The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-07
(From Sundays Second Edition.)
Speech by breckenridge.

LEXINGTON, KY, May 5.-Col. William
G. p. Breckinridge was greeted mere to-day
representing the voters of the Seventh con-
gressional district and many people from
the surrounding country. The speaking was
In the opera house, and a half hour before
Colonel breckenridge arrived the auditorium
Snxbo full , Of people; ,n Aftsr rsnIiV aerv his
in the confederate army and in Congress,
Colonel Breckenridge said:
But ii is charged that all this (his ser
vices in Congress) may be true. but that
under what the revelations concerning my
private life have shown, that / am not fit
the duty of the district TO set me aside;
that a reelection would be looked upon as
a 'vindication;' that a vote for me is a
vote of approval. and if not of approval. OF
conformation. If this We're so, my fellow
citizens, l would not stand for reelection;
l would not accept your votes; l would not
live in your midst. OF what / have been
guilty L have made public acknowledge
ment under oath in the sight of God, of
numberless charges made by those who
have conspired TO destroy me, / enter my
indignant protest; against the malice which
has coined, the mendacity which has fabri-
Gated, and the enmity that has uttered
the numberless lies against me, in the pres
ence of you, my friends and constituents,
with all the memories that cluster about ms
and surge upon me as l speak to-day, /
protest in the name OF God and OF honor:
For those who have fabricated and uttered
these lies, who, for low and ignoble mo-
tives. have given them currency, who do
use them TO my nurt, Il nave only DOunul6SS
scorn and contempt. OF whatever and to
whomsoever L ask forgiveness, to whom
soyer i owe reparation, to these / have
only defiance; for these only challenge. Let
them know now and forever that they
have not alarmed me; that they cannot in
timidate me. l defy their malice as 1
loathe their mendacity, and / bring them
this day to the bar of public opinion, and
in the presence OF these witnesses and of
this district I charge them as base con-
spirators, fabricating SANDERS for foul and
ignoble ends, and l am ready TO meet that
issue whenever and wherever 1t may be
desired.
Il am a LAWYER and ~litigant, as we'll as a
citizen. and have no criticism here to make
upon the court and the judge who presided
at the late trial. The proper criticism upon
his rulings will be before the Court of APP
peals, from whom i confidently anticipate
a reversal: and mme upon his conduct,
IL it be ever proper to make 1T. may be
upon the floor of Congress in attempting
such legislation as will give TO other liti-'
giants remedies. which We're not possible TO
me. 1t cannot, however, be improper to
say that ii was the first time within my
knowledge, and I have had considerable
practice, where a litigant came into court
and asked q postponement TO a later day
because of the absence of the leading coun-
by whose assistance it was prepared, and
that that request was denied, and denied
in part upon the ground that the litigant
the meaning of which can be better under
stood when 1t Is known that upon the last
day of the trial that litigant, in correcting
a false statement, known to be false by
the counsel uttering it, and known to be
false by the judge In whose presence 1t was
uttered, was rebuked, and with scant cour-
tesy told that he must not interrupt coun-
sci, but must permit those Interruptions to
be made by his counsel. s
But / do not wish this district to con-
ceive that / have any defense to make
for what | have done. and OF which l have
passion, by sin in coils which it was
almost impossible TO break. 1 did
everything that was within my power to
4 nrluanf "A nnh1f0 Caan6al 0VHanf tho nno
thing which for no moment ever entered
my mind. Your reelection OF me can
ment / have suffered. 1t has not been
hypocrisy that my life has not been con-
sistently wrong; i knew the secret sin; I
tried TO atone for il in ways that it Is
How many kind words did this atonement
produce to others; how much OF self-eon-
troll and how much of self-sacrihce: how
much OF earnestness and labor in aid of
good things and TO good causes? When I
came TO make a public utterance under
any circumstances to any audience. how
cautious was I that not a word of mine
might tempt others to be guilty as I was
guilty; that in what 1 would say no trace
OF what was not noble could be found?
Il thank God that in the almost number
less utterances which / have made. whether
upon the stump 10 the most miscellaneous
audiences or 10 the most select audiences
in the most select places, no word was ever
uttered that would not help the weary and
the struggling wrongdoer; that would not
give hope to him who was downcast. This
was not hypocrisy; that was felt by the
heart and delivered in the soul; this was
payment for secret sin. and now that ex-
posture has come there is an element of
gladnesS in IL. / care not now what letters
come in my mail: / care not now for the
| closet door 10 be opened: there Is no skelei
ton there. and i can go into the clear sun
light out OF mysteries 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 Wilt
suddenly come a clap OF thunder and a flash
of lightning that will destroy me and mine.
This is OF the past; I Will bear with me the
scars, but / will not longer carry the dread;
/ will come out Of that storm, however long
IL may last, in some respects conqueror;
sweet domestic relations, which I absolutely
need, and out OF which ] have no life, are
mine. The loyalty and the devotion of the
children given TO me has not been lost;
learned professors, In vituperative language,
In the name of God. uay wantonly wound
the hearts OF those who love me; they can
not estrange them from me. They who
speak in the name Of the Crucified Savior.