People's Party Paper, 1892-09-02

Mr. Now listen to the reply of the man who wants so badly to fight. I want to show yon what sort of a war uniform they dress Gen Black in. [Laughter and ap applause. - plause. applause. Reads.] Sparta, Ga., August 25th. Mr. J. M. Harrison, Chairman : Dear Sir - Yours of the 25th was not received until a moment ago. I wrote you on the 18th instant, proposing a joint meeting and discussion here to today, - day, today, and you delayed your reply, which I have received only a few moments ago. You are mistaken in the state statement - ment statement that Mr. Black declined six of the joint discussions to which Mr. Watson invited him. Mr. Watson having indi indicated - cated indicated that his duties would call him out of the District after the 15th inst., and that he only wished to devote the time up to that date to a joint discus discussion, - sion, discussion, the arrangements proposed by Mr. Black did not go beyond that date, he signifying his willingness to ar arrange - range arrange other joint debates as might be mutually agreed on. You delay your reply to mine of the 18th instant until it has just reached me, and after we havejarranged another programme for the day,and then propose an unequal and unfair di vision of time, is so mani manifestly - festly manifestly so that we cannot accept it. R. B. Baxter, Chairman. [To show the desperate straits in which this correspondence placed the would-be masters of the people, I must throw in an incident paren parenthetically. - thetically. parenthetically. At the hotel, after the meetings were over, I got in conver conversation - sation conversation with E. S. Jervey. He proclaimed that Mr. Watson had declined to meet Mr. Black - this to me by the way of information. I re respectfully - spectfully respectfully informed him that I had correspondence in my pocket that enlightened me more than he possi possibly - bly possibly could - at the same time showing him the above letters. He stepped into the office and almost immedi immediately - ately immediately returned with a gentleman whom I afterwards learned was Mr. Baxter. Mr. Baxter, in an insulting tone, demanded to see the letters which I had in my pocket. I replied that while there was nothing of a secret character in the letters - for they would be published- - yet I de declined - clined declined to yield to what was put in the form of a command. By this time Mr. Ham and Mr. James joined the group, and Mr. Baxter again made the demand, saying that one of the letters he thought was his personal property. I replied that it made no difference whose property it was, it was correspondence of a public char character, - acter, character, read at a public meeting, placed in my possession, and nothing but brute force would get it. It was then suggested, in the form of a command, that I let Mr. Baxter read the letters. That I declined, telling them that if they thought they had a man they could bulldoze, they were mistaken ; that I had carried a gun on my shoul shoulder - der shoulder in defense of Southern rights when some of them were lolling in the innocent inertia of puling baby babyhood, - hood, babyhood, and if they wanted the letters, to take them if they could. Mr. Ham disclaimed any idea of bulldozing, and asked why, as a matter of court courtesy, - esy, courtesy, I refused to show what was to be published. I replied that in that light I did not mind showing them to him and Mr. James, if they would give me their words of honor to re return - turn return them - for they were gentle gentlemanly - manly gentlemanly all through - but I would not let Baxter or Jervey see anything. I will say, in justice to Mr. James and Mr. Ham, and other gentlemen, that there was nothing of an insulting na nature - ture nature indulged in by any person pres present, - ent, present, save Baxter and Jervey; but still I was surrounded by men who were willing to torture everything in their favor. - J. L. D.] Mr. Watson : Now, fellow-citizens, I put it to you as fair-minded men - men[Noisy [Noisy men[Noisy demonstrations on the outside of the crowd, and angry retorts from within - the people evidently losing patience with|the Now, my fellow-citizens, I have come here to discuss public issues with you, and do you think it fair, as fair men, as honest men, as brave men, that a squad of half a dozen should stand over there and try to keep me from speaking ? [Cries of "No !jNo ! No!"] Don't you think that they put their candidate in a