The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-02-05
Making q Great Man.
St. Louis Republican.

st. Louis Republican.
The New York Tribune of the 3lst ult.
has this interesting item:
1t having been announced that Cadet
W Whitaker would make an address Oh
temperance. at the Lee Avenue Baptist
church, in Brooklyn, yesterday afternoon
at the hour set for the meeting the large
church. was crowded. Thomas w. Con
way seemed to have charge of the meeting
and at $3.50 P, NJ. asked il Mr.. w hittaker
was in the building There was nc
response. aud then Mr.. Conway said there
would be some singing and talking by
others present until Mr.. Whitaker came
Then the Rev. Mr.. Field of Connecticut
prayed. and Hold the Fort was sung
After the singing Mr., Conway talked
awhile. noticing that the audience were
getting uneasy. At 4:30 he asked aRaiD
II Cadst WHITAKER was in the house, re
marking, when no answer came. that Mr..
w Whitaker had such a great distance to
come, that he might be late 10 getting
over. Mr. Conway talked another fifteen
minutes, and then g. Fl. Squire MAIDS a
speech, after which there was an appeal
for money. At o'clock, after once more
asking in vain for Mr. Whitaker.
MIR. Conway said: L am sorry Mr..
w hlttaker does not seem to be present.
I GU all know the poor boy Is going
through his great trial now, and it would
take brave, strong man to bear up under
1t all and appear before the public as he
agreed to do; yet be is a young man who
is truthful and honorable. as | am Inform
ed by those who know bin, and | am
certain be would be here this afternoon if
he were we'll. or if some good excuse did
not keep him away After this announce
ment most Of the audience went cut alter
which Mr.. Roberts of Brooklyn made
some Voluminous remarks"
Upon which the Cincinnati Con1merci17
pertinently remarks that perhaps il
would De we'll to defer for few days max
ing a great man Of Cadet Whitaker.
Nevertheless the party to which the Com
nierctot belongs will continue 20 IL axe q
great man" OF him all the saune, and there
By indicate to the rest Of the world the
Repu bilcan idea of greatness. A stranger
from abroad. reading the above report,
would suppose that Whitaker vas some
youthful hero fresh from the field of glory,
was had condecended TO eniighten Brooklyn
humanity on the sui jet of temperance
He would never suspect that the indivi0u-
al for whom a large audience waited in
vain SO long as colored boy, convicted By
q military tribunal of self-muti!ation and
systematic perjury, and dismissed from
the United States Military Academy. He
would. we think, be amazed that such an
exhibition OF sympathy and respect for
such person could occur 10 community
credited with ordinary intelligence and
decency. Of course the temperance BUSH
ness was mere trick to draw the crowd |
the object being to..get up what would be
regarded as demonstration in favor of
w hittaker. for the purpose of influences
lag the pending court martial In bis be-
half. Tae fact that Gen" Tomas w. |
conway, ex manager Of tho exodus and
ex president of the New Mexico African
Collnization company, engineered the
meeting, reveals its true inwardness and
exposes the game. Conway and Whita.
ker are nice pair of birds, end the Re.
publican party ought to be very proud of