New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-23
4 PRO-SLAVERY DINNER PARTY.
REMINIsCENCEs OF COLONEL roRNEY AND DIR.
ELDER.
(ErOm a Eosthumou Litter Elder in Trogres pr 81

| BEMINIsCENCEs OF COLONEL FoRNEY AND DIR.
| ELpER.
(ErO Eosumous Later Of DR. Elder in rrogres Aprl 81
WAsHINGroN CITY, April IL. 1888
| j. w FORNEY, ir.: You ask me To give my
in s56 at his house in Washington CITY, There
lcct Howell Cobb. Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Sde
the Hon Joe Lane (aferward candidate for The Vice
| gentlemen from Penn-ylvanl whom. for special
reasons, do not and myself with others whose
in some sense. represented in miniature the prevailing
Jar in tho makeup tie company assembled. The
guests with one exception were fire eaters OF the south
and their prO-savery conSpirators OF the North The
saye-o and Shareholders and hunters in cvpart-
uer'hip about using themselves into what they
chose to call National Democratic party wa, out 81
harmony recalcitrant and desperately opposed to the
Wrctchcd compromises Of the Constitution and
Colonel FVrncy as soon after APP cared was az bullets
with himself between his Iainrd ir"chylte' and his
existing involvement In the move mens ana purposes Of
the dominant and johlIccIlng pa w. 81 "uch ne Vas
unhaPi ily, leacer, and IN fact compromise political
The colonel as you know. was an admirable manager
Of cnUvi,al parties AT his own table ChGer his Srac u
and gracious conduct got along admirably until The
champagne began 10 DO lts ehVrlng "uen one "l tlo
Pennsylvania gue-ts indscrecy turning 10 said:
Elder. what earth tempted you 10 make big Niger
man II yoursclf II you had behaved yourself wisely
might have scut you and Black To the United STATES
Senate, hut alas, the Uaiers lament has II, times
thrcwei yourself away without sufficient cause
The Colonel flushed With vcnat"n AT TINS unfortunate
interruption cOrdIaes ono Southerncrs present
knew nothing OF my commitments until was thus
q
cutor: My sir. don't think any better Of a
niger than OF white man, aud, tncs 90, have
abundant to prefer my own color In Tic cDndl-
lions ana chances NJ the races would rather be free
white But my resistance 10 the slave system has
sufficient ground OF reason a question OF my own
personal liberty. cannot consent that any set Of
shall prescribe for ne what shall think and speak and
Here the Colonel broke in. almost rassionaely, and
addressing the mischief maker sad; You are
answered, ana answered exactly right And let me tell
you, and all whom II may concern that II things on
little longer they going. Democrat In the
Nnrth "a "A Office.
have IT, either. When pack OF men In south Carolina
meet and pass resolutions defining the principles
and directing the policy, Of the National Democratic
party and requiring 10 stand up to The rack, fodder
fodder II Will compel every free man 10 strike for
his rights and his honor"
The business Of tho banquet brought 10 u
stand The lead-hOrse had kicked over the traces. We
had "A pause OF silence how deep and darkness how
profound" broKc II recklcssly, with: That Is all
very WE'LL Colonel far "a II goes hut how you
the goose e. understand you 10 ASK, answered he.
how stand on the broad question 81 negro slavery
that leave II where the Constitution puts IT, II
it blessing 10 both PARTIES master and slave, let
enjoy it, II is their affair II IL be otherwise.
they endure while IL lasts. The Federal Govern
inerpOsc unless under the stress OF the
power. which God forbid shall ever arise. But
personally and for self AZ come from State which
wages Tor work. never sun tr negro 10 black my
boots without paying hinnot his mascr-fOr the job.
In my private relations will have nothing 10 do with
slavery, and in political connections will bc
slave either In principle or practice"
The Colonel has. himself, given some notice 10 this
dnneT-party explosion; but while indicating my share
In ID has mOdesty suppressed his owe him this
much OF Justice In reporting his part in the discus
siOn which, think, had some influence upon his own
affairs believe that by his bold and frank self
ton then and there he lost his hold upon the party
which he was until that time "a trusted leader. Ger
tanly, his attitude and relations 10 the dominant
authorities engaged in the maintenance and propagation
OF the slave SYSTEM immediately turned from service to
hostity-to dstrust by the reigning powers. .
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