The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-07-07
THAT STOLEN GAvEL,
Daniel Freeman the Oldest of Old Time
Republicans, Owner OF Homestead No
L Writna a Wary InfAraatlnR Iaftar

/ hepupIChuB, 'Wn6r OF aOmehteA0 " o
1, Writes Very Interesting Letter.
BEATRICE, Neb., June %, 1S92.-To
Hon. J. Slost Fassett, Temporary
Chairman, Hon. VIM. Mckinley, Per
manent Chairman Republican Conven.
ton, or Whichever is Custodian of the
Gavel:
| You came into possession on or about
the 7th of June, Of certain "gavel
made from wood surreptitiously taken
from the first homestead ever entered
in the United States.
This homestead was taken by me,
and l still own and reside upon it.
This demand upon you for the return
of the SAID gavel is ineisted upon as a
matter of sentiment only, and not on
account of the value of the property or
pecunisry loss.
l was one of the founders of the
party over the dregs aud damaged
remnants OF which you presided with
the gavel made of timber parloined
from me.
One of the fundamental ideas Of the
Republican party as 1 helped to found
it was "land for the landless," and the
public domain be devoted to homes
for the people. AS carried out a few
hundred quarter sections under pain.
full and vexatioGs restrictions were
given to the people while an empire,
together with natien's revenues, were
turned over by your party to crafty
the greed and rapacity of railroad cor.
pOrations AID to spawn multitude of
millionaires
While paying the soldiers OF the
Union in deprecated greenbacks, the
wealthy money loaners were given
bonds of the country drawing interest
in gold, and these bonds originally pay.
able In greenbacks, were by act of your
party, by the fiat of a statute, made
payable in coin, and by a subsequent
piece of legislative legerderman made
payable in gold.
While the working people Of the
nation are swiftly joining the vast
army of vagabonds, the manufacturers
millionaires are piing up colossal for
tunes at the expense of the consumers
of the nation, under the pretense of
charging price for their prodncts that
will enable them to pay high wages to
American laborers.
True it would enable them. to do 30,
But although this monstrous system of |
robbery of the many for the enrichment
of the few does render them amply able
to pay wages yet the result is aconstant
reduction Of wages and a constant in
crease in the millions piled up by these
cormorants.
The people Of the nation are
weary of being plundered under pre-
tense of law. Robbery is still robbery |
no matter what the form which may be |
given to it. There is no longer Justice 1
or consideration of the general vel |
fare anywhere. The people groan and |
cry out for relief from intolerable op- |
pressions and are answered with sneers |
and called in derision calamity howl |
ers."
These facts and this condition of |
things thus family outlined has driven |
me from the party thus prostitutsd to
the country's ruin, and has compelled |
me, with thousands of Others. TO at |
tempt through the peoples party to re-
store TO the people of the nation |
their rights and avert those dire Ca. |
lamities which in all times have fol. |
lowed wickedness In this world.
And this being the condition of mind /
with me, cannot consent in |
silence that this gavel, made of my |
timber, given me in the days of repub-
lican grandeur, shall be prostituted to
the office of keeping order in conven-
tion of that party when 1t has gone 80
far from its original purposes; has
made itself the champion Of the en-
imies of human liberty and human
rights, and Is certainly and rapidly |
pushing this country into a bloody and /
terrible civil war.
Under these circumstances demand
the return of the gavel, and unless you
are willing to add TO the other crimes
of your party-that of receiving stolen /
goods, knowing them to be stolen-I /
shall expect the immediate return of |
the same. Awaiting your reply.
DANIEL FREEMAN.
Owner of homestead No 1; applica-
tion No. /; entry No. 1; patent No. Il;
recorded in page No. l, vol. No. l, rec
ords general land office.
NoTE-We learn that the gavel is
now in the possession of President
Harrison.