Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-07-21
STUMP SPEAKING.
How WOlfOrd, the Mountain Or.
ator of Kentucky, Argues.
Washington Republican.

GENERAL Frank Molford, Represen-
tative from the Eleventh Kentucky
district, is described as a wiry. nery-
GUS little old man with peculiar long
nose that looks like beak, and bold
prominent hawk eyes. This old facial
combination, taken in connection with
forward stoop of the shoulders and a
fashion of extending his long arms
and gaunt talon like hands, gives to
him the appearance of bird of prey
getting ready to fly.
He is one of the best types of the
true mountain orator | ever saw. said
a Kentucky friend, to the man on the
Avenue. He made a record during
the war as a man of indomitable cours
age. As Colonel OF the second Ken-
tGcky cavalry (Federal) he made him,
self a terror to the Coniederates
throughout Kentucky and Tennes-
see. lie had regiment Of noun.
taineers like himself-one of the
best bodies of men in the service. |
was in the Confederate army, and our
command never began a march that
we were not confronted BY old VOL.
ford. We had to lick him regularly
every morning all one summer. His
riders would make a stand and FIGHT
like the devil, and then when they
found themselves outnumbered they
would scatter and come together that
night to resume the fun the next day.
never saw such a command in nv
life. At the close of the war old
Wolford settled down and became q
Democrat, and most sf his men aid
the same thing. When the Dar1o
Gratis gave him the nomination fOr
Congress last fall, tho Republican,
State COMMITTEES sent General Snee5
Fry up to his district to countersct
the influence of old Wolford's wsr
record. Fry started off, intendipe to
remain In the district six weeks and
speak wherever Wolf. did. He was
back in four days. ""0
Whats the matter. General y
asked tho chairman in surnr;ss 40
he stalked in. black as a thunder
cloud, 'i
"Matterl Why, matter enough. If
you want man to go into the Eleventh
district to talk against that-oId
Sscoundrel WOliOrd, you will have to
ind somebody beside me. I'm done,
When l agreed to stump the district
| supposed | would have sensible men
to talk to; instead, | find them ali
lot OF blankety BANKED fools, and
liars, and sooundrels.n
Didn't they treat you right?"
Treat me right! Oh, yes. thew
treated me right. They treated me
like a prince. When | reached the
hrst town, old Wolford met me with
a cordial welcome, and to nv sur
prise he gave the opening and clos.
ing OF the joint discussion. | smoke
for one hour and half on national
issues-the tariff, finances, and the
standing of the parties-and dweIt
with special emphasis on the magma,
nimity shown by the Federal govern.
mens In its treatment of the Confed.
crates at the close of the war. About
half OF my audience had served in the
Confederate army, and [ saw | was
producing good impression.
Now what do you suppose that
old hook. nOsed rascal of Wolford
dldf Why he got up and began talk.
ing, never paying the slightest attep>
ton to what | had said on national
issues, but after al brief introduction
taking up myi good will Flea. Don't
you believe a word General Frv hiss
told you about the magnanimitv of
the Federal government and the Re-
publican party he shrieked. 'Tt'ssu
q lie. What did they do with General
Lee after the surrender of Appomat.
tox} Why they took him out and |
hung him right between the lines in !
plain W
Hold on, shouted, that is mt |
true. GeneralWOlford, you know you |
are perverting facts.
Instantly two or three of the ola
Second cavalry boys sngasz to their |
feet and swore thas they had been on !
the gyaGRa and seen General Lee
hung, one of them remarkinQ with a |
swagger that if anybody questioned |
the statement he would have 10 chew |
on the barrel Of a sig .ahooter.'
What did they dc with jeff Davis |
after he had surrendered? continued |
old Wolford. Why they tied 1900 |
pounds of iron to his legs, threw him |
in dungeon and starved him eight |
months aud then took him out and |
hung him. That's what they did with |
him. A hi Of a magnanimous GOV. |
eminent that
| interrupted to asy that JEFF |
Davis was alive now and healthy. but
two or three I'd Cavalry liars stood up, |
swore that they had seen him hung
and that if any man disputed it they |
would make him eat his words or six |
inches Of cold steel. And there the |
old scoundrel stood, hanging Alex |
stephens, Lolgstreet, Joe johnson. |
Hampton, and every Confederate of
prominence be could think of, and
proving what he said by eye witnesses |
from the I'd Kentucky cavalry. What
show did | have talking to such
crowd Of Ananiases as that? If old
Wolford had said the Republican |
party had cruc6ed Christ aud drawn
and quartered the disciples every mao
In his regiment would have made afF /,
dsvit to the correctness of the state
mont | quit then aud there. i'll
you ever get mo VR there in those |
again Won NAV sboot