The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-04
BRAGG, SOLDIER AND STATESMAN.
Placed Before the Convention by Burr
w. .IRnea. of WISCONSIN.


The roll call then continued. Colo
RADIO had no candidate. but Connecticut
yielded her time to the State of Wisconsin.
Mr.. Burr w. Jones, of Wisconsin, then adj
dressed the convention as follows:
Il do not quite quote the language of
who. in a Republican convention, be-
came known to fame, when L ask what are
We here for, If not for our principles? AL
though in former years Wisconsin was
classed Republican State, in 1890 the
Democracy was successful. and in 1892 Wis
consin again cast a handsome majority for
the State and electoral tickets of the Dem
ocratic party. But about two years ago
the pendulum swung to Republicanism
again. About sixty days ago the Democ-
Chicago convention pledged to honest
money and the gold standard. To-day
there are gathered together in Milwaukee
in another convention our erring and mis-
guided brethren, who are singing their
hosannas to free silver, and who, content in
their quick conversion are already antlci-
patinS the spoils of victory. There are
others now wavering and uncertain wheth-
they shall bow to or turn away from
the false prophets now clothed in the livery
of Democracy. The sound money men of
Wisconsin are unanimous in the belief that
the man who can best rally those who now
hesitate as to their duty in Wisconsin and
in this Nation is that natchless leader
whose name is a household word in every
home in Wisconsin-more than that-whose
deathless courage and devotion to this gov
eminent are a part of the glory of our Re
public. AS | utter these words there comes
to the mind of every man in this audience
the name of the dauntless commander of
the old Iron Brigade. the hero of fifty bat
ties, fighting Edward Bragg of the United
States.
I'm the great national conventions of our
party for more than thirty years he has
been a leader in the counsels of Democ-
racy For eight years in the halls of Con-
gress he represented his State, and, the
chairman of important committees. was
tried and trusted by his State and Nation
His record legislator and as the rep
resentative of our government at Il foreign
court are an open book to which we invite
your inspection with utmost fearlessness.
General Brag Is a modest man and if |
were to pretend that he has never erred he
would repudiate the claim. But / do assert
that he has never msled the people by am
biguous phrases. And if he has ever had
reason to change his views any subject
he was honest and bold enough to tell the
truth. Moreover. it is part of the political
history of our State that for many years
the views of General Bragg upon the great
party have been in full accord with that
wing of the party which is represented
here to-day.
General Bragg is one of the ablest law
yers of the Northwest and hence he can
only abhor this dogma of the Chicago con-
United States should he backed for The
purposes of partisan plumber.
His Democracy goes back without a
he can only loathe the modern doctrine
that a great government should compel
creditors. public and private, to accept
payment of their debts in a deprecated
and dishonest currency.
General Bragg, as a citizen soldier. loves
law and order as the very apple of his eye
How could he but turn in adherence from
that platform which stretches out to law
leSSneSS the right hand of encOura cement
and fellowship?
WOULD VINDICATE CLEVELAND.
ct would be a fitting response to the
conduct of the Chicago convention, and to
the insults it heaped upon our President
if this convention should nominate in
whom Mr.. Cleveland has more than once
reposed a special confidence If the Chi
cago convention could not General Bragg
does recognize the fact. that every hour of
his career Grover Cleveland has stood
ready to sacrifice himself the altar of
revenue reform; that the reforms in the
civil service alone during the last two
Democratic administrations will endure as
a monument TO the courage ana patriotism
of Mr.. Cleveland, when the whole nliser-
able work of the Chicago convention win
be remembered by Americans only in
humiliation and shame.
I'm a campaign which the masses of a
great people are invited by every art of
the demagogue and by every appeal to
prejudice 10 depart from the principles OF
common honesty we shall need as our
leaders, men whose courage has been
tested and tempered in the fierce heat Of
repeated conflicts. We must appeal to the
highest moral sense OF the American PEG
pie. to their national pride, to their sense
of honor. They never yet have proved dis
honest | believe they never will
IF there is any doubt as TO the courage
of General Bragg so ask the battle
SCARED veterans who faced him at the sec
ona battle of Bull Run, at South Mountain,
at Antietam at the battles of FrederickS-
burg and during the long struggles of the
Wilderness.
During these days of professions and
crowded streets in indianapolis the Old vet
Grams who wore the blue and the old VET
Grams who wore the gray. have WED in
their tributes of love and honor of the old
commander. All the world honors the men
who know how TO fight III time of war and
forget
If in this great civil! battle, 0'hich must
now be fought to the end. it s. I'D be the