Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-07-15
Full Text of His Speech at War
rem, Ohio in 1874,
He Mee.s Ali the Charges Against
HIS Personal Character.
A Complete Refutation of
the Democratic SANDERS.
A Solid Statement of Facts Which
Cannot be Disproved.


of the famous speech Of Gen. j. A. GAR
FIELD, delivered at Warren, o., Sept 10,
! 1874 in which he fully met and answered
all the charges that have ever been made
against him, and considered all the criti-
cisms that were AT the time offered by his
enemies upon his official career. This
/ speech was considered conclusive by
both friends and opponents, and those
who had honestly criticized the General
were glad to say so. One point in the
speecb-the first onc-is Of especial i'm
portauce just at this time-viz: General
GARFIELD's strong position that the civil
authority is above and should always take
! precedence OF the military in time of
peace. The other principal points in the
/ speech are explanations of the Credit
| Mobilier, vote on the increase of salaries,
and connection with the DeGolyer pave
ment.
THE SPEECH
FRLLow CITIzENs-I have thought for
number Of years that we should reach
point where our political discussions
would not relate mainly to the past;
where, in the language of some politi.
clans of the day, we should 'let byg9nes
be bygones," and the politics of our time
would look mainly to the future. But the
presence of grclt events, such as have
transpired within the past lew days in
one of our States, leads me to tear we
must again discuss some OF the questions
connected with the late war. To night |
should prefer TO discuss that and other
questions of public policy. Thus far in
my public speeches there has been but
little personal discussion. | have tried TO
make my public life as impersonal as
possible; but the course taken by some
citizens of this district justifies me, |
think, in departing from the ordinary
rule, and | shall discuss tonight mainly
questions OF a somewhat personal char
acter.
In the first place, l recognize it as a
peculiarly important element ia our
American politics that the full blaze of
public discussion, investigation, and In.
curry concerning all men who serve the
public is safeguard 10 our institutions
| do not complain if sometimes the fierce
light of the public press Durns rather
than enllghtens. That perhaps is one of
the necessary incidents to tull discus
sion of individuals and communities. |
endorse and rejoice in the principe
of the utmost individual liberty Of
judgment about all men, whatsoever
their station and career. That right
of private judgment is absolute in
every American citizen. | find no
fault with any man for exercising it upon
me in the fullest possible manner. | only
demand that it shall be exercised upon
me in justice and tor the sake of truth.
Whenever it is exercised for any other
purpose and in any other spirit, perhaps
it is all the worse for the man who so
exercises it; but have in that case right
to respond. | have come here to night 10
reply TO class OF criticisms that have
been made upon me during the last two
years When | have tully stated what |
have to say to you on any OF those points,
| invite any man, friend or enemy, to put
any question he chooses concerning that
point. | am, OF course, addressing my.
self TO all who are in Ghe audience; but
there is one class of men whom | do not
care to address, mean those who are
glad to find me wrong, and who would
be unwilling and grieved to know that |
am not wrong. That class OF men | do
not aadress with any hope of changing
any sentiment they may hold concerning
me. But there Is u class into hose hearts
and whose minds, for the last eighteen
months, at least, u series or repeated accu.
sations have been poured, until they have
come To think there must be some truth
In the charges. | have great sympathy
for that class OF men; they have beer
ma le to doubt where they formerly trust.
ed and hearing but one side, came 10 be-
lieve there was 10 other To thsi class
address myself with he utmost desire to
have them know Whist | am and what my
public lite has been, and TO give them
whatever information | may possess on
any point touching that career
THE INDIANA Constructors.
As | came up stairs tonight, note
WAS put into my hand which has led me
TO make as the first point what did not
intend TO notice until at 8 later stage of
my remarks. In the year 1866 | argued
case in the Supreme C0url o. the United
States, and the fact that | did SO gave
otlense to great many good Republicans
OF the Nineteenth district ! refer to the
case Of the Indians conspiratOrs. Bowles
ana Milligsn, in 1864 were arrested for
conspiring 10 prevent the enlistment OF
troops into our army, and for giving aid
and comfort TO the enemies Of the Union
by forming q secret organization 10 resist
the government, Those men were arrested
at their homes il Indiana, tried by q mil
tsTy court, and sentenced to death, but
President Lincoln commuted their sen
tenCe 10 Imprisonment for life. A writ
of hAhcGS corpus was issued, and an ap-