Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-09-26
"GEN. BRAGG SAYS HE DID NOT
SAY IT."

Under this heading The Boston
Pilot of September Goth, publishes
an article generating Gen. Bragg
from the charge that in the dem
ocratic national convention he said:
The Irish may go, and be damned,
we have the Germans" The Pilot
also publishes a letter of explana-
ton written by Gen. Bragg, and
says: at was necessary for Gen
" Bragg to speak, and it would have
" been better had he replied at once.
We were resolved, no matter
whether it hurt Cleveland or not,
s. to compel an answer from Gen.
" Bragg, and now that it has come,
Eve are satisfied" Gen. Bragg's
letter, which was written in answer
to letter from Hon. Patrick
Mcclure, editor of the Boston
Republic, is as follows:
FOND DU LAC, Wis, Aug. 81, 1854.
EDITOR OF THE REPUBIc:-Please accept my
thanks for your emphatic denial in The Repub-
lie of language imputed to me in The Pilot,
referring TO the Instantaneous
l have never entertained such ideas. nor
uttered such words, and one charging them
upon me must do it from ignorance or from
pure malice.
In the Chicago Convention made no mention,
nor did allude to our Irish merican popula-
ton in any manner whatever. The report of
what did say will be found in the Chicago
Tribune, the most pronounced Blaine journal
in the west. and one that would have been
first to raise the cry had l used the words
attributed to me or any akin to them, not from
any love for the Irish people, but for the pur-
pose of casting fire brand among the staunchest
supporters of the Democratic party.
My remarks were the result of combined
attack made by Tammany Hall and others upon
the candidate, who was subsequently made the
nominee of the convention, and who unless the
signs of the times are grossly deceptive, will
be the next President of the United States.
There were some people who took otfense at
"Tammany was an Irish ORDER sitter the
manner of st. "Patrck's Society," or some other
such; but if their belief was a reality, it would
not reasonably be expected that the order could
attack, and that it would be treason to the
Irish American people to reply. But have
yet to learn that the children of Lenni Lenape"
have assumed to themselves to be the repre-
sentative ''Irish-Ameucan society," so that
war with them should involve the Irsh-Amer-
lean population of our country
But let us look at it for moment and see
how Illogical it is for any Irish-American to
desert at this time the democratic party because
of any supposed saying of mine.
Mr.. Blaine through the Kennebec Journal,
has taught our foregn-born citizens that none
"need apply" The smoke of the burning
churches, destroyed when knownothingism was
rampant, has cleared away; the cries of the
priest pursued by an infuriate mob, are no
longer heard, but the memory of the facts is
still fresh, and the name of the editor who,
through his journal, provided the matches. and
harped on the mob, stands at the head of the
Republican (so-called) ticket.
Mr.. Cleveland has never flinched in his duty,
nor failed in any manner. in sentiment or act,
to recognize our foreign born citizens as bone
of our bone and flesh of our fesh,' free and
equal with us, and entitled 10 ali the rights and
protection, at home and abroad, which govern
ment can rightfully give to any of its citizens
Who then should rush madly into the camp of
an old enemy and prosecutor, because, forsooth,
| an humble democrat like myself, is found among
the supporters of Mr.. Cleveland? When man
refuses to support a candidate upon such a
flimsy preteXt, all experience teaches that his
real reason he is ashamed to give and he hides
it as twere, behind Il ladder that all can sec
through.
But, to return to myself: it has been my
fortune to have resided for more than quarter
of century in community composed largely
of toreign-b born people. They have always been
and still are my friends, and I am their
counsellor, l am democrat, and believe that
this land should be the refuge and resting place
of the oppressed of every race aud creed. Ny
voice has never faltered in the defence of the
rights of our foreign-born people, and neither
have l ever shrunk from opposing the wishes
| and measures of and person or persons native
or foregn-bOrn, when, in my judgment, they
were wrong. What l said in the Chicago Con
vention was but the utterance of my conviction,
and | am prepared to stand by it, but l am
unwilling to sit down quietly and have language
manufactured for me, and false sentiments
imputed to me, through either fgnorace or for
a malicious purpose.
And thanking you again for your prompt and
manly vindication of the truth, l am, sir, your
obedient servant. EDWARD s. BRAGG.