Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-06
COL, BRECKENRIDGE.
0pslilt Of Hk Canvass ies denomination
10 Congress-
A REMARKABLE ADDRESS.
The Ministerial Union Of Lexington Scored,
hut ForEivcn--The Preas Not For
gtven-Popuiar Ovation.

nomination 10 Congress from the Ashland
District. The audience TO which he spoke
consisted of people from all portions OF
the State there being special trains from
many points outside the district In the
Opera House. where the address was de-
hvered. were people representing all
classes OF industry. Many Of them were
distiliers and saloonists. Upon the stage
were placed ffty chairs. and these were
all occupied.
Colonel Breckenridge entered the stage
from the rear. and coming for
ward. was met and grasped by the hand
by every one on the stage. amid perfect
roar OF applause from the floor, galleries,
and balcony. In about three minutes
time he made his way 10 a small table
near the footlights OF the stage. and
after pause Of about FIVE minutes he
began slowly Clnching his hands with
the most intense emotion. his nerves
culvcring. anc tears coming into his eyes,
!Ie said ne hai not come as "A conquering
hero. but felt That his friends would hear
what he had to say. Enthusiasm reigned
supreme. and throughout his speech he
was applaudcd every two or three min
union which had taken action against him
had done 50 in the proper spirit. lie
thought the members were very different
from the Master they made believe they
were serving.
CRITICISM or CHRISTIANS.
Harsh criticism OF Christian people has
hurt him with the better classes. and
Il Is doubted by many well-balanced II
be did his cause any good by ms ad-
dress here to-day. Some believe lie has
not made vote. ard has put himself up
as a target for the sbarp-shOotc:s ia Inc
pulpit and in the press. ON the oihtr
hand. his friendS-and they are many
think the effort was tina greatest thcy
ever heard. and many OF them drew mnr
Landkcrchicfs more than once during Inc
address and cleared their eyes.
The Colonel appeared TO the best ad-
vantage. and when he turned ms AZ
tention 10 the newspaper men, ne sun
moned 10 his aid, 1t seemed. every n'
OF nerve I'm his powerful physique. Win
cIinchel fists and contracted faciaI h'us
cles. n. declared that he had sat silently
ly and allowed the prrss correspondents
10 lie for three long months. Their hes.
he sad, were contemplate. lie N''''
ria eye4 toward Heaven. and forgive the
ministers VINO raised their voices '5@lns'
him. bat excluded the newspaper la,
terni,y. saying tnat for those VINO ~
written fai ely Of him he h'd hO'''"e
Ia, tie Li.t rest contempt. Ih's' u'.
anccs brought forth The mos emu" .
uq-ic applause. ana! poe was loicru 10 "'""
this 10 die ont before he c2I'a "n'S"'
a,5 he sid a. was ready ANA Niilhs'
4, any lime. Wlen one Of thee iaiSI''S
thought he was meant, a. meet MN "'''
settle tn matter with nm.
AZ ia or,fory, conservative Judges sd'
~ th. Grafton az Bye, Iuisc t"-"''
ycs. INC best they ever bad the pI''su'v
NJ listening 10. His friends are w
pj.aqel with the r,ceDdoa, ana arc q"
reY.tn., 10 give him lil,e ovation d.
pars Monday.
TIE ADDRESS
Colonel Hreckinr.dge began his specch
D.. 4oscriblp his early life ana nome h'S
esr,ice In the southern army ana hla 70
Y,cr as eltor. lawyer. ana states'iia" a.
,,c vars close Then he SPOKE "i i..
