The weekly true Democrat., 1908-06-12

though we we're entirely satisfied tha
II was a very large sum. We ba,
heard the names Of those who ha,
been sent, or at least. had gon
patriotic mission. And so our friend
after first telling us how he had oh
tained this information (the matte,
was entirely honorable, and the infor
nation was very definite and reliable
as II seemed to us), said the aggre
gate was 100000, or about that
None OF us was at all surprised. bul
all OF us believed our friend %. have
suficient evidence for what ne had
said He Is known TO as, and TO the
] whole city as a man OF intelliRence
integrity and Christian faith, none of
us expressed any doubt, and as for
myself felt as sure then, and so feel
now, as II had received the informa.
tion at first hand; or, for that matter.
as II | had added up the columns of
figures, and had thus ascertained the
sum total; knew the gentleman, you
see, Friend LaFontisee, and I trusted
him exactly as every honest and sen.
sible person in Jacksonville does.
You will ovserve, Mr.. LaFontisee,
that our friend said nothing whatever
about General Gilchrist personally.
Nor did anybody else speak Of him
just then Indeed, do not now recall
any mention OF him In our converse.
ton. But anybody with half an eye"
could see how this bribery fund was
related to him. And when | gave my
paper to Mr. Bigham, l saw the logical
and necessary connection between him
and 1t, because had then in my
pocket a copy OF letter from a GER
tain liquor house in Jacksonville to a
certain citizen of Macclenny, Fla. !
had seen the original of this letter, |
and Of my own knowledge identified |
the correctness OF the copy now lying /
on my table. II informed this man In
that a gallon Of whisky
had been shipped TO him. express
prepaid" and It requested him to use
this whisky to help in the election OF
General Gilchrist." That was enough.
L made little difference TO me after
hat, how many thousands or hundreds
IF thousands of bribery and corrup-
ION money had been sent into Flor.
da My hOnored friend might possibly
lave been mistaken as to the sum
mentioned by him; yes, possibly but
lot probably; the number Of dollars
vas a minor question then.
"But you have failed to connect our
andidate with that whisky, have you
lot? Did he know it was sent to the {
nan In MaccIeunyF' Let us see. The [;
natter has been for days bruIted
bout this city and State. have been
redibly informed what the head OF {
hat whisky house has said about the 9
se made Of that letter. but, this 10 2
he clincher: General Gilchrist, how '
yer good he may be In other respects Z
and / wish to detract nothing what c
yer from all the good alleged of him e
/ other matters s)-General Gilchrist, 4
say, not yet you, Mr.. DaFontisee, his c
as you have Informed s
le: neither Of you singIy, nor both q
you together have yet held up your e
ands In horror and Indignation at O.
he fact that his name, hitherto hon o
red In Florida, has been thus public a
connected with an effort to corrupt h
le ballot box Of his native State. No, N
r.; you and he have done nothing Of b
IFS kind. b.
The ballot box is to Anglo-SaxoD y
berty and government very much p
hat the sacred ark was to ancient !. ~
rael; to corrupt that is to corrupt II
|. To degrade and ruin that is to de- y
'ade and ruin all. AS I see things,
lis is the heart and soul Of the pend. -
g issue. Stockton Is as nothing. ~
Ilchrist Is as nothing. But a clean
lllot box is everything. God In HIS a.
,odness gave me three noble broth {.
8; one only is left to me now. One a, a,
the three fell on the bloody field ~
Frazier's Farm, in the defense Of =, =,
Another received, nearby ~
a terrible wound that disabled him ~
r life. The youngest only remained, :,
lr Benjamin. He an honored doctor "
divinity now, laboring manfully for -
hrist's crown and kingdom I'm Ken y,
cky; but we're he IN Florida today. -
I'd could he stoop 10 receive silently a, "
e aid of corruption and bribery that ~
, might sit In the Governors chair. a.
ould repudiate him as sure as I live. q,
would cast my vote for a Seminole :,
ick, fresh from the Everglades, be- -
re I would help my only brother II ~
} silently accepted such help have =,
70 bright boys in Florida; they are ~
fled, highly educated and honorable. ., =,
Y and by, II they continue as they q,
I'VE begun, they might. | think. as ~
re to any office In this or any State -.
ut II | should be living when one or :.
9TH OF them make the attempt, and T., T.,
d see one or both silently using aid ~
hich corrupts the ballot box. please y, y,
od, would repudiate my sons for
Ich a foul wrong. have never as yet .,
ted for an African for any nnhlic aI