contemptible attitude when they stand there and say, by their noisy interruptions, that they are afraid for him to meet me and talk to you? (Angry mutterings around the speaker's stand.) Now, if you will keep quiet (addressing those around the stand who showed their indignation) we will get rid of this riff-raff out there - those empty emptyheaded - headed emptyheaded boys who have neither the in instinct - stinct instinct nor training of gentlemen. No gentleman would behave in that way, no brave man would behave in that way, no fair-minded man would at attempt - tempt attempt to drown the voice of reason when a man has come here to ' meet his enemies foot to foot and face to face; nobody but a contemptible coward would attempt a thing like that. (Long continued cheering.) I will soon have these pusillanimous fellows running through the streets with their tails between thejr leers. (A voice : " He'll do it, sho.") Now, fellow citizens, let us come 7 to tlmdiscussion of the "Peek Slav-/ eryßW." They say that this gave the rich landlord the righfl&jg' take up his poor tenant, the take up his cropper or the right**' to

empty heads. [Renewed interrup interruptions, - tions, interruptions, which your reporter could not hear on account of the dense crowd around him.] We are going to have a Democrat bring m a baby directly. That young fellow [pointing] up there -seems to be as near an approach to a baby as he can well be not to be in a cradle. Now, colored men, let us come back to the slavery bill. It is a bad bill, undoubtedly, [Now a chorus of voices, scattered here and there, cut loose and pande pandemonium - monium pandemonium reigned supreme for about ten minutes. Mr. Watson's friends, who were in the street, crowded in on the steps of the court house and up ou the portico, in order to get a better view of the movements further out. The reporter was virtually in a sweat-box, and it was fortunate for him that the speaker was compelled to speak slowly while he was so re retarded - tarded retarded in his work, else the words of the speaker would be unrecorded. At this time " a change came o'er the spirit of their dreams." The band struck up again aud added to the confusion.] Mr. Watson (making himself heard above the din) : That shows who are the cowards, don't it? They look like people who are not afraid of the truth! The infamous cowards are not willing to hear the truth. Oh, yes! You are a nice set of fellows to talk about me being afraid to meet your candidate, when I came here to face the music and meet you face to face and foot to foot, and hilt to hilt, you try to drown my voice without a hearing; but from your infamous cowardice I appeal to the brave hearts and strong arms of the people, and I have no doubt where they stand. [Great cheering and voices iu every direction: "You have the crowd, Tom. They are on the run."] Mr. Wateon: They know that I have something to say about this pa paper, - per, paper, and the infamous liars that pub publish - lish publish it do not want you to hear it; but you shall hear it, my friends. I came here to-day to tell you, and the infamous slanderers cannot prevent me from making the truth known to you. [A voice: "That's what's the matter with Hannah."] [After a vain endeavor to break up the meeting, presumably at the command from the leaders, the band was headed for the grove where the "'cue" was prepared and the mob followed after.] Mr. C. E. McGregor, of Warren Warrenton, - ton, Warrenton, then advanced and said: " The clouds have passed away; the brazen trumpeters of democracy have disap disappeared, - peared, disappeared, and I have this to say: Let you patriots of Hancock county re remain - main remain quiet for a few moments, until Mr. Watson is ready to resume, and hear how this great leader of the democrats of the Tenth district an answered - swered answered in thunder tones the chal challenge - lenge challenge of your champion. Now, give me the utmost quiet and your undi undivided - vided undivided attention. [A voice : " Hurrah for Black.] My friend, you will not halloo that after November. [Look [Looking - ing [Looking defiantly toward some disturb disturbers - ers disturbers to the right.] I have this to say : 'My foot is on my native' heath. [A voice : 'And your name it]is Me-' Gregor* Great cheering.] Yes, and we are on top, and will be there in November. Now, I have a few words to say to you Democrats over there ; a little medicine to aminister; I know that it is a nauseous dose, but