New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-15
4 SING I'D STITES.V1N.


passes into history. He represented his adopted
State in Congress for several years WITHOUT
writing his name upon the rolls OF fame uh-
til it occurred to him Oh Tuesday to make
speech upon the disputed electoral vote OF
Florida, nearly two weeks after the question
had been turned over TO the Commission
and twenty -four hours after it had been formally
and irreyocably settled by the counting of the
returns in joint convention. There was
suddcnness and pertinency about this 0ppor-
tune outburst of rhetoric which cap'lvated the
attention of the country. Mr. Pulman has
become one of the topics of the time and
the liyeliest interest is everywhere felt IN his
personal and political history. Curiosity is all
The more keen because Mr. Purman tells us
that he has been sufferer in the cause of
truth. 81 love the principles of the Republic
"cai, party" said he, land for their sake have
"been singed by the fires of martyrdom."
How did 1t happen7 Mr.. Purman enlisted
as a private soldier from Pennsylvania during
the war-Or was he haply drafted land seiz-
ing, not precisely his muskct, but his pen,
rushed fon special duty" to the War Depart
ment where he defended the Union until the
war was over. lie went to Florida in 1862
and suffered the fortunes of the stake, first III
the capacity of member of the Constitutional
Convention, then State Senator, then as
Secretary of State, then as County Judge, then
rs State Senator again, then as chairman OF "a
State commission, then as Internal Revenue
Assessor. then as Chairman of the Republican
State Executive Committee, and he crowned
his martyrJOm in 1872 by getting elected to
Congress, where he has 5izzled, so to speak,
ever since. To the average unaided nOstl1l
there is no very strong flavor of burning flesh
in this record of a politicians career, but Mr..
Purman IN the course of his speech fortunately
gives us ample opportunity of learning just
how he suffered. The Republican party in
Florida, he declares, has been slaughtered by
its own friends. The refusal of the politicians
at Washington to give seat in the Senate to
"the Honorable Mr.. Pinchbacll," on the pitt
full plea that it did not belong to him, de-
moralized and discouraged the colored
statesmen Of Florida, who could not see
the use of voting for party which
was not going to do anything for them.
The idiosyncrasies of the cOorcd legislators"
were disrcspecfully treated in the Republican
newspapers of the North. Then came the
closely contested election of 1876, when even
the place of Pulman himself was put in jeOp-
ardy. 1t will hardly be believed, but Purman
"cOuld obtain not one dollar of assistance" from
the North, and was obliged to become response
bic for his own bills. The consequence might
have been foresecn. Exposed TO the danger of
having his seat snatchcd from under him by n
Democratic contestant, Mr.. Purman is con-
strained to acknowledge that everything has
gone to the dogs. Tilden is honestly elected, and
the State Canvassng Board is "bOld, dishonest.
"and interruptions" All that comes of not
properly vauing the testimony of the martyrs.
Mr.. Purman has now gone to join Pinch
back. There is nice little company of inter-
esting converts waiting around the corner
for Mr.. Tildcn's Inauguration. Pnchback,
Purman, Maddox. Littleiield, the festive clerk
Mulherin, who begins the morning with ga
"glass Of ale, glass of cider, toddy,
Cocktail, and a couple of cigars," there they
are waiting, all of them "singed by the fires
"of martyrdom," and all of them rather hard
up. The Democratic candidate for the Presl-
dency seems to have had the reputation of
liberal paymaster, but the number of sufferers
who wish to be taken care of is getting alarm
inUly large.