The Portland daily press., 1894-05-07

And Appears in the Role of a Deeply
- Wronged Man Who is Ready to Meet
| Those Who Have Injured Him "In Any
Manner at ANY Place"-His Ad-
| mirers Applaud His Generous Treat
ment of the Ministers and Express a
Wish to Hang Judge Bradley.
| Lexington, KY, May 5.-The first speech
| by Col. Breckenridge In his campaign for re-
election to Congress was made here today
before about $500 people. The streets of the
little Blue Grass city began to fill with
| people at an early hour this morning, and
| by noon they fairly swarmed with strangers
| from this and adjoining counties of the
| Seventh District. 1t was at first intended
| that the speech should be delivered in the
| open air, but the prospect of rain made this
| impossible, and today it was arranged to
have it in the Opera House. By 2 o'clock
this cosey little building was fairly jammed
with people, while hundreds were unable to
| get in.
| The crowd was apparently fairly repre-
sentative one, perhaps majority of whom
| were farmers. On the stage were fully 800
| enthusiastic friends of the Congressman,
| prominent among whom were Judge Robert
| J. Breckenridge of Danville, brother of Col.
| Breckenridge, Hon. Charles J. Bronston,
| Mayor Henry T.Duncan, Judge Mat Walton,
| State Senator John o. Hodges of this city
and Judge W. l.. Jett of Frankfort.
| The reception which was rendered the
| fallen statesman was certainly remarkable,
and demonstrates very clearsthat he has a
strong hold on the people of his district.
| The demonstration following his appearance
| lasted fully ten minutes, the men standing
| up and cheering wildly. 1t was with d1fn-
Guilty that he made his way to the stage.
The enthusiasm continued throughout the
| time Col. Breckenridge spoke, the impressive
| silence being only broken by the applause e..
When Col. Brecklnrldge referred TO Judge
Bradley, before whom his case was tried,
there were h1sses and cries OF condemna-
tion. Men in the rear of the hall cried out
that the judge should be hanged.
He then referred to the Ministerial Union
of Lexington, saying that he challenged the
right of minister of the Gospel to inter-
fere in political affairs. He said the
ministers We're unlike the Master they pro-
fessed TO serve ana tnat he' bfecKlnrlage,
would invoke thaG Masters olVlne alo ana
put his case in higher hands than the
These servants of Christ have done these
things to my hurt" he replied, 'but pity
them, and, as God is my judge, forgive
them.
This provoked another burst of applause,
and the speaker, growing fiercer. continued
in his most forceful tones:
Il have stood silent amid SANDER and
vituperation as concocted by conspirators
in Washington, in this city and elsewhere.
ITO these men of the press, who have so
foully malinged me and mine, have moth
ing to offer but scorn and contempt, and to
one and all hurl this defiance. Ii any man
feels that he is meant by these remarks, L
am ready and willing to settle the issue with
him in any manner or at any place"
In referring to the Pollard scandal Colonel
Breckenridge said:
1t is charged that the revelations con-
cerning my private life have shown that /
am not fit to be Representative; that that
renders it the duty of the district to set me
aside; that reelection would be looked
upon as vind1catlon; that vote for me
is a vote of approval and II not of approval
of conformation.
eff that were so, my fellow citizens, /
would not stand here for reelection; l
would not accept your votes; l would not
live in your midst. OF what l have been
guilty have made public acknowledgement
under oath in the sight of God. of the court
and of the country