you have to take it. I will now read you a letter in reply to a letter of Mr. Baxter, dated August 18, noti notifying - fying notifying Nir. Harrison that the Young Men's Democratic club would have public speaking and barbecue at Sparta on the 25th, and inviting the speakers of the People's party to join them as debaters. Here is the letter, which speaks for itself, [Reads.] Linton, Ga., August 24. Hon. R. B. Baxter, Chairman Young Men's Democratic Club: Dear Sir - Inasmuch as Hon. T. E. Watson, the People's candidate for Congress from this, the Tenth Congres Congressional - sional Congressional District had, as early as the I2th instant, announced and publicly pub published - lished published an appointment at Sparta for Thursday, the 25th instant, I was as astonished - tonished astonished that your Democratic club had, as late as the 18th instant, selected the same day and place for your free barbecue and rally. Regarding your invitation for our speakers and party to join you as debaters and guests, per permit - mit permit me to say that The Atlanta Con Constitution - stitution Constitution of this date contains this in information - formation information : "Mr. Biack will speak at Sparta, and Mr. Watson will not meet him." As Mr. Watson has challenged Mr. Black for eleven joint discussions, and Mr. Black having accepted live and de declined - clined declined six, Mr. Watson respectfully offers to divide time with him at this appointment, after Mr. W r atson has oc occupied - cupied occupied one hour in giving an account of his stewardship and replying to per personal - sonal personal assaults. Yours respectfully, J. M. Harrison, Chairman Ex. Com. People's Party. The Atlanta Constitution says: " Mr. Black will speak at Sparta, and Mr. Watson is afraid to meet him." It does not look that way to a man up a tree, does it? [Loud laughter. A voice : " That is the lie unblush- colored man: "'Fore God, iu a hole; he's treed, sho."]

Fellow-citizens, there have been the most flagrant attacks made upon me personally, as well as upon your platform generally. I want to' an answer - swer answer these first, although they do not properly belong to a general debate. It will take me an hour or two to get rid of them, and they can have that hour or two to decide whether to fight or not. Let any Democrat who is hungering to see the neatest fight of the com compaign, - paign, compaign, while I am discussing the Peek bill, and the Anthony Wilson contest, and all that sort of thing, go down to Democratic headquarters and find out how anxious Governor Northen and Major Black are to meet me, and carry my challenge to these gentlemen to meet me, and assure them that they can have fighting to their hearts's content. [lnterruptions from the outside of the audience which yere answered by auditors around the stand; a gen general - eral general swaying of the crowd, and cries of "Hurrah for our Tom ! Hit 'em again! Good-bye, Jimmie Black!"] ' My friends, you please do your talking after I leave, and give me the opportunity now. Those fellows out there are just trying to irritate you, and that interferes with me. They will tell a half-bushel basket full of lies about this speech when I get away. You save your lungs for them to-morrow, and I will attend to those little fellows to-day. [Cries of "Order! Order, bovs ! It's com coming - ing coming now!" Have any of you seen that [hold [holding - ing [holding a paper aloft] ? It is a picture of Col. Peek and myself putting the white people and the black people in slavery - putting the poor white and the poor black people in slavery - slaveryand and slaveryand underneath the picture is the heading, "Peek's Slavery Bill." Now, 1 have discussed this bill at every one of my appointments, ex explaining - plaining explaining it in every . detail, but the fair, truthful(?) newspapers have been so carefully careless that they have not reported it. They have reported everything I said that they could put to a bad use, but wherever I discussed the press, or put a black tye or a blue spot on ihe Democratic party, they have been careful not to say a word about it. There has never been a campaign in the State of Georgia that depended so much on deliberate and tenacious telling of lies. They have told you the tangle tanglefoot - foot tanglefoot lie, and the straight-legged lie; the sway-back lie, and the snaggle snaggletooth - tooth snaggletooth lie [laughter]; the hump humpshouldered - shouldered humpshouldered lie, and snub-nosed