Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1884-10-29
A THRILLING SPEECH.
Gen. Woodford's Reply to Mr.. Beecher---
Blackguardism to BE Rebuked.

Gen. Woodford's speech at the BROOK
lyn Rink Saturday night was one OF the
greatest oratorical successes OF his lire.
Owing to the great pressure OF news
and advertising, the Tribune was I'M
able to give an adequate report OF IT,.
At the urgent request of members OF
the Brooklyn Young Republican CluD'
the following extract is made from the
report of the speech in the Brooklyn
Times:
There lives in this city one OF the
most eloquent clergymen IN the iano'
and one whose services III DehalI OF nl.
mainly have been OF the most emlnent
character. believe most thoroughly
in the honesty and purity of that gem
tIeman, NV confidence and faith in
that man are absolute. But not many
wears ago there came an hour OF trial
to that gentleman when there was moth
ing between him and utter ruin but the
confidence of the loving hearts OF the
people of Brooklyn. There were let
tiers produced AID read upon a public
trial then held in this city, and which
lasted many months. Had those let
ters been read and interpreted in the
spirit and by the methods. pursued by
Mr.. Schurz in reading and explaining
the Fisher letters against Mr.. Blaine
they would have driven that clergyman
from every pulpit in the land and from
every home and tireside in the country
Immense and prolonged cheering
mingled with cries of THAT'S sO.".
And why. my friends, was not that
| base attack upon the character OF this
man successful? Simply and alone be:
cause the good people of brooklyn haC
| faith in the honesty and integrity OF
| their neighbor Great cheerlng.I we
stood firmly between him and his SLAM
derers. and we saved him: Great ap
plause.1 want for my old friend who
| entered the Fremont campaign with
me in 1856, who for thirty years has
lived in the full sunlight of PUBLIC life
who faced Ben Hill and his Rebel col
leagues, whose name is forever assocla
ted with all the great issues which tine
Republican party has carried through
I want for that man the same kind o.
Justice from the people OF Brookly1
that they have exercised IN the past
Let Brooklyn be to-day as just to TIT
statesman as she was a few years ag(
to the clergymen. The eifeet on the
audience Of Gen. WoOdford's words
| Was GlSCUllCttl. Io 1O'oO vi hAssS' ''A>
for several seconds there was a sea O.
waving hats and canes and roar O
cheers and stamping of feet that falrl!
shook the building.l But THIS IS no
all. The depths to which this polltlca
canvass has stopped are enough to bring
a blush of shame to the cheek OF ever.
honest American. l said when TIT
Democrats went into the home OF gu.
candidate and slandered the woman
who is wife, mother, and grandmother
surely the men and women OF this lant
who know what fatherhood and moth
erhoOd mean will rise up and bury thl
Democratic party forever. Whateve
NAV be the result Of this campaign,
believe it will teach us one thing yer.
effectually, and this is that hereafte
we must be gentleman in politics ant
not blackguards. There was a mo
ment of silent Indignation on the par
of the audience that listened intentl,
to the speakers words, and then i
broke out into round after round O
applause. showing that it heartily in
| dofsed Gen. WoOdford's characterize
ton of Democratic practices | use'
that word deliberately, as the only on
adequately expressing what | mean
The attack upon MI. Blaine's HON
and wife and family was and is black
guardism, pure, simple and unadulte1
| ated. The decency of the people re
uuires to-day that this attack be con
demned by the utter and crushing de
feat of the Democratic party and tn
Democratic candidates. 1t will be
Continued applause ENeeo York Tn