The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-07

whose mission y was to bind up
bleed afresh, but they Cannot a k from
me the comfort of their daily ministra-
ton. nor remove from me the precious
consolation of their love. L enter the flu
ture with unimpaired physical health; 1
am able to do the labor that may be re-
CURED OF me; enter II. too. with unim-
paired mental vigor. My friends and my
enemies will, alike find that my career is
not ended; there is a future of useful and
profitable labor for me; a future better
than all the past. | have passed through
the fires. and in that future those who
still loved me will be INDICATED for their
c~onstancy,. and those who conspire TO de-
stroy me will feel glad that their coz
spiracy was unsuccessful.
The extent of my guilt was truthfully
confessed by me TO its uttermoSt boun-
daries. without justification or paliiation.
To that extent 1 was guilty; beyond. that
/ was innocent. Whatever charge OF any
kind made against me b. any person not
confessed in that solemn testimony, for the
truth of which l appealed to God, is false.
/ do not know the number nor the char-
acter or all the ISLANDERS which have been
mouth to mouth in the district. Whatever
they are, from whatever source, whatsoever
that statement, 1 denounce as false. l de-
sire this acknowledgment and denial to
be fully understood, that there may be no
misunderstanding hereafter. In your pres
ence to-day, and in the presence OF the
district, L repeat that for that sin of which
I was guilty l have no justification, no
oha Il - az
When David fled from Jerusalem to meet
the instruction of Absalom, as he came TO
forth and cursed him as he came and cast
stones at him. May i, who have been
cursed, at whom stones have been thrown,
ton which David took? He had sinned,
he had confessed that sin, he had bowed
himself into the dust before Him who had
crowned him with inestimable and number
less benefactions, but who had not deposed
him from the throne; who had not set him
ocfAa For fnfarinr nn6 laSC WnYrhV mnn.
who still trusted him with the government
of His chosen and peculiar people; and
now to those around him he stflied their
wrath at those who had cursed him with
the trustful declaration: 1T may be that
the Lord will look on mine affection. and
that the Lord will requite me good for His
Il felt that here was the proper place
for me first to speak in the canvass which
Cured. For nine months / have borne in
silence all that has been said against me.
me since my boyhood, 1 tender once more
to the district which has honored me my
service as its Representative; During the
all that was public, as to everything that
pertained TO the services of the country
and with uplifted face, declare that 1 have
performed those duties to the very best
of my ability; as to all that 1 have no de-
Nor has the guilt which 1 have asknowl-
edged robbed me of my manhood, or my
courage, VI lily ~ III 6OOG
causes nor my capacity TO do good labor.
1t has not diminished my loyalty to my
friends. my allegiance to truth or my de-
my love for you and this precious district,
for the State with which my destinies are
is dear to my heart; nor has 1t obliterated
the passionate love for my
which has always dominated me;
There are those In this audience who
were my schoolmates, either In the public
schools of Lexington. out at Pisgah. with
its glorious memories, or Out at Nofth
loved memories, or. at Transylvania, and
who have known me in all the relations
of life since then; there are those who
first knew me through our service in the
confederate army; they saw me in the
camp. in the bivouac, on the march and
In the lesser hardshiDs of the battle; and
their friendship has kept track of my life
since peace was declared; there are those
whose lives were in my hands as l pleaded
for them before the juries of the country,
whose honor was committed to my care,
whose estates depended upon my fidelity;
there are those here who have seen my
private life, as / shut the door of my home
coming out or as closed it going in. To
these / now come, a fallible human being,
fallible human man, but may L not say a
loving. grateful. laborious citizen, an hon.
IF some one in your midst can better do
the work you want done as your repre-
sentative, choose him; l shall submit; some
one whose life has been stainless, whose
morals your young men can initiate with
profit; whose days have been pure and
whose nights have been sinlessi whose abili-
ty is ample, whose experience is wide. For a
hundred years this district has been repre-
scented by men. They have not always been
sinless men, and whether you re-elect or
reject me, hereafter when some one comes
to write its history, whatever blame may
attach TO me, he will write of me that, even
with that blame, he loved the poor, he
toiled for his fellow-men, he labored for
good causes; and as this historian turns
over the pages of the record in which my
utterances are contained. he will rise from
them with the belief that l was loyal to
my principles, faithful TO truth, devoted 10
yOu."