Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-12-19
A sbor, U,,torieaI R.vt-~


Brattleboro on the Democratic side with
ratification meeting held at the town hall on .
Monday evening, July o, at which, after be
ing elected president Of the Hancock and
English club, the late Charles ~ Davenport /
made speech, intended especially foT the
ears OF the young men, IN which he attempt
ed 20 convey the impression that during the
war OF the re bellon be had been 3 staunch !
Union man. unfolding the hands Of Federal
soldiers ike Gen. Hancock rejoicing in their
victories. and his heart bleeding at their
defeats The unmistAkabe design OF this
speech Was to call young men into the Dem
ocratic ranks, under patriotic impulses
aroused by war memories, with MIR. Dsven-
port as their leader
The indignation which this effort aroused
among Republicans was deep and universal.
They were willing Mr.. Davenport should lead
the local Democracy if that Democracy so
elected. but they were not willing be should
do it under false guise. The Phoenix, com
PEELED to al unwelcome task by outraged
public sentiment, at once took the matter up
and showed what was the faot-that during
the war MIR Davenport had been a Copper
head obstructionist Of the most pronounced
type Unsolicited evidence relative TO his
record came TO US from sl parts Of the couu-
Is. and among this WAS report OF speech
delivered by him from the tovn-hAlI steps IN
Wilmington in September, 1861, in which be
denounced the 'unhoiy war prosecuted by
the bloodthirsty Lincoln and bis hireiings
declared that the rebellion could never be con
uuered. that 'greenbAcks would not be worth
% cents a bushel and that the chief reason
why the Republican party persisted in contin.
uing tns war WAS that its chief fugiemen
might fill their bloated calfskins a little fuller
before ihe nnal collapse Of the government.
Mr. davenport was stung to madness by
this unwelcome and unexpected exposure of
his record and in his blind rage he caused
his paper. the Windham County Reformer,
to deny that be ever made such a speech, to
declare that the speech was "concocted by
two sneAss IL Brattieboro, and to offer
reward Of 500 for any reliable, tangible
eyidenc." that ne ever made IT,
The Wilmington people, among whom NJ.
Davenport lived during the WAT knew what
they we're talking about, they were thorough
iy aroused and without hint or solicitation
from us came certificate from u leading
Wilmington men who affirmed in the most
direct manner possible that they heard the
speech il question, that as reported in The
Phoenix it was substantially correct 10 ev-
cry respect and according 10 their 5est
rco0llectiOH, Uerbdtin.' Along with TINS GER
tihcate The Pb@niI printed two columns OF
other matter establishing Mr. Davenport r
Oopperhead war record Especially siguif
cant among this was threat made by the
late Judge Kellogg, Of honored memory. to
Mr.. Dayenporis face, that he would have
MIN arrested and placed in Fort Warren" il
he ever repeated certain disioyal utterances
in his lJudge Kellogg - presence.
The Reformers only reply 10 all this was
in substance. Let the Wilmington men swear
to their certificate and 80 make 1t proof, "
and the money is ready. The next week we
printed the certificate solemnly sworn TO-
with two names added making in all
The evidence was complete. Mr. Dsven-
ports war record of the VallAndigham type
was established beyond possible denial, and
his political influence was forever broken.
But the 500 reward was never paid.
It is with great reluctance that we recall
this uuweicome matter. We have done II
only because forced TO do so by the action Of
Mr.. Davenport SOL, who in the last issue Of
his paper brazenly attempted to wipe out
this whole page Of local history, and all these
facts 30 carefully established, with one sweep
ing false assertion, and TO bury out of sight
the fact of his own utter discontinue In the
local political campaign of 1850. The Pho
nix Was tine active means Of bringing out and
establishing those facts its work WAS done
conscientiously, in compliance with an i'm
psrRtive public demand, and it will not now
or hereafter permit any man TO falsify the
record or lie it out of sight
In our issue Of four weeks ago we said,
half in Jest that the devil must have smiled
when be read the Reformer Of the week be.
fore, In all seriousness we now say that
there could have been no smiling on His Mai
esty's part when he read that paper last week
if, indeed, he ever dsscends 10 an occupation
so mean. He hung mis- head in very shame
at the thought that a man lives on the earth
who could be guilty of digging up his dead
fathers political bones to bury them anew
in falsehood 10 hide his own confusion.