The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1878-03-05
MIR. OBERLY TO MFR. POITER-A
LOVE LETTER.

OAAnos Abbss ma va ~ Ao'S'
My DEAR POTTER PLEASE pardon me
for this affectionate familiarity OF ad-
dress, and compliment me by reading
what shall herein write.
You have INDUCED q propensity OF
yours to speak Of me, In and out OF your
paper, In a very unkind manner. Con-
corning your right to do this shall say
nothing; but l doubt II, in doing 30.
you can Justify yourself unto yourself.
say this because you certainly know
that, opportunity Offering, as 1t has sey>
eral times. and as hope 1t may again
very often, l always speak and write
kind words about you and In Your inter-
est. At this moment l entertain toward
you the friendliest Of sentiments, and 1
am, believe. in harmony with your
present position on most OF the issues OF
national and state politics. Your un.
kindness therefore surprises me.
But probably an explanation Of 1t may
be found In the fact that you believe me
| TO be possible candidate for some Office
you desire for more profitable friend.
| beg you to be at once undeceived. 1
am acandidate for no Office. Reap there.
fore and garner In peace whatever har-
vest may be before your newspaperial
reaper and rake. | shall not disturb you
In your efforts to improve The shining
hours Of the pending canvass.
Or 1t is possible that you are unkind
TO me because the newspaper arrows
shot by me at you, replying to verbal
missiles thrown by you at me, still rankle
in your recollection? II so, | pity both
your heart and head. There was no
malice In my hand when I bent the bow,
and only little hearted and bralnless mean
men remember with anger the blows ofa
battle after peace has been declared.
have laid down my PENNY only
weapon. | have surrendered at dis,
erection. But you are a newspaperial
Bashi-Bazouk. You persist in shooting
at an unarmed man who can neither fight
nor run away.
1t isa possibility, l admit, that your
attacks on me are induced by a patriotic
desire to serve the Democratic party. 1t
may be true that you belleye me not a
good enough Democrat. | am sorry.
How can convince you! lido not deny
that l have not agreed with those Demo-
cratic leaders who wished to resist ac>
compllshed facts, and who seemed to be
determined to keep the negro an ever
present fact In politics. took the new
and was honored by letter
from you approving my course in this re.
gard. That letter l often read with
pleasure, dwelling with delight upon
your name signed to 1t In your own char.
acteristic but legible handwriting. l
plead guilty to the charge that, in the
humanities Of politics, l did not square
myself with the doctrine taught by some
men, who were not certainly Jeaersonian
Democrats, that negro slavery was .
righteous institution. and that the victim
of 1t had no citizen rights, even after he
had, under gallant officers like yourself,
fought for both freedom and country. I
may have been weak in this regard but
still can say, upon my honor. that I
never voted any but the Democratic tick>
ct, and that 1 always voted 1t without q
scratch. Ia Democracy I may have been
a crooked talker and writer, but l have
always been certain and straight
voter. voted for MIR. Charles
Carroll, the Democratic candidate for
state treasurer In 1874, when you voted
against him and by trick deprived him
OF every Democratic vote in Pulaski
county. And further, there has not been
political campaign in Illinois during
the last thirteen years In which did not,
at my own expense and at q sacrifice OF
my comfort and business, worked on the
stump for the Democratic party. You
did not do any Of this kind Of work. But
do not therefore reproach you. Your
strength is not In your tongue, but Ia
your pen. l was also an editor, indus
trious in my way, If not as able as you
and the work did for my party with
my pen has not made me rich. ! never
received from q candidate even nickl,
In payment Of any labor did In his be
halt. l worked tor the candidates of tn,
Democratic party because they we're tn,
candidates Of party the success of which
, had at heart. And have reason I,
believe that you know Of at least on,
Occas Sim Whan I UNA tha aoIlc,tc,,. -.