Year: 1868


ticulars of club meeting recently held
at Marietta, Ohio, by TIE friends of
SEYMOUR and Blair. Among the in
teresting events Of the occasion, was a
speech from General w. p. RICHARD
SON, of Marietta, in which he announced
his separation from the Republican
party and declared his purpose to give
his support to SEYMOUR and BLAIR.
General RICHARDSON was Colonel of the
25th Ohio regiment through most of it's
service, and at the expiration of his
term, was placed on the Republican
ticket and elected Attorney General of
Ohio. We copy as follows frem the
Marietta Times


At the conclusion of Mr.. Oldham's
speech calls were made for Gen. Rich
ardson, who responded in an able and
eloquent speech, clearly defining his
present position. He said that, natu-
rally, he was a Democrat, although for
the last six or seven years, he had not
been in full fellowship and sympathy
with Democrats. but had acted with the
Republican party. On coming back to
the Democratic party he had no apollo
gies to make or excuses to offer for hav-
ing left them. He had acted from
principle, and in "A conscious discharge
of his duty. He believed then that he
was right; and believed so still. We
were involved in great civil war, and
believing, as he did, that on our part it
was waged for the Perpetuation of free
government, and the preservation of the
Union, he had entered the army, and
while there supported the party that
advocated vigorous prosecution of the
war. But the war ended three years
ago, and we looked in vain for the con-
summation of our efforts. And how
had the men who periled their lives for
the salvation of their country been
treated by the dominant party Two
thousand of them had been rejected by
the United States Senate for no other
reason under the sun but an honest diff
ference on political subjects. Many of
them were men who had left arms and
legs on the field of battle, or were in some
other manner MANNED for life, and una
able to perform manual labor; and ali,or
nearly all of them were men of educa-
tion and ability, and they humbly pc
titioned for office that their families
miCht not suffer or want for the neces-
saries of life. The President, Andrew
johnson, promptly sent their names to
the Senate, and because they could not
conscientiously, and wOuld not other
wise, comply with the political qualif-
cations of the Radical Congress, they
failed to be confirmed. How was it in
the case of General Bassett Langdon,
the man who led the charge on Look
out Mountain, in the battle above the
clouds, and who was so badly wounded
as to render him totally unfit to do any
labor, and who asked and was recon-
mended for Office that he might earn a
bare subsistence for his family; how
was be treated by the party who pro-
fess to have all the love and gratitude
for the poor soldiersi Three times was
his name sent to the Senate, and three
times was it rejected. ThereupOn a
cry of shame rose all over the land, and
the Senate craved that his name might
be sent back so that they might confirm
his nomination. At last he received
the pitiab!e office of which he stood so
soreiy in need, but only when it was
too late, for two months thereafter the
moor man died-and from the effects of
his weunds. There Is Radical gratitude
for you; that is the way this loyal party
rewards the soldiers.


The General then dwelt on all the
promises made by the Republican party
durinp the war as to what they would
no vixen the war ended and then con-
trasted what they had promised to do
with what really had been done. He
then said that if in the coming contest
he had to choose simply between men,
without any regard TO measures, be
would certainly vote for Grant. But
when he was asked to sustain the radi-
cal measures of this Radical Congress,
which Gen. Grant is pledged TO do, and
all that soldiers would do who voted
for him, he begged to be excused. He
regarded the ceming election as the
most important that ever took place in
this country. He knew that public
speakers generally talk of every cleo
tisn as being one Of the most important;
| bnt he was not following their example
in saving so, for he really did regard


tbe coming election as most important.


For with the President deprived, as be
! is. of nearly all power; the restrictions


which are placed on the Supreme Court


the General of the army, having the


almost unlimited powers of Military


Dictator, and he, the nominee of a


great party for the highest Office in the


gift of the people; with two-thirds of
both Houses of Congress determined to
80 legislate that their party shall rule