The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 09 (of 12): Dresden Edition—PoliticalIngersoll, Robert Green
History
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 09 (of 12): Dresden Edition—Political
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
Gentlemen, they are gone. They are gone--honor bright. Look at the
desperate means that have been resorted to by the Democratic party,
driven to the madness of desperation. Not satisfied with having worn the
tongue of slander to the very tonsils, not satisfied with attacking the
private reputation of a splendid man, not satisfied with that, they
have appealed to a crime; a deliberate and infamous forgery has been
committed. That forgery has been upheld by some of the leaders of
the Democratic party; that forgery has been defended by men calling
themselves respectable. Leaders of the Democratic party have stood by
and said that they were acquainted with the handwriting of James A.
Garfield; and that the handwriting in the forged letter was his, when
they knew that it was absolutely unlike his. They knew it, and no man
has certified that that was the writing of James A. Garfield who did not
know that in his throat of throats he told a falsehood.
Every honest man in the city of New York ought to leave such a party
if he belongs to it. Every honest man ought to refuse to belong to the
party that did such an infamous crime.
Senator Barnum, chairman of the Democratic Committee, has lost control.
He is gone, and I will tell you what he puts me in mind of. There was an
old fellow used to come into town every Saturday and get drunk. He had a
little yoke of oxen, and the boys out of pity used to throw him into the
wagon and start the oxen for home. Just before he got home they had
to go down a long hill, and the oxen, when they got to the brow of it,
commenced to run. Now and then the wagon struck a stone and gave the old
fellow an awful jolt, and that would wake him up. After he had looked
up and had one glance at the cattle he would fall helplessly back to
the bottom, and always say, "Gee a little, if anything." And that is the
only order Barnum has been able to give for the last two weeks--"Gee a
little, if anything." I tell you now that forgery makes doubly sure the
election of James A. Garfield. The people of the North believe in honest
dealing; the people of the North believe in free speech and an honest
ballot. The people of the North believe that this is a Nation; the
people of the North hate treason; the people of the North hate forgery;
the people of the North hate slander. The people of the North have made
up their minds to give to General Garfield a vindication of which any
American may be forever proud.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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