.]acflon % the House 10 succc'H N'p'''''
Iu.cl,burn. and said that he was l'u'
ecker after the Office. IT. rap,HiF So,
a the events leading up 10 the h''i'',
lion OF Hancock and his dciehI ~
.,,ch,-t ON tevation and tariff bils' an"
- hfs r.su-cis to President Grover
r,.velsnd', career as Chief Executive u
the United States. ,.,,..,,.o,,
v,f.r,.,,p ~ his trial in Washington
lao sid. ut Is charged that IcNeia'i'"'
concerning my private life nave snow"
mat | ar not ~ 10 be "A reprrsch,'.
that that renders it the duty oil 'he uis,t ~
,o set nir aside, that reelection W'"'u ~
,oo,,.1 u;>ou az a vincicationi that Nole
Cor ,ne Is a vote Of approval. ana IL no'
- orrroval. of cOndonaticn. III inns
-. e. nv feVow-citiZens, | would not
,tapd for reelection; l would hot 49, 49,
,our votes: | would not hNe III -
Ia, az What | have been guilty nav
made uuLlir acknowledgment uh"'i
an the sirht of God, oil cout'' O. ,.,,',',
couutTy. AS to the huihpo''oSo a. H.
mad. by those who nave vo"Sp',0u -,
s,r.v me. | enter my indignant Pio'.S''
Inc, malice which has coinei' .ne
,'c.Sac,tv which has Fabricated anu 'ne
.,n,,y that has uttered the huinoetlVs.
"a, .c,inst me. In the presence OF you ny
,rt,rds and constituents. WIN an -
..,n,.es mat cluster about me ana surge
~ me as speak to-day. | protest III
~, name of God and of honor.
.Rut do not wish TINS dls'iict y
conceive that have any delehc+ 70 .h'",
90 ahat I.havc done. and of when
~, e.c, pronounced guilty Entangled
-, a,calxnesg. by passion. nv SIN IN con-
.h,ch n was almost impossible to break
dtd everything that was "ith4h h!
cover 10 prevent pubiic scandal. excep'
nj which for no moment ever entered
my mind Your reelection oil me can
neither take from nor add 10 the punish'
Uent | have suffered. IL has not peei
hypocrisy on my part MY NE mas nv
been consistently wrong. l knew a secie
sin. ] tried to atone Tor IL ia W'.s :.
which IL IS not becoming in me TO 90 hior'
.llan ellude.
EXPOSURE. a RELIEF.
Now. that exposure has come there
Is an element of gladness in It, care not
NOW what letters come in my mail; l care
no; now for the closet door 10 be opened
there is no skeleton there. and can &c
into the clear sunlight out of my study
and look up through the blue sky INTO tnt
upper world with the feeling that there
Is no cloud there. l am not AFRAID tha'
from the horizon will suddenly come .
clap Of thunder and Il flash of lightning
that Will destroy me and mine. This Is ol
the past. / will wear with me the scars
but 1 viii not longer carry the dread
will come out OF that Storm howevel
long IL may last, in some respect con
Querr.
The extent Of my guilt was truthfully
confessed by me 20 lis uttermost boun-
carries. without justification or palliation.
To that extent | was guilty. Beyond that
] was innocent. Whatever charge of any
KIND made AGAINST me by any person.
no; confessed IN that solemn testimony.
Tor the truth OF which l appealed TO God
IN false. l desire this acknowledgment,
ana denial 20 b. fully understood. that
there may he no Misunderstanding here
ui'er' In your presence to-day, and In
uc presence OF the district, / repeat that
'"F thht SIN Of which ! was guilty have
no 'uSuicaton and no palliation and ]
Isk no condonatlon.
III some ole in your midst can better
10 ue Work You want done as your re.
PeS'h'atl'e choose him: / shall submit;
49, one Whose life has been stainless
whose morals YOUR young men can imi.
's'e WIN pFoat: whose days have beer
ps'e ana whose rfl.hts have been sinless
VINO ABILITY Is at,sle: whose experience
- wide For hunfNd years this distr4c,
.'Ss cen ierrrscnted by men. They have
0' always been sinless .nen. and wbethe,
.ou 'eeiect or reject me, hereafter. when
ene one comes to write ia h,s,ory
"na'evcr blame may attach 10 me he
"u'e OF me that. even with thai
no loved the poor. he toi,ed 10,
'ehow-men. he labored for cooa
So and as this historian turns owe,
= 'soS OF 'he record In which my nj