The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-12-20

run over the mountains. He left his
wounded and dying comrades on the
battle field for us to take care Of Oh,
my friend, you ought to have been with
us the next morning; 1 think you would
have tainted. When walked over this
ground 1 saw sights that never want to
see the like of again.
Our next service was with that brave
little man, Col. Cloud, known to many
Emporians. We travelled hard, starved,
and endangered our lives for those at
home. I have not time to detail our
hardships and sufferings in that cam
paign. remember one day when twen-
ty of us were on the advance, suddenly
we received yolley from the bushes, not
ten steps away. Not one of US was
hurt. I think those Democrats that
fired on US must have been excited, like
the one at our polls on election day, who
asked that damnable question, what 1
had done. But, my friend, must leave
you before half telling my story of what
I did for you. I've told you nothing of
Cabin creek, which reached after trav-
cling 100 miles without a mouthful to
eat; I've told you nothing of the many
night I've slept on the bare ground
with the water running under me; I've
told you nothing of the 200 mile trip to
Camden, with only three hard-tack
crackers for subsistence; I've told yon
nothing of the bloody fight at Paison
Spring.
Now, my, friend, 1 beg of you never
to ask that question, what Republicans
have done, again in public, for it hurts.
Suppose the wife, or daughter, or son of
some brave soldier who had given his
life for the republic had heard you, don't
you think the question would have gone
to their hearts? l think unless you
have heart of stone, you will say yes
must acknowledge the corn" to you
I've dropped tears tryingto write this as
an answer to your question. Drop one
tear on this as you read it-not for my
sake, but for the sake of those who fell
so bravely defending you, your country,
and its homes and families, unless you
are willing to acknowledge, like the man
1 read of once, that you have no coun-
try. Now, want you to take your pen
Gil and multiply the little I've done for
the country, by $4,000 who answered the
"f1rst CALL" and by the 100000 more"
and 1 think you will find out what the
Republican party has done.
have few more hard nuts for you to
crack and then am done. Do you know
of Republican who fired on Fl. Sum-
ter? Do you know who killed my father.
Abraham Yes, and your father, too, if
you only had sense enough to know it?
Did you ever know Republican to fire
on our glorious star spangled banner?
go long may it wave,
Ger the land of the free and the home of the
brave
1 heard man sing that song thus, be-
fore the war:
''The star spangied banner. long may 1T
Ger the land of the free and the home of the
slave.''
am proud to say helped to wipe out
that disgraceful word 'slave'' that hung
upon our pages so long. Now you and
l can sing the old song truthfully. Look
into these questions, and think you'll
find out what the Republican party
hasn't done. o, my friends, one and all,
may see you next fall joining that gallant
band that carried you through the dark
est cloud that ever hung over America.
My last wish is that may never, that my
children and my children's children may
never, see the downfall of that dear old
banner.
Messrs. Editors, thought at first to
sign this with some fictitious name rather
than my own, but as 1 never have done
anything that was ashamed of, nor do
l ever intend to, I'll sign the name 1 re-
ceived from my mother in Wales over
forty years ago. peace be with you and
good will to ALL
WILLIAM HUMPHREY,
Emporia, Kas.