The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-01
AN ANTE-WAR "REMINISCENCES.
An Incident Of the Days Of Slavery Recalled
by the Drivei of the Old Traitor, JEFF Davis.

The Journals report of JEFF Davis's speech at
Montgomery, Ala, was read aloud in the pres
ence of q veteran Union soldier, resident Of
this city, who at its conclusion. took off his hat
and remarked in voice speaking with passions
Here are two saber cuts on this head; and in
this body carry two bullets. Whenever listen
to the venomous jrivel of that old traitor the
scars OF these saber-strokes pinch and pain me,
and feel the bullets stirring in my flesh like
death worms. JEFF Davis is speaking corpse
"a sinking Renaissance of lost cause-a
cause born of slavery and treason He discusses
old questions settled theoretically by the debate
between Calhoun and Webster, and settled prac-
tically If not finally, by results of the late war.
He says that war was fought on the part of
the South to preserve certain guarantees set
forth in the Constitution, among which was the
right OF State to secede and to 'repel invasion.
Now, III tell you single incident that will
show why jeff Davis's State, as well as the other
slave States wished to exercise the right so pre-
posterously claimed. And it will also. show
why God Almighty would have resented that
claim with his lightnings, il the patriotic people
OF the North had not sprung to arms. Treason
itself deserves the penalty of death, but when
that treason has for its only motive the perpe-
tration of horrible national crime. one can
think of nothing less ardent than 'un-
quenchable fire. as an adequate degree of retri-
button.
"At the time of the hanging of old John
or two after the execution was talking to a
neighbour, who alluded to an ominous remark
made by the old martyr on the scafold-an ut
terance that subsequent events have made his
toric-to the effect that thousands of others
would die before he was avenged told him
believed God would avenge not only John
Browns death, but the still greater wrongs of
those for whom he had given his life. My re-
mark was reported to the people of the town.
The next day | encountered a squad of loungers
sitting in front of the hotel Of the niaCa One of
them said: Christie. what did you mean
yesterday, by saying God would take up the
cause of the old insurrectionist john Brown,
and the niggers he tried to incte to murder their
mastersP
/ meant just what said,' was my reply,
and when spoke had in mind something that
took place in this town only last Saturday. You
all saw it as well as l. You all stood by and saw
Tom Noll place his own son on block and sell
him for 5000. And you all heard the boys
mother cry and plead for the lad. telling Noll he
knew he was selling his own flesh and blood.
And you saw Nolrs wife crying, because she
knew the fact, which none could deny that
looked on the boy, who was the living
Nolls legitimate son, who also stood by
unmoyed and saw his brother sold. You all
witnessed this hideous scene, and never one of
you lifted hand And now you ask me what
mean by saying God will take it up if the people
DON'T
"All the louneing fellows were silent, except
the that spoke at first. He growled out
something about it getting too hot for me if
stayed there much longer. / told him I would
stay till the war might come; and did. Then
l went out, and I've got these scars. but men
don't sell their children any more on those clean
swept battle fields.
JEFF Davis may incite the old rebel yell again,
as he did the other day in Alabama but he will
ncite more. Pretty soon he will hear again the
tramp, tramp, tramp of the Grand Army. They
will use ballots instead of bullets, may be, but
for all that it will be shot heard round the
vorldn j. c. OCHILTREE.