lie [increased laughter]; the lie gen general, - eral, general, and the lie special [roars of laughter] ; the lie definite, and the lie indefinite [another outburst]; the lie malicious, and the lie amusing [A voice, "'Fore de Lord, Boss, dis mg mggah - gah mggah bust, sho'!"], but if there is any lie that will take the cake in this varied list of lies, it is the Sindey Lewis he. [The climax reached.] More falsehoods 'have never been thrown into any canvass; it has been almost impossible for them to tell the truth, and as I said about this last kind of a lie,.it does seem that it de defies - fies defies mendacious ingenuity, even in one who has given the whole venom of his nature up to this campaign. [Great cheering and expostulations on the part- of the well-behaved colored with a few unruly members of their own color.] Boys, lot those black men alone; they have no bet better - ter better sense. [Addressing a white whitehatted - hatted whitehatted young blackguard, who was trying to create confusion.] Make yourself useful, young man ; trot your men up here and 1 will attend to them. [Pointing to a group of sys systematic - tematic systematic disturbers.] They do not amount to a row of pins; they do not amount to a needle in a hay haystack. - stack. haystack. I say this, fellow-citizens, that the infamous falsehoods that have been attempted to be practiced on me and on you in this campaign are without a parallel, and more especially by the little man that runs the paper down the street, whose mind is so malig malignant - nant malignant that if the contents of his heart were turned into his stomach he would die of the black vomit. [A colored brother, "'Fo' the Lord; how he hits him!" Another, "Umph ; I'd sooner be a nigger than dat white man, sho'!" [At this point the young men com composing - posing composing the Democratic club seemed to scatter themselves, as if by pre preconcerted - concerted preconcerted action, and commenced vociferous volleys of "'Rah for Black! 'Rah for Black!" and tried to urge the colored men of the town to take part.] Mr. Watson [pointing his finger in scorn at them]. Oh, look at the kindergarten! Look at the silk silkhatters - hatters silkhatters ! Listen to the dude! Listen to the nursery prattle ! Why, they have even robbed the cradle for claqueurs to come here and claque for Black. [Uproarious ap applause.] - plause.] applause.] [Addressing the goslings in a serious tone.] You put your candidate in an absurd attitude, young fellows, when you cannot trust him to come and do his own talking, but you must come here and the attempt out of your

of "equal rights to all men and spe special - cial special privileges to none." I have al always - ways always resented the imputation of bulldozing ascnbed to Southern men f>y Northern meddlers as untruthful; I have seen men of wealth and social influence, in Atlanta, ally themselves with the republican party, and with men of the most pronounced hatred of everything Southern, treated with the utmost courtesy ; yet, as soon as my mission was known in Sparta, I was met in a spirit so arrogant, so dictatorial and so overbearing as to make it appear that I was an alien among a hostile people. I will not dwell upon this subject. It is an unpleasant theme. THE NIGHT BEFORE THE BATTLE. Messrs. Black, Ham (surnamed su sugar-cure), - gar-cure), sugar-cure), and a gentleman whose name I did not learn, were the first on the ground. No man of the Peo People, - ple, People, save your correspondent, had put in an appearance as yet, and the un unterrified, - terrified, unterrified, as they delighted in dub dubbing - bing dubbing themselves, were loud and boast boastful - ful boastful m proclaiming forthcoming vic victory. - tory. victory. " I'll tell you," you could hear on all sides, "Watson will not show himself to-morrow; he won't face Black," etc. One smart Aleck came in on the porch and taid to a kindred spirit: " I hear that there is a third party reporter here is look looking - ing looking for a third party man, and offer offering - ing offering a quarter reward." His friend, having a little regard for the proprie proprieties, - ties, proprieties, introduced him to me on the spot, intending, I presume, to avoid any unpleasant reflections. I smil smilingly - ingly smilingly told him that he was misin misinformed - formed misinformed about my offering any re reward - ward reward to-night, for to-morrow I ex expected - pected expected to see them a drug on the market. " But," says