Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-08-03
GEN. FUTILE.
Why He Left the Demo-
cratic Party.
when the Rebels Took
Command Of It, He Con-
cluded to Leave.

lRcgistcr.l
Mr.. Chairman and Gentleman Of
the Hayes and Wheeler CLUB:
When concluded TO change my
party thought that i might be al
lowed to do II quietly. It was pri-
waite act, and required no public
announcement and there was no one
to whom j was obligated TO account
for such an action. But as my course
has been 80 assailed, and have been
called so severely TO account, ! may
rs we'll embrace this opportunity to
tell both my Democratic and my
Republican friends why have left
tho old Democracy, and why 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 speaker, and
make no pretcnsions 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 Democrat IL the issues
on which they are fighting this year
are the principles OF the party.
Great applause But nearly two
years ago the course OF duty was de-
veloped much more plainly than II
ever had been before. What ] had
seen before that that was wrong,
had continued to hope would be
found to DO mistaken and that II
would DO mended.
REBEL DEMOCRATS.
Nearly two years ago was In st.
Louis. Now there Is nothing pecu-
liar In simply having beer In st.
Louis. But was there also In 1861
Cheers. That was just after the
first battle OF Bull Run, and st. Lou.
Is was thoroughly, wildly, insanely
rebel. 1t was worth mans life
then almost TO be seon In tho Union
uniform. A Union officer about the
hotels, where congregated the nois'
lest secession elements, was hooted
ut and derided, and told with sneers
ayes, you'll go south, and you will
come back, as tho Union soldiers
have Just come back from Bull Run
with your tails tucked" But as
remember IL, none Of our troops
from Iowa over came back In that
shape. Laughter and applause.
That was the feeling in st. Louis In
1861, and this feeling ] found there
again, In the same spirit and In tho
tho same place, re.expressed by the
same mon, when WAS there In 1874
1t was then l heard the news that
the Democrats had elected MAORI
~ OF the National House, and these
same fellows who swarmed about
the hotels talking treason and derid'
ing Union soldiers In 1861 were ex.
ultant and dolirious with JOY this
last time. / remarked to a gentle
man who had been a conrad with
mo In tho war, "This looks like the
same set of set of fellows who were
spouting treason hero mt the begin
ming Of tho war. What Is 10 that Is
exciting them so, and what ails
them? We asked squad OF them
what IL was that made "them feel so
good?" heard one Of them say
I'VE have got them this time. We
can beat them this time"
We askcn who they meant by
'them?" They replied, "we'll 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 q Democratic President.
Then we can appoint our commit
tees to suit ourselves, and choose our
own 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 Union army, and pny for all
their emancipated slaves.
THE Ex-REEEL PROGRAMME.
said one, "givc us possession Of
the government, and the North will
be the rebels next time" This was
the talk, aud the talk in earnest as
was iase talk u The same men in
lssE. They Tnsan IL. They talked
IL eTsw esssdlT and seriously Said
TsssT lad sirssdy I'm united South,
ws5tA you'd t.s Bearjy enough, and
sssss sAsssr Democratic allies In the
1sssA dare not deny them the little
saase. s1ss sss more votes, that they
uosssz messi. This IL their idea to-
dag - grin by legislation, by
ssssss ~ diplomacy and triekery+
What Gs=ey failed to gain by means OF
sgssp. believe Ii: know 1t. All
ssss5r p'essions suggest ii. and all
saseir a<sions prove II. What clse do
tfsey neany Why Is II that the
state u Missouri has issued TO every
former owner of slaves In that State
. certificate scs one thousand dollars
FIR every slave, payable when the
general government will pay IL?
This very thing, the total amount Of
the value Of their eInancipated slaves
~ now estimated rs part OF the
State debt Of Missouri! i used 10
think that this was Republican
tho certificate matter.
Bnt II IL an actual fact, and these
certificates, and all certificates or
OF losses sustained through
,nt tho State are being saved up as
an yaf.,It., nd rssnf,av aUninal tho duy