Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-05-06

William G. p. Breckenridge was greeted
here to-day by an audience OF 5000 peo-
pie representing the voters Of the Sew
enth Congressional district, and many
people from the surrounding country.
The speaking was in the Opera House,
and half hour before Colonel Breckin-
ridge arrived the auditorium was full OF
people. When he advanced toward the
stage from the rear entrance the audi
ence stood up and yelled wildly for ten
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 Minis
ters' Union in this city, which took ac-
ton 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 a brave
man thoroughly enraged. He gave the
public press some very hard filings, and
when he said that be had no criticism
for the judge who sat in the trial, fifty
voices shouted at once. Il have! l
havem
The reception was certainly en-
thusiastic, and while every man In the
house will not cast his vote for Breck-
inridge, it was plainly to be seen that
he had many friends who intend to
stand by him.
After reviewing his boyhood life at
Lexington, public services in the Con-
federate army and in Congress, Colonel
Brec klnridge said:
II do not wish this district to con-
ceive that 1 have any defense to make
fer what l have done, and Of which
have been guilty. Entanged by weak
ness, by passion, by sin, in coils which
it WIS i'm possible to break, l did every
thing that was within my puwer
TO PREVENT A PUBLIC SCANDAL,
except the one thing which for no mo-
ment ever entered my mind.
OGE Tb-cltCllOu VI ulC Sau hOfOi
take from nor add 10 the punishment l
have suffered. 1t has not been hypoc-
risy that my life has not been consist
emily wrong; | know the secret sin; ]
tried TO atone for IL in ways that 1t Is
not becoming in me TO moro than allude
to. How many kind words did this
atonement produce TO others; how
much Of self-control and how much OF
self-sacriice; how much OF earnest
ness and labor in aid of good things
and to good causes? When / came to
make a public utterance under any cir
cumstances to my audience, how eau
tious was | that no word OF mine might
tempt others to be guilty as / was gull
ty. Now that the exposure has come
there is an element of glSdness in it. l
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 go into the clear sun
light 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 sud
denly come clap OF thunder and a
fash OF lightning that will destroy me
aud mine. This is OF the past. / will
wear with me the scars, but / will not
longer carry the dread. / will come out
Of that storm, however long II may last,
In some respects conqueror. Sweet do
mestic relations which / absolutely need
and out Of which l have no life, are
mine.
"The extent Of my guilt was truth
fully confessed by me to its uttermost
boundaries, without justification or pal
liation. To that extent was guilty;
beyond that l was innocent Whatever
charge Of any kind made against me by
any person, not confessed In that SOL
emn testimony, for the truth of which
l appeal 20 God, is false. desire this
acknowledgment and denial 10 be fully
understood, that there may be no mis-
understanding hereafter. In your pres
ence to-day, and in the presence OF this
district, l repeat that for the sin for
which
TWAS GUILTY,
have no justification, no palllation and
| ask no conformation.
"If some one in your midst can better
do the work you want done as your rep
resentative, choose him; choose 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 sinless;
whose ability lie ample, whose expert
ence is wide. When some one comes TO
write its history, whatever blame will
attach to ne be will~write Of me that
even with that blame he loved the poor,
he toiled for his fellowmen, he labpred
for good causes; loyal to principles,
faithful to truth, devoted to you"