Thomassen Of dynamite in
fanny. By means of the creative genius OF
George Alfred Townsend, the deTilish con-
trivances Of Thomassen are confounded
with those OF which much wa. said at one
time in Richmond and Augusta, Georgia.
1t will be remembered that one Raines, a
-killful chemist, proposed to supply the
forces of the Confederacy with a sure re-
source, enabling Bragg, then commanding
.oulh Of Murfreesboro', to render the ad-
vance of Rosecrsns impossible. Raines
sent specimens of his shells and fuses to
Atlanta. They were exhibited everywhere
and many people proposed to use them.
Their virtues were tested in Virginia and n
squad of Federal cavalry, it is said, were
sent incoDtinently to Kingdom Come. "
The fuses Of these peculiar shells were ex-
ploded by pressure, rather than concussion.
A bare foot as readily as boot heel WAS
effective IN developing destructiveness of
the Internal shells made 10y Raines. Cl"ck
work, it i said, was attached to these SHELLS
that lighted match at the proper instant
and exploded them within the holds OF
Federal ships below Richmond, and the
veracious George Alfred Townsend, some
times called Gath, because II very GO-liah,
and liar without going among newspa-
pers to discover him-this most felicitous
story teller, &c. A. t." tells that several
ladies were blown into oblivion 10y the ter
rlble dynamite of Rpines. Interviewer with
these recitals of terrible, CHASTITY deeds, is
the statement that our late Senator Oldham
was chief promoter of Raines's explosive
purposes. We are told, too, that DR.
Blackburn, even now or very recently a sue
cessful and accomplished physician of lou
isville, Kentucky, through the intervention
of Thomassen, then known as Keith, Cit
izen of New Brunswick, sought to infect
Abe Lincoln and his Cabinet and armies
with smallpox. In fact, George Alfred
would have the world believe that Davis
Clay, Jake Thompson, Oldham and others
were engaged in destroying the lives and
houses of Northern people, in and out of
aru,les, by most infamous devices. Black
burn supplied smallpox and Raines dyna-
mite, and the great leaders of the South as
sented to the purposes of these terrible de-
stroyers Of our race. Such is the purport
of Gath's uniquely false. and ingenious
story, designed to disgrace US in the eyes OF
civilized men end even to beget the impress
sion that Jefferson Davis and his associates
in power and Office sought to murder Abra-
ham Lincoln and were participants in the
heinous crime of the madman Booth. TO-.
There was a Raines and there was a
Keith or Thomassen. Raines did make ex-
plosive shells and he did propose 20 supply
Bragg's army and experiments were made
in Virginia, but not with results stated by
"Gath." Whether Thomassen used them
to blow up ships during the war in order TO
recover insurance money, we are not adj
vsed; but we do know that Mr.. Davis and
commanders of South ,rn armies, confessing
as they did the effectiveness of Raines's
sensitive shells and the impossibility of
Rosecrans's or Sherman's advance across u
country in which this dynamite was depos-
tied in hidden cases, refused to resort to
such agencies Of defense, and cities were
burned, the country. was desolated and
Hoods army destroyed. In the face of these
historical facts, George Alfred Townsend
copcocts and publishes this most horrible
batch of falsehoods. He would have the
world believe that the leader of Southern
armies aud chosen Chief Magistrate of
the Confederacy was only an ASSASSIN
and plotter of assassination while his
choicest frieAds Jake Thompson and Clem
Clay and Mr.. Oldham, were the confeder-
ates in crime of AL man brutal beyond
parallel or conception. mot' .sya.1o bus a5'
OF all the enemies the South has Known,
George Alfred Townsend is most to be
hated. Morton is understood He would
be President. He has apalpable motive for
has lying. Blaine, too, is aThbitioas., @ He
would outstrip Norton, and therefore
panders, with infinite skill, to the passions
and hates of his Northern fellow-caqlntry-
men. We expect these selfish, party lead
ers to assail us, and after pilfering fromAoul
purses and desoIating our fields and max XII in 4
savsgery supreme and robbery the law, VS.
expected them to justify themselves ans
party by making the people of the South
If possible, forever infamous on the page,
OF tie country's political history. The end
aimed at by Blaines and Martons give /
share of quasi jdstifcation to their bruta
speeches and conduct; but, how can. We
apologize for the infamous lies and inven
tions of mere literateura He gains moth
ing for himself either at the, North o
South by concocting historical SANDER anC
publishing unblushing fslsehoods. I'VE cal
only imagine, in apologizing for his mis-
deeds, that it is possible that writer
genius may run away with his moral sense
and "Gsth" writes lies simply to ilustrai
the wonderful fecundi,y O, his intellect il
the concoction of stories as marvellous a
ingenious and horrible. He pSnders to de
praved tastes in order to tind eager readers
Blame and Morton to depsayed passions il
order to WIN voters. f t.-,-.,
PUBLIo B0ILDINes Al AUSTIN. \
Texas everywhere should visit Austin,
for no other reason, to learn how publ