New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-11
SATAN REBUKING SIN.
BRECKINRIDGE POSING AS THE CHAM
PION OF PUBLIC DECENCY.

Az .sror-NDING PIECE OF EFFRONTERY-THE
CAMPAIGN BITTER. But REMARKABLY
FREE FROM PHYSICAL VIOLENCE
rr,ou . STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF TRIBUNE
lex,ne,on XIV. Sept. 7.-"My nomination VIII
be a step in the direction of public decehcy' per
sonal veraoity and good order II theie can ''
. c,msx ~ effrontery so superlative and con-
sistent as that exhibited by Colonei bfeoh'"
ridge throughout his whole canvass Tor reho''iiila
tion in this district. that climax was ceI'"'i"'
reached in the passage quoted above from "''
address TO the voters of this city. IN 'he OPei"
House here a few nights ago. something wac
said in a preceding letter about the PeOu''a'
mental processes by which the bespat'ereu VIZ
tim OF the Pollard scandal has graduaiy p"'
side the wearisome role Of a repentant prouls'
FOR the more congenal and spectacular chdrao'o'
OF a martyr to the prosecutions OF pu"'0
opinion In the rambling and careless u''eI""'e'
OF the speech at Westport there was ihuV" ~
enforce and emphasize this curiously morbid and
egotistcal inversion Of sentiment. Inc p"'"uo
was there in all its essentials. and it was pam
that only favoring occasion was heeueu " "'""
from, the colossal vanity Of the orator frahKer
expression Of it in all its badness and eXUaVa-
ganc@
day night when under the stimulus OF large
a,d friendly audience Colonel Breckenridge was
drawn into discussion of some of the personal
phases of the campaign now ending. IL was ~
be his last appearance in Lexington during the
canvass and ne set to work with much ingenuity
to counterfeit the effect of some recent uah-
aging assaults upon him by the followers OF Mr.
Owens Carried along by the intensity OF his
feelings and the ready flow Of his impassioned
and effective oratory he quickly passed from in
dignant denunciation Of the supposed mistakes
of his adversaries to the astonishing apos'ro-
nhization of his own candidacy summarized IN
the sentence quoted above. No censure. accord
ing 10 the agreeable view of the self-induigent
sentmentalist on the platform. could De 700
severe for the methods of plain speaking adopted
by the opposition, for the impure and scahdaiouS
personal issues introduced into the canvass or lor
the division and strife and bitterness OF leehhs
into which the violent protest against mis- reho'n-
ination had unnecessarily plunged the district
His own success. he concluded with unbiushng
self satisfacton. would mean the whoesome re-
pudiation by the Democrats of the district OF
an opposition canvass based on scandal ana
defamation, and the stamping out for good ana
all in Kentucky of such disgusting controversial
methods as the ventilation of embarrassed
candidates eccentricities of moral conduct
The paradox launched by the orator could
scarcely have been more complete and hnisheo
had it been borrowed bodily from one OF
the librettos Of Gilbert. a politician the
mere mention of WIZ name in any
State in the UniOI is an invitation 10
scandalous ridicule, deprecatng with senti-
mental horror the use Of plain words ana the
suggestion Of unpleasant issues in a canvass
liS
has forced upon an unwilling constituency. y
sensualist, exposed in grossness, mVe!shlHs
against his critics for forcing his campaign %, OIL
vindcation to the level of the gutter Ills
natural level. A moral hypocrite whose record
of turpitude has brought offense upon the whole
State. imporing continuance OF pohtlcd nohoio
on the ground that his success now VIII save
any Kentuckian in public life hereafter from
being judged and condemned for personal ana
moral delinquences. No keener or more sai-
donic bit OF irony could well be founu III any
satire on American political life.
Yet in the minds Of his sympathetic audience
captivated by the smooth facility. the hypnotz-
ing charm Of the 'siiver-tOngued' orator, evil
IDENTIFY no sense of ironiCdl contrast nterNeheu
10 mar the effectiveness Of their IDOLS eloquehce
His naturalness of style. the pungency and force
OF his assaults upon his critics. the unfaiIlhg
grace and mellowness or his oratOry asserted
their inevitable attraction, and the enthusiasm
of his followers knew hesitatiOn:or dscrim-
nation whether he assaed his clerical de-
tractors with ingenious innuendo bluntly De
fled and denounced the trio of ex-judges" who
have recently made his ears Jingle so Sharply
or in burst Of sehapprecation. handy as
sured his hearers that his hoped-for success at
the polls would be step in the direction oi
decency and good morals.
For the first time since the Pollard trial an
effort was made 10 have fair contingent Oh
women in Colonel Breckinridges audience Inc
experiment was measurably successful; Tor the
boxes on both sides CO the stage were hed with
auditors of the other Mrs. Breckenridge,
young and handsome. and with an excellent car
riage sat on the Platform with some other
ladies' Never in the writer's hearing had
Colonel Breckenridge spoken with such genuine
oratorical force and such vrility Of feeling. OPP
posjtion at home had probably aroused his most
combative instincts. Yet the meeting. for such
a speaker and such an occasion-the last APP
and unrepresentative. indicating decided list
lessnees Of interest on the part OF Lexington in
her once favorite son.
TEST OATH AT THE PRIMARIES.
Rather curously Colonel Breckenridge dwelt
In his speech with some insstence on the point
that his own nomination would end. once for ALL
any shirt Of bitterness and disorder which had
crept into the present canvass. The methods OF
the opposition, he maintained, had fomented d.
vision and hatred. and were responsible for
campaign In which few pockets were empty Of
reyolvers" To Colonel Brecknridge's credit it
should be said hat he has consistently coun-
selled moderation Of speech and action, and pup,
licly deprecated all exhibition of hostility toward
the following of the other two candidates. The
district committee, which ne controls has. how
ever Just decided on an innovation in the rules
governing the primary election. which may lead
10 much resentment and friction. II is proposed
10 require every Democratic voter who may be
challenged at 'he polls TO take an oath 10 sup
mort its regular Democratic candidate at the NO
yember election. This requirement is imposed. or
course in the hope of keeping from the primaries
those of the Democyatic voters who do not In
tend under any circumstances 10 support Coionel
breckenridge IL he IS nominated. The oath will
have terrors. however. for very few OF the anti
Breckinridge following. and the sole practical
effect OF It's imposition will be TO excite an addi-
tional feeling OF distrust and mpatience in the
opposition ranks. That this dstrust and impa-