Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1880 — V. O. derful Popularity! [ARTICLE]

V. O. derful Popularity!

.Our neighbor pi (suites to kuow a great deal concerning G»ui. Iliomp90n, hise: r'y life, eluent o d*eds in the army, efficiency us a i< - oruitiug officer, his frequent, persist eut and vigorous voting against Vallundigham Democrats, and to cap it all. his great personal popularity.— These ingredients, eut efally prepared, oompounded and munnfa ■lured I') the doctor who controls the radical organ, comprises a dose oi bitters nauseating to those who are butte posted as to the vittuesof the ingtrdients of the compound than the wortiy doctor himself Ts there are any who contradict the claims set up f* this quack nostrum by its inventor, viz: Ttie creation of a War Record, and an Impression of the Great Personal Popuh rity of “Juspei County candidate for Congress, ’ they are immediately denounced by the venerable manufacturer and vendor of the article in question, with attempting to ' besmirch his (Gen. Thompson's' good name” “knowing that he would be tlie most formidable and success fill candidate.” Now, tho only “besmirching" <»f tin' Generals good name has been received at the hands of his champion in the Republican trying to create for him a false record. The Republican editor lirst painted the War Record of tho General with a coat of his patent politic 1 “hogwash.” A second coat| revealed him as an ardent recruiting ofiieer. The third coat represents him as a “trooly loil,” self-sacriileing patriot, cheerfully remaining at home for the sole purpose oT voting against “Val lundigham Democrats;” and a fourth coat, last week, sc;: the General forth as a man of wonderful popularity, — a formidable can lidate.” In fact, he has “besmirched” the General with his “hogwash” until his political hide is as thick and rusty as that of an old full-grown elephant. The last coat ;s the most fatal for the General. Win n tho carpet-bagger (as frequently heretofore defined by Consul James, “Jasper county’s candidate for Sccretaiy of State,) springs tiie question of “popularity”, his long ears protiude immensely and he displays a vast amount of jackassieal stupidity, and a total ignorance of t lie General’s past poliical history and personal formidability. ' The General has never been elected to office by the voters of his own county. In 1874 tho General was a candidate for Prosecuting Attorney was beaten in the Republican counties of Bentor, Jasper and Newton, wus successful in Pulaski, the Democratic vote of that county having boen divided between Messrs. Yeoman and Saunderson, and the General earried the Repuliean and Granger vote. He was not a “stalwart” then —in fact, not much oi a party man.— In Jasper county, the home of Gen. Thompson, he receiveil GDI votes—his Democratic competitor, Mr. Yeoman, 819 —leaving him in the rear 128. Mr, Curry, the Republican caudiJate for Beeretury of State, received 870 votes, being 179 more than the General. Calkins received 875 votes —184 more than tho General. Iu Marion township, Gen. Thompson’s own home, Curry received 230 votes—the Gena 165, falling below the Republican State ticket 0§ votes. He was beaten in his own Republican town and township.

Surely the General is being slaulihtered in th » house of his friends. As to his being the most formidable candidate in the field we aro not positive —but viewing it from a Democratic standpoint we are in favor of Gen. Simon receiving the radical nomination. There is no man in the district against whom the oppcsittion could more readily and harmoniously unite, and should it be the fortune of the radicals to elect their candidate, the Democracy feel with reference to it as did the oU lady in the northeast part of this county, who, on being informed that the departure of her husband into eternity was close at hand, and prompted to converse with him as to his future prospects, replied:— Somebody has to go to h—l.aud I and my husband might as well go as anybody.” And the Democracy feel that if a Republican has to go to Congress it may as well be General Simon as any other..