Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-05-10

Lexington May 6-LeNngton was
crowded today with partisans OF Col.
W. c, T.. Breckenridge. who gath
cred from all over the Ashland dis
triet to give the opening OF his canvas
for denomination great spectacular
send of at his own home The hotels
were filled last night and trains today
have been adding to the crowds upon
the streets and in the public resorts.
The meeting began at the opera house
this afternoon An audience OF
5000 greeted the candidate. Many
Of those here who are opposed the
denomination of the late defendant at
Washington. but it Is not expected
there viii be any hostile demonstra-
ton,
When Col. Breckenridge was an.
nomced the audience stood up ana
yelled loudly for ten minutes The
colonel was moved with emotion
which shook him from head to foot.
When he spoke of the action of the
Ministers union Of this city, he as
sumed u most defiant look and strained
every nerve in his body, his 1sts
were clenched and he wore the express
sion OF man thoroughly aroused
When he said that he had no crit
cism for the Judge who sat In the trial
ATTY voices shouted at once II have,
/ have"
Col Breckinridge's speech was
mainly devoted to review OF his
career In congress, beginning with the
first election OF Cleveland, and he
pointed out that no man In the demo
cratic party has taken more advanced
ground on the tariff question or done
more to unity the party on economic
measures. He replied 10 the claims
OF his opponents that he was tlowery
orator, but not a practical statesman,
by reciting with great particularly
his Iabors on committees aud on the
floor in congress.
The concluding portion of the speech
was devoted TO tie Pollard scandal
and the opposition TO his renomina
ton ON moral grounds. He denounced
and dehled those who were lssailing
him, the newspapers, and said he
would vindicate his devoted friends
and confound those who now seek TO
destroy his usefulness.
Continuing he said: Il do not wish
this district to conceive that / have
any defense 10 make for what | have
done and Of which l have been guilty
Entanglcd by weakness, by passion,
by sin, the coils of which it was al
most impossible 20 break, | did every
thing in my power TO prevent pub
lie scandal except one thing, which
for not q moment ever entered my
mind.
~ have tried to atone for my sin In
ways that It Is not becoming to me to
allude TO- Now that exposure has come
there is an element Of gladness in it, |
! care not now what letters come in |,
my mail; | care not now If the closet |
door be opened, there Is no skeleton |
there. ] am not afraid that there will .
come clap of thunder and .
a fash of lightning that will destroy |
me and mine This Is OF the past
will wear with me a scar, but | will
not longer carry dread. The sweet
domestic relations which | absolutely
need. out Of which | have no life, are
mine
THE extent Of my guilt has been
ruthfully confessed by me TO its ut
ermost boundaries without justiiica-
ion or pallation In your presence
oday. and I'm the presence Of my dis
riot, / repent for that sin Of which
am guilty. / have no Justification,
10 palliation and / ask no condoning.
IF any one In your midst can better
10 the work you want done as your
choose him; choose one
whose life has been stainless; whose
morals your men can initiate with
,rofil, whose days have been pure and
whose nights have been sinless; whose
ability is ample; whose experience Is
vide. When some one comes to write
nv history whatever blame may
Ittach 70 me, he will write even with
hat blame he loved the poor, tolled
or his fellow men, labOred for good
.auses; was loyal to principles, faith
nj to truth and devoted TO you
The address differed from other pub
lshed utterances since the trial in one
feature. Responding to the
.harge Of hypocrisy In taking a leading
,art in religious and moral movements
while living a double life, he said he
vas all this time making atonement
or a secret sin which he dared not
.onfess, and doing everything In his
,ower to keep others from following /
n his footsteps.