he, " what kind of men will they be ? " I respect respectfully - fully respectfully suggested that perhaps the tai tailor, - lor, tailor, the shoemaker, the barber and bootblack might not have done so much for them as for the cohorts of plutocracy, but they would doubtless be good representative Georgians - Georgiansthe the Georgiansthe men, or their descendants, who followed the lead of Lee and Jack Jackson. - son. Jackson. He smiled and let me alone. Genial Bob Lewis was the next friend I met among the enemy. He told me, in a confidential tone, that there was not a respectable white man in Han Hancock - cock Hancock county belonging to the third party. " But," said he, " I will mod modify - ify modify that; I will say, not an intelligent man." That put me to thinking, and the more I thought the more I was convinced that these much despised farmers, with whom I came in con contact, - tact, contact, had a more inteiligent concep conception - tion conception of the situation than the average merchant or clerk in the city. When will men learn the difference between intelligence and fine clothes ? The midnight train brought in Governor Northen, Hon. Joe James and Mr. Moses. The hour was too late for further ebbulitionjof party confidence, so all retired to recuperate for the impending conflict. The first man I met on coming down stairs next morning was Mr. Ellington. Our forces at the hotel were doubled, and I began to pick up courage. After breakfast the streets were transformed from the every day ap appearance - pearance appearance which they had the day be before - fore before to that of a county fair in its glory. You could hear a spasmodic cheer here and there for Black, but every cheer provoked half a dozen for Watson. The climax was reached, however, when Mr. Watson was driven into town about half past eight o'clock a. m. Nothing more dis distinctly - tinctly distinctly showed the difference between the hold on popular affections by the patriot and the partisan. Partisans stand off in open-mothed admiration of the partisan; patriots throw the arms of their affection around the patriot, even as the mother clasps her first-born to her bosom. " Sink or swim, survive or perish," the true lover of humanity, the champion of the people, the patriot, retires to the bosom of his family with the consol consoling - ing consoling consciousness of duty well per performed - formed performed that the mere lover of power can never feel. Although arrangements for a joint debate had been fixed for a later date, yet when Mr. Watson heard of the boastings of the numerous speak speakers - ers speakers in attendance on the other side, he immediately issued a challenge, which was promptly declined. The

pu. ~ the report below. The Democrat .d fitted up a platform and arranged tables for a barbecue in a beautiful grove about an eighth of a mile south of the town. Mr. Watson spoke from the court house steps. It is dangerous to at attempt - tempt attempt an estimate of the number present, but I do not think there were less than twenty-five hundred listening to Mr. Watson after the gang that tried to break up his meet meeting - ing meeting (an account of which appears in the body of the speech) withdrew. Having commenced earlier than the enemy, the People's meeting closed much sooner; that followed as a natural consequence, as it had not so many speakers. About half an hour after Mr. Watson's meeting was dis dismissed, - missed, dismissed, and many of his audience were there, attracted by the barbe barbecue, - cue, barbecue, I went down and found about eight hundred present, or say one onethird - third onethird as many as attended the Peo People's - ple's People's party meeting. A great many tried to belittle the meeting by saying that Mr. Watson had more negroes. Well, that is true, but then he had more whites also. " Oh, but," they say, " the white men were from the adjoining counties." I have no doubt but they will sav when a meeting is held in the adjoining counties, that they are mostly from Hancock. The crowd was so densely packed around the steps that it was difficult to get order, more difficult for your reporter to get seated, and still more difficult to write with the mass of surging humanity swaying back and forth like the billows of the ocean. Without any formal introduction - introductionindeed, indeed, introductionindeed, there was no man there who stood so little in need of an introduc introduction - tion introduction as he - Mr. Watson