The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-30
Eulogy on Jefferson Davis Max
Ing the Trouble.
AN OLD SPEECH RISES
Was Delivered In Wichita by
Mr. Burton In 1898.
Topeka Meeting In Charge of
Old Soldiers Club.
Anonymous Circular Scattered
Broadcast Over City.

Il am a member OF the Old Soldiers
Mckinley and Roosevelt club but VIII
not march in the Burton parade" said
" W. Denison. Mr.. Denison is assist
ant quartermaster general Of the G. A.
r. for the department OF Kapsas and q
prominent member of Lincoln post and
well known in G. A. R circles. Mr..
Denfson's reasons for not taking part in
the Burton demonstration on Wednes-
day night IS on account Of his dislike for
Burton occasioned by the speech made
at Wichita on Decoration day. 1895, in
which Burton eulogized Jefferson Davis.
Other old soldiers are also wrought up
about the affair.
An anonymous circular to announce
the Burton meeting at the Auditorium
Wednesday night as a Cooperative
Republican Laundry where sthe dirty
linen" Of the party win be washed.
mentioned the fact that Burton viii
speak and said:
1t will be no Decoration day speech
like he delivered at Wichita in 1885, in
which the graves of our honored dead
were forgotten, while he, in his best
Evolutionary pronunciation pronounced
a eulogy on Jefferson Davis"
The circulars were scattered around
town. The Republican forces captured
about 1000 OF them but more were print
ed and distributed The paragraph re-
ferring to Buttons Wichita speech
brought to the minds Of many of the
to stand as sponsor for the Burton meet
ing that the old soldiers had openly
fought Burton after his Wichita speech
On January .19, 1885, when an organized
fight was made on Burton who was ask
ing the legislature to send him to the
senate, Lincoln Post Of the G. A. r.
passed the following resolutions at the
regular meeting:
Resolved. That we condemn the
speech of J. R. Burton, delivered at
Wichita on May 80. 1898. eulogizing JET
e1f
ed Lincoln, and We call upon all COM
rades in and out Of the legislature, to
oppose his election to the United States
senate"
At the close Of the Post meeting an
open meeting for old soldiers was called
and the following resolutions were
adoped:
ssAt mass meeting of the old soldiers
Of Topeka. held at Lincoln post on Sat
urday. January -, 1895, IL was unan-
irnously resolved that we condemn the
sentiments contained in the speech of
Hon J. r. Burton, delivered by him over
the graves OF our dead comrades at
Wichita. Kan, on Memorial day OF 1898.
in which he eulogized the name and
memory of the arch traitor OF the rebel
lion, JEFFERSON Davis. declaring him TO
have been & Christian, a man Of in
tegrity and a patriot, covering him with
flowers Of compassion and praise; and.
Further. We denounce his statement
that the boy of Is today with average
intelligence has a higher conception Of
sentiments in the face of the fact that
Jefferson Davis had full knowledge Of
the suffering beyond expression Of the
dear soldiers OF the union who died
awful deaths in the prison heIls Of the
south. or living came home to die or
to lingeT in agony until death came TO
their relief. and we
Resolve further. That we call upon
our representatives to vote against Mr.
Burton for the high position of United
States senator, sincerely believing him
to be unworthy OF the high place he
seeks We voice the sentiments OF our
comrades all over the state when we de-
clare in favor of the choice OF a man
who viii stand in the senate Of the
United States as the eulog1st Of Lin
coin and the men who fought with him
and who died that the flag OF the union
might float over an individual republic,
rather than for Jefferson Davis, the en-
bodiment Of the crime OF the rebellion. :
Many members OF the Old Soldiers
Mckinley and Roosevelt club are mem
berS of Lincoln Post Capt c. H Titus
and A K Rodgers. who arranged for the
Burton meeting are both members OF
The speech which caused the old sol
diers to oppose him IN 1895 was printed
in the Wichita Eagle, the day follow
the original manuscript furnished by Mr..
Burton The part Of the speech OBJ
jected to was as follows:
The last rites are being paid to the
remains Of Jefferson Davis, the presi-
dent and the ablest of the civic leaders
Of the cOnfederacy- II Is perhaps too
early yet to judge this man fairly and
impartia1ly and give him his exact place
in history. And the same may be said
Of his great opponent. Abraham Lincoln.
The one Is enshrined IN the hearts of
the people OF the north as the other is
in the hearts of the people Of the south
Prejudice, that black stain on the
soul made by poison. has not yet been
effaced against Lincoln in the south or
against Davis in the north And I. the
son and the brother OF a veteran, who,