The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-10-12

Edttoys FREE TRADER-ln your issue of the
9th inst YOU make use of the following:
"The FREE TRADER did support Mr.. Campbell
twice for congress and helped to elect Fawcet
Plumb to the state senate; but when it found Mr..
Campbell year and IL half ago advising the
four or five grecnbackers in the Illinois legisa
ture, and Nr. Fawcct Plumb rigidly acting on the
advice there to rather die than allow democrat
to be elected to the t. ). senate, but to do their
level best to send to the senate republican like
Ralph Plumb, then the FREE TRADER said, with
the body Of democrats in the district, that here
after when we support an Independent for con-
grcss or the state senate or house, we shall want
to know something about his antcccdcnts, and
whether he is not q republican in digusc, AS
Plumb and Campbell proved themselves by their
action.
Now, in Justice to Mr. Campbell, | wish to
state that he gave me no such advice; further
more, during that senatorial contest | was in.
constant communication with the other indie
pcndents in the state senate and | feel
quite confident Mr.. Campbell gave none of
them any such advice Mr.. Campbell seemed
to be anxious only that greenbacker should
be elected
AS to my proving by my action that was
a republican in disguise, you are respectfully
referred to the fact that twenty-eight times |
cast IL vote for Gen. VIM. b. Anderson for
United States senator Mr.. Anderson before
and during the war was democrat and is q.
democrat to day, making democratic speeches
in hislOwn congressional district. Mr.. Ander-
son was greenbackcr. The democrats refus-
ed to help me elect Anderson. When the in
dependents brought out Judge David Davis,
and that fact was announced to the democratic
caucus, he was endorsed by acclammation.
For your support when | was candidate for
Office such rs 1t naS, you have my thanks. |
have recollection, however, that during a
campaign of about or weeks weeks dura-
ton, YOU mentioned me tavOrably in only one
issue cf your paper, and that article was not
penned by any one connected with your paper,
but inserted at my request. do not complain,
but wish to have the case always fully stated.
Very respectfully yours,
Streator, oct. 9. F. PLUMB
CoMMENT.-Mr Plumb substantially ad-
mits in the above what was charged, that Mr..
Campbell urged the little squad of greenback
ers in the legislature to stick to their green
hacker candidate to the last and "die rather
than vote for democrat" AS to giving his
advice personally to Mr.. Plumb, Mr. Camp
bell may possibly not have done So knowing
exactly what Mr. Plumb wanted, and that he
was bullheadcd enough to stick without any
urging. The % votes for Mr.. Anderson go for
nothing. Mr., Plumb might as well have cast
his % votes for Ben Hill for senator, Tor the
election Of the latter by the Illinois legislature
was not whit more improbable at the time
than that of Mr.. Anderson. Finally, as to the
FREE TRADERS support of MIR. Plumb in
1874, if that gentleman will take the trouble to-
look at our files from Oct. 10th to 3lst he will
find at least dozen Of quite earnest articles,
in favor of his election, whether Mr. Plumb
them or not. Before Oct 10th
there were two greenback candidates for sena
tor in the field-Mr Plumb and Mr.. Gilman
and the FREE TRADER told the gentlemen it
would support neither until they could settle
the differences between themselves. After Mr.
Gilman's withdrawal, the FREE TRADER snip
ported Mr. Plumb without reserve or stunt,
though. as things turned out, Is ready to con
fcss it takes no special pride in the fact