Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-08-04
Gen. Tuttle of Iowa.
WHY HE REFUSES TO ACT LONGEH
WITH THE DEKOCR1LG P4RTI.
A VERY REMARKABLE SPEECH.


4 VERY REMARKABLE SPEECH.
Gen. futile, of Iowa, was a democrat before the
war; and since the war he has acted with his old
party. But to use his own words when the rebels
took commandshe could stand it no longer, and in
a speech to his neghbors at Des Moincs on
Thursday night, he gave his reasons ia an Ctfhand-
talk, which we reproduce:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen QfMe Hayes end
Wheeler Club:-When | concluded to change my
party, thought that might be allowed to do it
quietly. 1t was private act, and required no
public announcement, and there was no one to
whom was obliged to account for such an action.
But as my course has been SO assailed, and l have
been called so severely to account, may as well
embrace this opportunity to tell both my Demo-
cratic and my republican Fl lends why | have left
the old democracy, and why l am here tonight.
The act of my change was a private one, but my
reasons for so doing were public ones, and they
may be told and shall be. [Cheers. am no speak
er, aud make no pretentions of being. But | can
talk to you as neighbors. have been considered
doubtful by many democrats for nearly two years
Laughter. Indeed, never have been a demo-
crat, if the issues GU which they are fighting this
year are the principles of the party. lGreat ap
plause. But nearly two years ago the course of
duty was developed much more plainly than it ev-
or had been before. When l had seen be-
fore that which was wrong, | had continued to
hope that such mistakes would be mended.
REBEL DEMOCRATS.
Nearly two years ago was in st. Louis Now
there is nothing peculiar in simply having been
at St Louis But | was there also In 1861.
[Cheers.] That was just after the first battle of
Bull Run, and St Louis was thoroughly, widely
insanely rebel. 1t was worth mans life almost
to be seen in the Union uniform. Union Off
Ger about the hotels where congregated the noisi-
est secession elements, was booted at and derided
and told with sneers, "Yes, you'll go South, and
you will come back the Union soldiers have
just come back from Bull Run, with your tails
tucked" But, as | remember it, none of our
troops from Iowa ever came back in that shape.
Laughter and app!ause.l That was the feeling in
St. Louis in 1861, and this feeling l found there
again, in the same spirit and in the same places,
re-expressed by the very same men, when was
there in 1874. 1t was then l heard the news that
the democrats had elected a majority of the Ma
tional House, and these same fellows who swarm
ed about the hotels, talking treason and deriding
Union soldiers in 1861, were exutant and deliri-
Gus with JOY this last time. remarked to gen.
tleman who had been comrade with me in the
war, "This looks like the same set of fellows who
were spouting treason here at the beginning of the
late war. What is it that is exciting them so, and
what ais themf 7" We asked a squad of them
what it was that made them "feel so good?' l
heard one of them say. 1--WE have got them this
time we can beat them this time" We asked
elect the next President and then we've got them.
Then we'll get pay for all our property destroyed
in the war; and then we'll get pay for our lost
slaves. We have the House overwhelmingly now,
and in 1876, the Centennial year, We can get the
Senate and democratic President. Then we can
appoint our committees to suit ourselves, and
choose our own Southern Claims Committee our
Southern Claims Court, and make good our
losses by the war;" They meant that they would
get pay for all the property destroyed by the I'm
ion army, and pay for all emancipated slaves.
THE ExREBEL PROGRAMME.
Said one, "Give us possession of the govern
ment, and the North will be the rebels next time
This was the talk and talk in earnest, as was the
talk of the same men in 1861. They meant it.
They talked it over coolly and seriously. Said
they had already an united South, which would
be nearly enough, and that their democratic
allies in the North dare not deny them the little
more, the few more votes, they would need.
THIS is their idea to-day-to gain, by legislation,
by means of diplomacy and trickery what they
failed TO gain by means of force. believe It.
know it. All their expressions suggest it and their
actions prove it. What else do they mean Why
is that the State of Missouri has issued to every
former owner Of slaves in that State certificate
of 81 900 for every slave, payable when the gen.
eral government will pay it I This very thing,
the total amount Of the value of the emsncipated
slaves is now estimated as part of the State debt
of Missouri used to think that this was repub-
lcan falsehood, the certificate matter But it is
actual fact, and these certificates, and all certf-
Gates or showngs OF losses sustained throughout
inc State are DelEP sdNeu up as as money
against the day when the democracy and the reb-
ell element ruling it in the National Government,
shall have attained to power. If Missouri will do
this thing and hold out this promise to pay for all
emancipated slaves, why not all the Southern, all
worse rebel States do it, and will they not do it
THE CONFEDERATE HOUSE.
When these things came to my knowledge, l
could not do less than halt for further develop
ments, watching suspiciously every development
made thereafter which could see had tendency
toward drawing the democracy North and South
nearer together, a union which could see would
put the old rebel element at the head of, and viz
tually in control of the party Applause Events
have eliminated rapidly since then, and had not
long to wait to see the whole programme. The
democratic house soon gave me light enough
tCheersl
For some time have been ready to answer the
question "Have you left the democrat party p
I have- Great applausel. And am often asked
now "ls it so VIII you vote for IIeyes and
Wheeleri" 1t so; and work for them as well a.
vote for them. Renewed applause NV demo-
cratic friends ask me for my reasons. There are
plenty of them, all Of them cannot be to told in
these few remarks. And it is not necessary to tell
all. First let me say that my abandonment of
democracy was not caused, as has been charged
by the press of that party because of the current
cy or tariff question. have no objection to those
planks In the st. Louis platform. But my reasons
are, as have already Indicated and will now
state further.
The democrats who press me for my reasons
may know them. On the road the other day
met an old democratic friend-one of the Van Bn-
rem County democrats, who Dave Steward, in his
screed in the paper the other day, said never had
any faith in my democracy after l went into the
war. [Applsuse1 Quite excitedly he wanted to
know if it was true the report that had really
left the democratic party. answered sit is a
fact" He asked the reasons for it. | told him
they were quite plenty and sufficient, and as we
had plenty of time would tell him some of them
Something of what have already stated here was