The herald., 1894-05-06
HIS SINS FORGIVEN HIM.
Col. Breckinridge Reinstated
in the Church.
His Prayer for Forgiveness
Answered.
He Personally Opens His Political
Campaign.
Three Thousand People Give Him an
Ovation and Hear the Grent-
csc Speech Ever Made
in Kentucky.

By the Associated Press
LEXINGTON, KY, May 5.-Col. W. @.
P. Breckenridge was greeted here today
by an audience of 5000 people, repre-
senting the voters of the Seventh con-
gressional district, and many people in
the surrounding country. The speak
ing was in the opera house, and half an
hour before Colonel Breckenridge arrived
the auditorium was iull. When he sd-
vanced toward the stage from the rear
entrance the audience stood up and
yelled wildly for five minutes. The
colonel was filed with emotion which
shook him from head to foot. He made
the most powerful address ever delivered
to Kentucky audience.
When he spoke of the action of the
ministers union in this city, which
took action against him, he assumed
the most defiant look and strained every
nerve in his body, his fists were closed
and his expression was that OF brave
man thoroughly enraged. He gave the
public press some very hard filings, and
when he said that he had no criticism
for the Judge who sat in the trial 30
voices shouted at once: 81 haveW II
haver"
The reception was certainly enthusi-
astic, and while it is not claimed that
every man in the house will cast
his vote for the colonel, it was plainly
to be seen he had many friends who in
tended to stand by him.
THE CoLoNEL's SPEECH.
Colonel BreckiHridge's spesch was
mainly review of his career in con-
grsss, beginning with the first election
of Cleveland. He said no Democrat had
taken more advanced ground on the
tariff question, or done more to unity
the party on economic measures. He
replied to the claims that he was not e
practical statesman by reciting with
great particularly hia labor on commit
The concluding portion OF ais speech
was devoted to the Pollard scandal and
opposition to his denomination on moral
grounds. He denounced and defied his
sssailants, and said time will confound
those who seek to betray his usefulness.
Responding to the charge of hypocrisy
in taking leading part in religious and
moral movements while living q double
life, he said he was making atonement
for his secret sin which he dared not
confess, aud doing everything in his
power to keep others from following his
footsteps. He said:
81 do not wish this district to con-
ceive that have any defense to make
for what have done, and OF which
have been guilty. Entangled by weak
ness, by passion, by sin, in coils which
1t was almost impossible to break, did
everything that was within nay power
to prevent public scandal, except the
one thing which for no moment entered
nay mind.
''Your reelection OF me can neither
take from nor add to the punishmen
have suffered. l knew the secret sin Il
tried to atone for it In ways that it is
not becoming in me to more than allude
to. How many kind words did this
atonement produce to others; how much
of self-control and how much of self
sacrifice; how much of earnestness and
labor in aid OF good things and to good
causes! When | came to make public
uttcrsnce under any circumstances, to
any audience, how cautious was | that
no word of mine might tempt others to
be guilty az l was guilty!
"Now that exposure has come, there
is an element OF gladness in 1t. / care
not now what letters come in my mail !;
| care not now for the closet door to be
opened-there is no skeleton there, and
/ can 60 into the clear sunlight, out of
mystery, and look up through the blue
skies into the upper world with the
feeling that there is no cloud there.
am not afraid that from the horizon
will suddenly come clap of thunder
and fash Of lightning that will destroy
me and mine. This ia of the past. |
will wear with me the scars, but will
NO longer carry the dread. will come
out OF that storm, however long it
may last, in some respects CONG ueror.
Sweet domestic relations which abso-
lutely need, and out of which have
no life, are mine. Tho extent of NV
guilt was truthfully confessed by me to
its uttsrmost boundaries without justi.
fcation or palliation. To that extent
[ was guilty; beyond that l was inno-
cent. Whatever charge of any kind ia
made against me by any person, not
confessed in that solemn testimony. for
the truth of which I appeal to God, is
false. l desire this Acknowledgement t
and denial to be fully understood, that
thOi0 1nJ uo AO LnOIo MiHuRueT8tA
ing hereafter.
"In your presence today, and in the
presence of the district, repeat that for
that sin of which was guilty, have no
Qualification, no palliation, and ask for
no condemnation. II some In your midst
can better do the work you want done
than |. as your representative, choose
him choose one whose life hes been
stainless, whose morals your young men
can initiate with profit, whoss days
have been pure and whose nights have
been sinless; whose ability is ample.
whose experience is wide.
when someone comes to write my
history, whatever. blame may attach to
nae. he may write of me that even with
that blame, he loved the poor be toiled
for bis fellow men; he labored for good
causes; was loyal to principles and faith
ful to truth'-devoted to you."
WOMEN OF LEXINGTON PROTEST.
The women of Lexington have issued
an addrese to tha votera in Colonel