Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-11-04
THE FORGERY Or 1914.
COUNTERPART OF THE CHINESE
LETTER IN THE CLAY POLK
II
CAMPAIGN.


have been written by General Gar
field, for the purpose of prejudicing
the workingmen against him, brings
to mind the history of q similarly
forged letter issRed in 1874, for the
purpose OF enabling the Wing party
to carry New York for Henry Clay
In those days we had no telegraph
and but few miles of railroads, and
the consequence was that it took
weeks, perhaps months, for truth to
follow campaign lie, while now a
lie is followed instantly, like a flash,
by truth on the wires, as the forged
letter issued by the Democratic
leaders has been followed by evil
dence of its fraudulent character.
Ia 1914 the old Wing party ran
Henry Clay for the Presidency, and
the Democrats ran James X Polk
The germ of the present Republican
party, the old Liberty party, nomi-
uated James e. Birney for the Pres
dency, and polled some $4,000 votes.
Mr.. Birney was practical abolition
ist, for he set free some thirty slaves
he had inherited. About three
fourths of the Liberty party came
out Of tho Wing ranks.
The leaders of the latter party,
as we'll as its papers, argued
strongly with the Liberty par
" tuen that their cause would be
more subserved by voting for Clay,
who at least was opposed to the an
nexation of Texes, then an issue, the
Democrats favoring it. But Clay
was Shareholder, and that was suf-
iicient to condemn him in the esti-
NATION of the old Liberty Guard,
Having failed in their efforts to
cajole the Liberty men to support
Gay, some Of the unprincipled lead
ers of that party in New York CON
cocted and forged letter purport-
Ing to have been written 10y MI.
Buuey, in which he was made to
say that at heart lie was a Jefier-
eouiau Democrat, that be was prac-
tically in sympathy with that party,
etc. This letter was secretly mailed
70 different points in New York
about two weeks before the election,
and was published simultaneously
with tho expectation that it would
scara the Wing portion Of the Lib
crty party back into the Wing ranks
For the time being i almost accom-
pIished its purpose. Copies of pa
pers containing the letter reached
this city aud created some conster-
nation among the Liberty men here.
The Information had been receiv-
ed that Mr.. Birney would leave
Buffalo on a steamer and reach here
at certain time. His arrival was
watched for by some of the vigiiauts
of the Liberal party, and when he
came he was shown copy Of the
letter, which lie Immediately pro-
nounced a forgery. This denial was
sent by circulars through the mail
to various places in New York, aud
was published in the Democratic as
we'll as some Wing papers, and the
effect Of the letter was neutralized,
resulting in the defeat of the Wings
in the Empire State by about $4,000
majority. Had the forgers sent the
letter out three days later, and thus
preventing the denial from reaching
New York in time, it is probable
that Clay would have been elected
for New York held the balance OF
power The forged letter did much
to aid the little party against which
il was used, and four years after
wards it poled, under the name of
the Free-Soil party, about 10000