Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-05-10
BRECKENRIDGE TELLS OF HIS
LIFE TORTURES.
TRIED TO ATONE FOR HIS
WRONGS PRIVATELY.
The Congressman Addresses a Mon
ster Audience Composed of His Con-
stituents-Shows Great Emotion,
Admits His Awful Guilt, Repents
Publicly, Fishes for denomination.

Lexington, May 6-Lexington was
crowded today with partisans of Col.
W. c. P. Breckenridge, who gath
cred from all over the Ashland dis
trict to give the opening of his canvas
for denomination a 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 will be any hostile demonstra-
ton.
When Col. Breckenridge was an
nounced the audience stood up and
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 most defiant look and strained
every nerve in his body, his fists
were clenched and he wore the express
sion Of a man thoroughly aroused.
When he said that he had no crit
cism for the judge who sat in the trial,
fifty voices shouted at once: II have,
l have"
Col. Breckinridge's speech was
mainly devoted to a 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 to the claims
of his opponents that he was fowery
orator, but not a practical statesman,
by reciting with great particularly
his laborS on committees and on the
floor in congress.
The concluding portion of the speech
was devoted to the Pollard scandal
and the opposition to his renomina
ton on moral grounds. He denounced
and defiled those who were assailing
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 to make for what | have
done and of which l have been guilty.
Entangled by weakness, by passion,
by sin, the coils of which it was al
most impossible to break, 1 did every
thing in my power to prevent a pub
lie scandal, except one thing, which
for not a moment ever entered my
mind
II 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.
I care not now what letters come in
my mail; I care not now if the closet
door be opened, there is no skeleton
there. [ am not afraid that there will
suddenly come a clap Of thunder and
a flash 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 I have no life, are
mine.
"The extent of my guilt has been
truthfully confessed by me to its ut
termOst boundaries without juStifica-
ton or palliation. In your presence
today, and in the presence of my dis
trict, I repent for that sin of which
I am guilty. I have no justification,
no palliation and [ ask no condoning.
eff any one in your midst can better
do the work you want done as your
representative, choose him; choose one
whose life has been stainless; whose
morals your men can initiate with
profit; whose days have been pure and
whose nights have been sinless; whose
ability is ample; whose experience is
wide. When some one comes to write
my history whatever blame may
attach to me- he will write even with
that blame he loved the poor, toiled
for his fellow men, labored for good
causes; was loyal to principles, faith
full to truth and devoted to you "
The address differed from other pub
lished utterances since the trial in one
important feature. Responding to the
charge Of hypocrisy in taking leading
part in religious and moral movements
while living a double life, he said he
was all this time making atonenlent
for a secret sin which he dared not
confess, and doing everything in his
power to keep others from following
in his footsteps.