Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1880-06-24
rnomHS 1. U%HlrrEaDEE.
Tho Record Of The nan who Asks to be
Made goYeEn0r Of Missouri.

that convention the name Of one OF her most
distinguished sons and will ask that conven-
iion to place bis name at the head OF the
State ticket in the coming contest.
No man should aspire TO this high office,
nor should the claim Of any gentleman be
considered for a moment, by the Democracy
OF Missouri, who does not stand before tie
country the living embodiment Of honesty,
ability, patriotism and courage. TAe Dem
ocratic party is entering upon a struggle,
the counterpart OF which has never been
witnessed upon this continent, aud which
thousands Of patriots belieYe will be decisive
of the perpetuisy OF the grand principles of
civil liberty, which have been transmitted 10
US by our fathers, and upon which the super.
structure OF our government rests; and the
man who assumes to lead the Democratic
hosts in this contest must come with clean
hsuds and a pure heart.
Without disparaging the claims OF the
other distinguished gentlemen who aspire TO
this important Office, we take great pleasure
10 saying that the friends and neighbors OF
Hon. Thomas I. Crittenden will present his
name to the State Convention with the proud
consciousness that In him are blended all OF
NNO 0AN - III NAA AAAGN
OF Governor OF Missouri, and With the posi-
tive assurance to their fellow Democrats 10
Missouri, that, In sunshine and through
storm, through evil as we'll as through good
report, he has always bora tie battle flag Of
Democracy, In the fore-front Of the battle.
Aye, more. When the dark days Of Radical
prescription lowered like q pail OF death over
our beloved State, and the Democratic party
10 Missouri, with patriotic blood streaming
fam ouary pnrn Nor4fkaH 1,..Fh Rko s.au
heel of Acknowledgement and inhuman test
oaths, and when all hope of the future
triumph OF Democratic principles bad been
we'll nigh crushed TO death, thon Il WAS that
the patriotism and fidelity of Thomas I.
Crittenden, like an inpregnable gall stood
between the party oil eternal hate, 1nebed
and exultant In the full plenitude OF uDre.
strained power, and the tattered boys 10 gray
who were returning to their devastated
homes. ia order thai tue people OF Missouri
may know something of the record OF the
man whose name heads this article, we pro-
pose now to give u short history OF his SER
vices in johnson county, during and since
the dark days of 1866.
After receiving several urgent appeals from
Col. C%rittenden, we came, ana on the 14th
DAY OF February, 1866, we issued the first
number OF the Wsrrensburg Journal. Stormy
scenes followed this Invasion OF q county, "
which q DEMOCRAT scarcely dared to live.
Time after time the Journal office was threat
ened. Upon one occasion a bowling mob
gathered in front of tie Office and built a
huge bonfire. Then procuring I'D eff y.
upon which was printed In large %leters.
1T. T. Crittenden," they wrapped the figure
In o copy Of the Journal and burned 1t, all
the time jeerlpg, hooting and threatening to
destroy the office. During all this wild
scene, Col. Crittenden stood by our SIDE
calm fqnOlN aaFnnaf auanrfnw a. thai he .u..,I4
stand there gptil he died, before the Journal
Office should be harmed.
The learned Frank 2. Blair was rejected
IS the orator OF the occasion, and Saturday,
June 9th, 1866, fourteen years ago to. morrow,
as the day. The meeting was extensively
ADVERTISED, and on that beautiful morning,
which gave no token of the strrmy scenes co
soon TO follow, great crowds of people poured
into town, to see aud hear this great apostle
Of civil liberty. Return Confederate soldiers
yielded 10 the INVITATIONS end promises Of
protection, and, for the lrst time after the
war, came to town and showed themselves
upon the streets at q political gathering.
There, too, was the old mob-implsc. BILE,
dangerous, deadly. Frank Blair should not
speak, they said. We shall see. 1t one
| o'clock, the appointed hour, Gen. Blair and
Col. Cfittenden assembled the stand, which
had been erected In a grove where our court
house o stands. Col. Crittenden introduc-
ed the old veteran TO the immense concOurse
OF people. He said, among other things:
"Gen. Blair has come here at our request,
TO make q Democratic speech. We GEEK no
difaeulty with those who oppose us, but be
the result what 1t may, he aHALL make that
speech to-day"
In response 10 this introduction, the old
hero began his speech. he declared the
faith of Democrats and pointed out the
wrongs and corruption OF the Republican
party, ss few men besioes Prank Blair could
dc II. In the midst OF his speech, az had
been feared, the mob attacked him. Rush.
ing faTward, With loud oaths and impreca-
ton, they swoFo that he should be taken
from the stand. As they rushed forward to
one end OF Che platform, Col. Crittenden
arose from bis seat and stepping to Gen.
Blair's side and between him and The mob,
he stood calmly facing them. The leader OF
the mob sprahg forward and attempted tn
get TO General Blair-Col. Crlltendeh thro,-
tied him aud hurled him back. Again and
1 Again. he RttamnLad ~ spFiaa forward. and
was az often hurled back ~ Col. Critten-
den. Gen. Blair requested Col. Critteuden
to step aside and let him come, saying WPIl
attend 70 him" Crittenden, still facing the
mob, and backed by the Williams brothere,
calmly replied: "NeVer mind this, General,
proceed with your speech, We can manage
this gang" And they were mAnsged, after
\ desperate struggle, they we're rOuted and
driven from the ground; and from that hour
to this, there has never beon one moment
when . Democrat could not make a speeeh
Ia any township ir johnson county. Thus
was that the hegoism and devotion OF
these brave men saved the friends OF
Democracy and tree speech, and at one blow,
forever crushed out the last Veslige OF the
cruel and Anhuman prosecution with which
the ex-confederates were tortured upon their
return irom the war.