Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-08-09

Soe uuIC. liHuSntcr.I i asked II he naO
killed them. He said he guessed so-as they
didn't move afterwards. I asked II it was
so, that he had shot them after they had
surrendered. He said 1t wasn't so, that he
wouldn't let them surrender. [Cheers.] He
said: Do you think | could let these fell
lo;,s, who had already murdered some Of
our Union Troops, and were trying to do it
tarred oyer, in attempt to do it again. sur
render! No, sir. l couldn't do it, and
didn't. One lot OF them have stopped their
deviltry now that know of, and more Of
them will II can catch them" tApplause.l
Those are the fellows | am charged with
having murdered after they surrendered.
They didn't surrender. "Mac" wouldn't
bridges burned on that side while l was in
command OF that road. Soon after we left
they burned bridge, and threw train into
the water, killing a number OF women and
children. They thought they were laying the
trap for soldiers train. But the night pas
senger train came first and so the soldiers
escaped. ! only wish that Mac" and his
squad had been there, and caught them set
ting it on fire.
These, fellow-citizens and neighbors, are
some of the many charges made against
me, and sent to me daily by the score, in
anonymous letters. ! cannot refer to all
OF them. They can prove up many like
things on me, and on any Union officer or
soldier who was in the war and tried to do
his duty
having done my duty as soldier, in my
humble, and yet earnest and well meaning
way. | am now called after have left the
Democratic party, robber, a burner OF
houses, u murderer! Do you wonder, gen.
teman, that have been stung into making
publicly the remarks have hercg | have no
abuse to make of any one. call no one by
| ma ct IN inpn In fnet hat
others may see as well MS myself that the war
aud the hate Of the Union soldiers did not die,
as the st. Louis platform says, eleven years
ago.
| That convention did not look as though
treason was an odious thing, nor that rebels
were any the less to be honored than patriots.
That gathering proved again what the Dem
ocratic House had already proved, that the
old rebel element is running the Democratic
party, and that its whole hope of success Is
staked on their solid support. They were
all there at st. Louis, and were the lions Of
the day, especially honored and cheered by
the Convention, and honored and lonized by
the same gang Of rebels who were spouting
! treason and abusing soldiers there IL 1861, as
we were going to the front, and who we've
talking the same treason when ! was there
two years ago. Applause. Why is it that
| the nomination of Tilden has so revived and
reinspired the old rebel cementg Why SO
much more so than the candidacy Of Greeley
four years ago, when there was some hope
of new party and the death for good of the
old Democracy You can answer rs well IA
| can. 1t looks like they knew their man.
! Applause The alarming demonstrations
daily developing in the South would look
like it,
And now, in conclusion, ms to the reason
why have not left the Democratic party
sooner. They say want office and that
,t..l Had
would have left the Democratic party years
ago, for ii Is a matter of record that have
said for years that there was never any hope
OF the Democrats carrying Iowa. III | had
been an ofice-seekcr, should have left the
old party long ago. | am not candidate
for office, and never viii be. ! have no as
pirations for prominence in politics, and l
do not see why, when us private citizen, L
have tried to change my party quietly, all
this abuse should be heapcd upon me.
can stand it, though, and it in nowiso
changes my conviction as to my duty, only
to Intensity and confirm it. Applause.
feel in earnest now, as did during tho
war Cheers. ! have no retreat to make.
| Renewed cheers. The reason have left
the Democratic party is that have no faith
in it Icheers), and no faith in the old rebel
element whom have long feared would
come to the front, and whom | now know
| aud see hare come, and whose coming has
made my way clear and my course OF duty
plain. lGreat applause
| Among the last Democratic officers OF any
note were Floyd and Jake Thompson, the
| Democratic Secretary OF War and Secretary
| of the Interior. They stole from the Gov
| eminent they were sworn to serve, to help
the rebellion raised to destroy 1t; and be.
side their crimes and their corruptions, all
that is charged against the Republican Of
lcials, admit II all To be true, even, sinks
into insigniAcance.
Why. old Jake Thompson, encouraged by
the defiance OF Ben Hin in his speech, went
down TO Washington few months ago. and
like a braggart demanded Investigation,
pompously saying that he would wave the le-
gal point Of time. He went down there blow
ing and got sued-for the money that he
stole for the rebels. Great cheering. II
old Floyd were alive, he, too, probably would
90 down there under the protection OF the
rebel shadow Of Ben Hill, and demand invcs-
tigation. Laughter. He was at Fort Dom
clson with the other Constitution hug
gers" but he skipped out early so as to be
safe. Hecould steal for the Confedcracy, but
he wasn't willing to die for it. Laughter. !
Ii is his fault gentlemen, and not mine,
that his memory Is not 10 be spoken Of with
more respect This Thompson and this
Floyd were the last Democratic rulers, and
| they represented the domination OF the
South In the Democracy then. And Thomp-
son and his friends, and the friends Of Floyd,
are again pressing to the front to assume
party control. As they have come as lead
ers, have asked and taken the privilege OF
leaving the Democratic ranks. Cheers.
Finally gentlemen ] would say, Keep a
solid front, and wen beat them. Chccrs.I
hope and think we will am with you,
AID with you in earnest. lGreat cheeriLgl
Close up for the fight They mean business,
and we must fApplausc 1t is some
thing OF the old fight, only 1t Is to be fought
the ballotbox instead OF on the battle
helt. IRenewed applause frequently re-
peatcd
| thank you, gentlemen, for having heard
me so patiently. have not tried to make a
speech: am not speaker. ] have tried
| simply TO tell YOU, my ncighbors, why have