The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-09-13

was entirely innocent OF any completely
in them, there was little Of which to
complain. To be entirely fair he should
have said that those were questions on
which the party lines were not closely
drawn, both Republicans and Demo Gratis
being divided among themselves, and
that the appropriation bill for rivers and
harbors, which he justly denominated as
stupendous fraud, was supported by
even a larger percentage of Democrats
than Republicans. His defense of his
record during the wal. was as fair and
truthful as it could be and not criminate
himself. That in the beginning he was
a war Democrat and loyal to the Union
cause, and that about that time, when
party lines were ignored, he was nomi-
mated by the Republicans for the office
Of Judge is true, but it is also true that
about the time of Vsllandigham's trea-
son, when the copperhead movement
originated from growing conviction
that the successful prosecution of the
war meant the destruction of slavery,
that he denounced the war in unmeas-
ured terms, that he abused and vilifed
our martyred President Lincoln, that,
although he made no speeches for VAL
landigham in the campaign he did make
speeches at that time in which he de-
clared with all the power and Indignation
of which he is capable that "The war
has been perverted from its original de-
sign and is now for the liberty of the
nigger," and in the same speech the
emancipation of the slaves was sneered
and scoffed at as an impracticability and
denounced as q violation of the vested
rights of the States. 1t is true that he
both worked and voted for Vallandig-
ham and though that may not bea sin so
henious that it might not be forgiven on
repentance and confession, the questions
and events of the war are not SO dead
and settled that the loyal and Union Low,
ing soldier and citizen can entirely
ignore them when unconfessed and unre-
pented Of. His exposition of his record
wss very complimentary to himself and
generally satisfactory to his hearers until
one of his audience inquired whether it
was fact that he made speeches in sup
port Of, and voted for, Vallandingham.
In answer, he denied that he made any
speeches, but failed to reply as to the
voting and by witticism and lswyer-like
evasions and complimentary quotations
from Republican papers as to his decis-
ions as Judge on the bench, sought to
divert attention from an unpleasant ques-
ton that pricked him between the joints
of his armour in so vulnerable place
that he seemed afterward much less con.
fident, and hastened to his conclusion,
in which he reminded his audience that
he had not in his remarks uttered one
word that could offend the most delicate
sensibilities of any one, of whatever
political fsith. This was true, but ht
accomplished that somewhat doubtful
success by ignoring all party issues, past
present and future, and delivering I
speech made for Republican ears, bu
which contained such a fnlseme eulogy
of himself as to lead one to wonder If h'
had ever read that scripture which says
''Let another man praise thee, and moi
thine own SELF"
Altogether his speech was the artfu
work of demagogue posing before al
audience, four-fifths of which were Re
pnblicans, sounding his own praises
denying or ignoring his record, anC
while failing to defend the treasonabl,
record of his party, on the ground tina
its acts were dead issues, equally neg
lected to speak of the living issues of to
day. If there is any issue between tn
parties, it is free trade in drink and NJ
Sunday, yet the Judge could not leayl
his record long enough to explain wha
his party means when it declares tina
it 'still steadfastly adheres to the doc
trine of the largest individual libert.
consistent with the rights of others, an,
the public welfare, and is opposed t
legislation merely sumptuary." No
did he take time to explain how 1t
that all the liquor and brewing interests
together with the 900 saloon keepers
have so suddenly been converted to tn
Democratic faith, nor on what condi
tious the liquor dealers association con
tributed $50, 900 to their campaign fund
Be not deceived. Notwithstanding
Judge Geddes' fair speeches he Is an
always has been a dyed-in-the-woo
Democrat. Beginning with the days o
the repeal OF the Missouri Compromise
the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, the abolition
of slavery, the Constitutional Amend
ments, Reconstruction Acts ,Greenbacks
the National Bank Currency, dow
through every measure of reform ii
national and State politics which ha
been undertaken by the American peo
pie. under the lead of the Republican
party; measures that have stood the tes
Of public opinion, and the trial Of tim
and passed into history as fixed facts
never again to be called in question
this same jewel ofvirtue and consisten
cy, Judge Geddse, has always been foun'
on the wrong side, in every party meas
ure voting with his party, not even neg
lecting in the last Congress to vote +
retain in their seats every one of thos
Congressman elected from the Soutl
by means of tissue ballots, intiml
dation and the use of the sho
gun. His professions of love an
regard for the soldier are deceptiv
and spring only from motives of policy
His spotless political garment as ex
hibited by his speech is a delusion and
snare, and covers record that if un
covered to the gaze of the voters o
Lorain County, as it has been in hi
own County would effectually cur