New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-23
MIR. BRECKINRIDGES RECEPTION

MIR. BRECKINRIDGES "RECEPTION'
1t has been announced in n news dispatch
from Lexington, Ky, that arrangements are
making for giving the Honorable" Mr.. Brock
nridgc what is called ~ rousing reception"
upon his return to that town after the trial now
in progress is over He is to be met on his
arrival by committee with n band Of music
and escorted to his hotel, where n banquet in
his honor will be served and he will be invited
to make an address.
The inquiry naturally arises. Why this demon
stration? The political campaign in Kentucky
has not yet opened. The gentleman has been
five times elected to Congress by majorties OF
G,OOO or 1000 in n total Of between $4,000 and
10000 votes. The district Is not so close that
unusual effort Is needed to reelect him IL
nominated. and his intimate friends In Wash
ingtOn have published the fact that he Is quite
confident OF denomination. Why, thcn the
committee, the band the rousing reception
and the banquet: lie certainly has done moth
ing during the present session Of Congress, not
even in the way Of "matchlcss' oratory, to eX-
cite the admiration or awaken the gratitude of
his constituents TO the brass band and banquet
ting pitch of enthusiasm. Why. then, this up
rising. outpourng and gushing: What has he
done? What Is there new about him! What
new claim upon the respect. the esteem thc
confidence the affection and the honorable pride
Of his constituents?
Why, this; and, so far as we can see. this
only: he has been defendant in lawsuit. In
lawsuit affecting not merely his character ana
standing as Il public man. but his personal
truthfulness his honor, his fitness to lift up his
head and have recognition in the company or
honorable men and pure women. The ''rousing
reception" IS TO be given, no doubt, upon the
assumption that his own version of the case IL
absolutely true and unimpcachablc, and the
Judgment of his constituents thereon that his
vindicatlon Is complete. What Is his version
Of IT, his explanation, his vindication? 1t was
set forth in the opening OF the defence on
"Wednesday by one of his array Of six eminent
counsel From this It appears that nine years
AGO when he had reached the mature age OF
forty-cight. having been so much man OF ar
fairs and worldly experience as TO have Del
elected to Congress. and so active ana earnest
n protesting Christian as TO be looked up to
with confidence and listened to with dcvout at
tention in the higher councils Of his Church, he
was led astray by n designing young woman
somewhere from eighteen to twenty years old;
that he continued his Illicit relations with her
until within year past; that meantime he had
introduced her as respectable person in the
families Of his friends and social equals, ana
that he had at various times to various persons
deliberately lied concerning these relations.
That IS the "gcn,leman's" own story-doubt-
less accepted implicitly by his Lexington adj
mirers. Notwithstanding the effect upon his
crcdibilIty in the mind OF ordinary person
Of the nine years OF admitted unclcanncSs. ny
pocrisy and falschood Is that the sort OF char
actcr lmned by the "gcntlcman's' own hand.
and held up to jury by the advice Of six cmi-
nent counsel as the best presentation possible
is that the sort Of character that the citizens
Of Lexington, Ky, consider worthy OF admira-
ton? Is that the sort OF person that awakcns
their enthuSiasm-that the kind Of hero That
they rise up TO meet with Il brass band and
honor by n public banquet; the kind of states
man they are proud to be represented by; the
kind of gentleman" whom they invite TO their
homes and introduce to their families; the kind
of protesting Christian they put forward To
champion the strictest orthodoxy In n Church
the very essence Of whose doctrines Is purity
and uprightncss? Are the citizens Of Lcxing
ton-the heads Of families, fathers Of the com
ing generation Of young incorporating their
sons to the example OF Mt. brcchInrluSc 'S
worthy Of imitation? Do they know that this Is
the significance Of their rouslng reception, their
brass band business and their public banquet:
1t Is hardly credible.
And yet this Honorable person must know
what manner Of people his constituents are, and
he IS said TO be quite confident OF renomlna-
ton and reelection. A more amazing exhibit
ton of callous inscnsibiliy 10 shame and dis
grace was never witnessed. We shall refuse 10
believe until we are compelled 10, that the citi-
zcns Of Lexington are so lost 10 all consldcra-
tons Of sclfrcspcct as to extend public rcccp-
ton and a banquet TO a man who upon his own
admissions has been guilty Of offences that
pillory him before all the world as untrlthful,
dishOnOrable and unccan.