Fair play., 1892-09-10

W
ing to take any oath picdging LOYALTY
to the government and fealty to the
nag; but he would not take the oath
prescribed by the Drake constitution.
lie was human, as all really great
men are. He had human heart and
human sympathies. In the ccnfeder-
acy, among those who had opposed him
were many very close to him by the
ties OF blood and friendship, and he
would not swear that he never sympa-
thized with any of them, or that he
mad never aided or comfortcd any of
them in their hour of distress. And be-
cause he would not take that oath his
ballot was rejected. And SO this great
democratic general who, to save the
MON, had stormed like some fury in
carnate in the wild whildwind of war,
was disfranchiscd because his lion
heart beat a little softer sometimes
when he thought of those he loved. but
against whom his sword was uplifted.
lie brought suit against the Judges for
rejecting his ballot-charginc that the
proscriptive law under which they
acted was in contravcntion of the
American bill of rights. The election
Judges demurrcd to his petition on the
ground that it did not state any cause
for action, and both the circuit and su-
preme court sustained the demurrer
and dismissed Gen. Blair's petition
without a hearing.
JUDGE wooDsoN ousrED.
will give You another ease In 1866
Judge Warner Woodson was the demo
cratic candidate for county clerk in
Boone county. l knew Iudgc Woodson
well. He was 4 splendid type of the
old school Missouri gentleman-unas-
suming in manner, simple in his habits,
generous in his hospitality, honora Bile
in his conduct and manly in all he ever
thought or said or did. Few men have
ever been more beloved by the people
among whom he lived. His republican
opponent at the election to which |
refer was one Henry \. Cook Wood
Son received a large ma iority of the
votes cast at the polls lie was com
missioned and took possession of his
office and entered on the discharge of
his duties. In 1867, at the instigation
of Mr.. Cook, the attorncy-gcneral
of the state instituted a
quo warranto proceeding to oust
Judge Woodson and ultimately to in
stall his defeated antagonist. 1t was
charged that Judge Woodson was in
eligible to hold the Office because dur
ing the war, then long passed, he had
sympathized with somebody engaged
in the rebellion. That was true. lie
had had Il son in the confederate army.
and he would not swear that that boy
was shut out from his heart But he
did swear that he was never guilty OF
any act Of disloyalty to himself, and
never committrd any act of hostility
arainst the government of the state or
the United States. On the contrary.
he proved, and it stood undisputed,
that he had voluntarily borne arms for
the government under the command
of officers of the federal army. But he
was a democrat, and accordingly the
radical supreme court oustcd him from
the office to which the people had elect
ed him. and Mr.. Cook was subsequently
inductcd into the Office in contemptuous
disregard of the popular verdict by
which he had been repndiated at the
polls
GEN. SHIELDS CASE.
I will give you another case. The
life of Gen James Shields, whose honor
ing dust lies sleeping in Missouri soil
to-day. was n beautiful, brilliant and
romantic one. lie achieved conspicu-
GUS fame on the red fields of two great
wars He was one of the real heroes
who came back from the land of the
Montezumas. He was ma jor-gencral
in the Union army. and held his veteran
lines firm and uuyielling even before
the terrific onslaught of Stonewall
Jacl.son's intrepid squadrons, contain
ing the very flower of the southern
chivalry. During his life he represent
ed three states of the Union in the SEN
ate of the United States. In ISIS this
great Irish-American soldier and states
man was the democratic candidate for
congress in the Kansas-Citv con-
gressional district. He was opposed
Il. h..
editor of the Kansas City Journal.
Mai. Warmers home organ, published
within an arms reach of his threshold.
Gen. Shields received a large majority
of the votes cast at the polls Bat that
was a matter of small moment in those
Gays The returns were subject to re-
view at jefferson City. Mr.. Van Horn
appealed from the people to the Rod
man returning board. What mattcred
j. that Gen. Shields was literally GOV.
cred with scars and manned by
wounds received in battle? What mat
tered it that the people who knew him
and loved him had done all they could
t. honor him? He was a democrat. He
hated tyranny and dispotism, and
hence he hated Missouri radicalism,
and denounced it, too, with eloquent
invective. Van Horn was prominent
and typical radical, smooth and
plausible fellow, as unctuouS and oily
william as ever Scuttled ship or cut a
throat-thc editor of an influential
republican journal a placid, discreet.
cunning, unscrupulous politician These
virtues made him omnipotcnt at Jefter-
son City. All Rodman had to do was to
take the jackson county ballots and
returns and drop them gently Ill among
the glowing Goals of "A rcd-hot stove,
make changes by additions and sub
s:ractions in the returns from other
counties. attach his signature to docu-
1neut certifying that the Hon. Robert
f.. Van Horn had been duly elected to
the Office of representative, and the
thing was done Gen. Shields re-
mained at home; Editor Van Horn went
to congress. And Editor Van Horn and
his Journal-the same old Van Horn
and the same old Journal-are now
waking the very hills With then
clauorinr for a New MiSsnuri-a wide
omen, progressive Missouri" And nc
wonder, for the picking has not been
good in recent years for gentry of the
Van Horn stamp, and they hunger
nightly for the fleshpots again.
JUDGE WOOD CASE.
Twill give Won another case. In 1865
William I. Wood was the democratic
candidate for Judge of the Sixth ju'
dicial circuit, composed of the counties
of jackson, johnson, Lafayette, Saline
Pcttis and Cass. c. L. Townsley was
his republican opponent. At the elec'
ton Mr.. Wood received majority %
900 votes. But Rodman was appeal
to. He threw out the vote of Jackson
county, which had given Wood over
1.6Go majority. There was utterly n(
reason for throwing it out. The con
s:,:-a.ors did not even pretend to give a
reason. 1t was simply bold act o
high-handed, insoient ofhcfil rascaii'y
Tcyvnsley was commissioned. and II
January, 1869. took possession of tn
office for term of six years. In ls';
the democratic party was restored t'
mower. That year Mr.. Wood caused
ono warranto proceedings to be lnstl