San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1880-10-23
a Ei.i.iNG TiiE si onY OF ~
uro noE WILKES WANTS TO BET
.r. elO.OOO.


saw in recent number of thu
Sun an article purporting to stats
how and by whom the Liberal Repub
lican party was begun. I can not deny
Mr.. Murphys story, nor have l any
wish to do so; but if he means to III
fer that the Liberal Republicans were
in the main shabby set OF fellows,
like the types he names, ! desire
most distinctly to take issue with him.
The Liberal Republicans were com
posed of the most conscientious
class of political and patriotic mater
ial, and however launched, took vital
fire when Grant started his cigar i'm
perial-ward while running Tor the
second term. eyn ..
Mr.. Murphy's piece Of political his
tory may be gOod so far as 1T goes
but I can also contribute some his-
tory to that campaign, which neither
Mr.. Murphy nor the pubic ever heard
of. And, lnasmuch as I paid MIR.
Thomas Murphy $4,000 IN one check
on the very morning after the elet-
ton, without quibbling for returns,
in a bet l lost with him on Mr.. Gree
lev, presume that he Will admit
that my political experience
of tho period ought to be some
what thorough. It was who
made the formal alliance between the
Liberal Republicans on the one side
and the Democratic party ON the 9TH
er for the presidential canvass be-
tween Greeley and Grant; 1 aIone ON
the Republican side and o strongly
selected body OF Democratic Senators
and Representatives on the other
10 b. gin with, I went to the Cmcin-
natl convention and exercised what
influence I could for Horace Greeley,
as distinctly the most honest anu
available candidate that could be
chosen. The nomination did not
takc at first, but by degrees it grew
in favor, and soon the old gentleman
by his speeches, his travelling talks,
his gaffer-liko simplicity anu good
looks, and his bonhJmmie among
the farmers and Their danes, soon
made things hot for an opposition
which really had less brains tllan he'
and which vainly thought to laugh
him down. I liked the old genIle-
man, and beyond this l sympathlzed
with the Liberal movement for
various reasons. But I took
earnest hold of it, mainly on the one
term "principle." After having ad
yocated this doctrine in leading artl-
cles for full ten years, and promised
the country that Grants inaugural
would present a gem Of glory in tins
respect which had only sparkied tame
" IN the farewell addresses OF pre-
yious Presidents who had surfelt OF
Office already, I would have been a
strange and weak man, indeed, If l
had failed to take my place in the
ranks Of the old journalist, and against
the hard lines that .culminated only
the oshor dly in III lisyuig,d despot-
ism 4. Chicago. talked with Grant
ON the necessity ofa "Jnc tern asiend-
men" to the Constitution while he
WIS C.esaring through his first term.
He listened put mide no answer. 1
pictured the superior grandeur OF in
augurating thus reform rs his first
step in power, but he smoked on and
said nothing; but when his inaugural
appeared, without a word upon the
subject, saw what man he was. L
can not say he fooled me, but he
should have spoken 1t was plain,
however, though / had greatly helped
him, he had no further use for n
coun selor like me.
As the CANVASS advanced the clam
or went up-constantly increasing
for a union of ends and means BE-
tween the Liberal Republicans and
Democrats, both Of whom had 80
much IN common, and one thing
which they had, without a doubt
equally in commcn-no chance But
notwithstanding this outcry no
movements were made. Tne Demo
Gratis were arrogant and shy,
while the liberal leaders were
afrlid to advance for fear Of q rebuff,
which might result in their inglorious
breakdown in ridicule- AT TINS juno
ture, feeling the importance of ss'ch
an alliance, and seeing but small
chance Of il, / said to myself: Tins
after all. is only one mans buf1ness
provided he's well known and his
words respected
Upon this thought i set out foT
Washington, 10 sOund the lcadlng
Democrats / sifted bOth bOuss-,
bat spoke 70 no Republicans and
spoke only Of the ImPoTtAnce Of 3