The San Francisco call., 1904-02-07


That" said the aspirant. with some
heat. does not COMFORT with what
you said in seconding the nomination
of General Dimond. You said that in
>any contest between a Union. soldier
and civilian you would, other things
being equal support the soldier"
Were you soldier?" inquired the
gentleman addressed.
Then the candidate told to the del
egste the story which the latter, two
hours later, told to the convention.
When the convention reassembled
ii occurred to the delegate that. ac-
cording to political ethics. he ought
not to use the proxy. given him by
Higgins to speak and vote in Behalf
OF candidate not ON the State: so he
turned TO his colleague" rising
Tar Flat statesman. and said to him.
''Will you oblige me ty going to 1dr.
Higgins and saying to him that l have
promised TO make speech placing
Mr.. Blank in nomination for Attorney
General, and if that viii interfere
with any arrangement of his ! will
return him the proxy helgave me and
take one from one Of Mr.. Blanks
supporters ?"
Back came the obliging messenger.
Its all right" said he. '"rhe boss
says you can keep de proxy and make
your speech; that it won't make no
difference nohow. for the slate candi-
date is sure to be nominated"
Did he tell you 10 tell me that
what I might say would make no diff
ference?" inquired the delegate.
We'll. no, not that way altogether"
''Win you please state exactly what
he did say?"
Well, if you want the straight tip,
what he did say was this: Let him
blow. il Will amuse the BOYS and
it won't make no difference what he
says, for a majority Of the convention
is fixed solid for our man"
The delegate said no more. but took
his seat and began to grow white about
the lips. II his thoughts had been
voiced they would have been something
as follows: Have l carried the banner
Of my party and labored for its success
for twenty years and more; have I held
with credit seats in State and Federal
Legislatures. to be told by this brute of
a saloon-keeper, this political boss.
that nothing that / can say will have
any effect upon a Republican conven-
tion?' And then as the nominations for
Attorney General were called for the
delegate waited until the names of all
the other candidates had been placed
before the convention. and then. sur
charged with passion, but outwardly
calm. he ascended the rostrum and this
is what he said:
I'VE have passed resolutions in favor
Of the soldiers. we have commended
their conduct, we admire their patriot
ism, we glory in their sacrifices, but we
have not nominated any of them for Of
fee I have a little story TO tell this
convention. 1t was related TO me an
hour or so ago, and I have no reason
to doubt that it is a true story.
In January, 1852, an orphan boy,
then Il years Of age, attempted to en-
list in the Union army. He was de-
MED admission on account of his youth,
but was able to join company Of I'm
ion scouts recruited mainly from Ten
nessee and Northern Georgia.
ION the second day. of the battle of
Missionary Ridge it had been arranged
that at ! o'clock Sherman. in command,
Of the left. should make an attack upon
Bragg's army. But through the treach-
cry or carelessness of a war corre-
spondent Of Cincinnati paper the code
Of Union signals had fallen into the
possession OF the Confederates. The
Union scouts, ever vigilant. ascertained
this fact and reported il to General
Grant at IL o'clock of the morning of
s,11 In, Ha az
Of which the attack was to be made.
1T became necessary to countermand
the order previously given and TO d.
rect a different movement of the
forces and the code was useless. 1t
was necessary to send a written mes
sage to Sherman, who was, by cir
cuitous route, fourteen miles distant.
and two messengers were dispatched
by that route. But there was grave
doubt as to whether they would reach
General Sherman in time. and volun-
teers were called for who should~go
through the Confederate lines. it be-
ing only six miles across by that
route.
THE boy of whom I speak volun-
teered for the service. With the mes
sage wrapped in tin foil, secreted in
his mouth, ready to be swallowed in
case he was c; Dtured. and clad in a
mountaineer's dress of gray, he start
ed upon his mission. He took his life
in his hands, for if captured he would
have been shot as a spy. By his wit
and his quickness and his bravery he
succeeded. He went through the
Confederate lines, twice questioned,
by his ready answers claiming to be a
Confederate dispatch bearer, he es-
capped detection. At the last he was
three times fired at He went down
into the jaws of death He went
down into the mouth of hell He
reached Shernnan- he delivered the