The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-30

cutting attorney Of this county. the reputa-
ton of the Republican nominee, so far as it
relates to his service in the army, can be left
to the keeping Of the surviving members Of
the SEVENTEEN Regiment.
As to each and all of the others, the Journal
desires to make a job lot of them, and
of any others of similar import or purport,
and to say that each of them, and all Of them,
in essence, in spirit, in form and substance,
in word, phrase and sentence, in every posi-
BILE aspect, are pure, unmitigated, baseless,
vencnous falsehoods, and the men and the
papers making themselves responsible for
them, in any way, are common liars and
slanderers. So far as most Of them are con-
cerned. there is not a newspaper printed in
the United States by a responsible party or
company, edited and controlled by a man of
ordinary intelligence and common decency,
but would know, on the face Of the story
itself, that the sentiment and the words are
utterly foreign to a man of General Harrison's
nature, character and reputation. That the
New York Herald should give some of the
worst of them publicity, simply shows that
the paper has descended to the level of q
scavenger of rejected filth, or that this par
ticular issue was left in charge of an incom-
petent and irresponsible fool.
But the Journal wants to pass by the tools
vino are doing this dirty work for the Demo
cratic party. They are no more responsible
for their venomous utterances than is a small
pox scab for its nervousness. Like the dogs
who delight to bark and bite, it is their
nature. God has made them so. We have a
few questions to ask:
Hon. Joseph E. Mcdonald is a Democrat.
He has been a United States Senator and is
regarded as an honorable man. He has lived
a neighbor to General Harrison for years. and
knows him well. Mr.. Mcdonald, do you
countenance this sort of war are against a
man with whom you have maintained friendly
relations for so long, and for whom you have
but recently expressed sentiments of high
personal regardf If you thought these things
to be true, could you, in the face Of them,
give General Harrison your personal esteem
and Endorsement as a Christian man and hon.
orable citizenf' The same question, in effect,
we respectfully ask of Hon. William Fl. En-
glish, Governor Isaac P. Gray and Hon.
Franklin Landera. Mr.. Landers, you served
with General Harrison during the railway
troubles of 1887 as a member of the committee
of citizens. Are these charges against Gen.
Harrison true7 If so. Why have they not been
used before by some reputable, responsible
Democrat in the campaigns in which he has
been a candidatef Do you ountenance and
approve this style of political warfare9
Hon. Simon P. Sheerin and Hon. Charles
L. Jewett are officially related to the Demo
cratic campaign, one as secretary of the ma
tional committe, and the other as chairman
Of the State committee. Do you, or either of
you, believe the truth of these charges against
General Harrisonl Do you approve and coun-
tenance this style of political attack
The Journal has asked these questions
of these gentlemen because it is within their
power, either by public or private expression
of dissent, to Immediately stop this infamous
guerrilla warfare. If they remain silent, it is a
tacit permission to their party friends and
newspapers to continue this campaign of
falsehood and calumny against a man for
whom they profess personal friendship and
regard. Politics are hot in the United States;
the contention is fierce; and it is we'll that it
is so. But that contention need not, and
should not, be degraded to such depths of in
fanny as has already been reached by certain
Democratic agencies. We shall all live, it is
to be hoped, after the campaign is over,
however it may result, and then eelf-re-
spect and ~neighborly regard will be worth
vastly more than all that may be either
gained or lost. The poor, contemplate hire
lings who are used to mouth these ISLANDERS
now, will then be forgotten; but if there be
no protest against them by such men as we
have named, and who are representative and
responsible Democrats, the shame and dis
grace will be lastingly theirs. Whether Gen.
eral Harrison be elected or defeated, his
character and reputation will rise superior to
these attacks, but their memory will cling to
those who. by their silence, shall give coun-
~tenance, and possibly currency, to them, and
vino, by II word of honest protest, could send
the slanderous dogs who utter them Sinking
have emerged to poison the air of "a clean
campaign."