advanced and spoke as follows : My Fellow-Citizen^ - The night I got home from Washington City I made au appointment to speak to the people of Hancock county, here in Sparta. The democrats, as I be believe, - lieve, believe, got up a counter appointment to disturb my meeting, and then in invited - vited invited here their most distinguished speakers. [Cries of "Let 'em come, Tom, you can get away with them all."] I am here to keep my own ap appointment. - pointment. appointment. I have no dead sheep, I have no dead calves, I have no dead pigs to feed anybody on. [Great laughter and applause.] I have got no money to spend in this campaign, and I trust there is no nowhere - where nowhere that I could spend it to de debauch - bauch debauch voters, but I have got a will willingness - ingness willingness to spend all my strength in this campaign. [Several voices - voices" " voices" Bless the Lord, we's with you."] I have the willingness and the de determination - termination determination to talk with you day by day and night- by night as far as you will listen to me, and the thing that is farthest from my thoughts is to run away, no matter where the enemy comes from. [Great cheer cheering, - ing, cheering, and cries of "Hit 'em, Tom. Hear how dat man will skin 'em," followed by a confused roar of voices on the outskirts of the crowd and playing by the band.] Mr. 'Watson. [Resuming after quiet was restored, in partial de degree]. - gree]. degree]. The very first thing I did when I got into town this morning was to challenge Mr. Black to meet me here at my appointment with any one or two of his friends; and if you Democrats want to see some fun, why all you have to do is to trot Black and Northen both into the ring, and I will fight them both. [Wild and prolonged cheering, and a voice, "Yes; let 'em trot out their bosses and see them run;" and, "they are on the run now."] [A voice, "We have a barbecue down in the grove, and everybody is invited to hear good Democratic doctrine and partake of the feast prepared. Everybody invited."] Nir. Watson. They may have the grove; they may have hired both groves; but there is enough of God Almighty's land for you all to stand on to-day! [Great applause, and cries "That's so, Tom, old boy; we're with you! Good-bye, Jim Jimmie - mie Jimmie !"] You may have the trees [the speaker (Erecting his address to the point near the hotel, where the.other speakers were domiciled], but we have got the men; and these men are not going to be enticed away from this free, fair discussion of these great public questions by any amount of green pork; by any amount of barbecued beef; by any amount of uncooked mutton down here in the grove! These men who have come out to hear the truth can get their dinners when the speaking is over. [Cries of "We have got our dinners right here! Hurrah for Watson!"]

WATSON AT SPARTA. A GREAT CROWD REMAIN TO HEAR HIS DEFENSE Despite Brass Bands, Rowdyism, Bar Barbecue - becue Barbecue and Speeches, his Speech is Delivered! [Reported Expressly for the People's Party Paper by J. L. Driscol.] The train that left Atlanta at eight o'clock, August 25, carried your re reporter - porter reporter to Cammack, arriving about one p. m.; at the same hour the train from Augusta to Atlanta, deposited the Hon. J. C. C. Black at the same point. From this the reader will readily infer that it required two trains to get Mr. Black and myself to the connecting point with the Ma Macan - can Macan branch of the Georgia road, but one was sufficient to take us to Sparta. The distance, however, is not so great! The journey from Cammack to Sparta w r as quite uneventful. In Indeed, - deed, Indeed, I was not aware that Mr. Black was on board the train until we arrived at our destination, when I was informed of his presence by a gentleman of whom I had inquired who the good looking gentleman was. This brought vividly to my mind another reception, at Thom Thomson, - son, Thomson, two weeks and two days ago - agobut but agobut "comparisons are odorous." Doubtless, Major Black will agree with me in the latter observation' But, 1 digress. A nondescript band and about' three hundred citizens awaited (us !!) at the depot. The major, with a few friends, took possession of the linest carriage in waiting; I, with * : lw'(Hb nthree hundred Spartans, took possession of the sidewalk, taking mental notes on the way. The three hundred might be divided into three classes. 1. The kid gloved few, oc occupying - cupying occupying seventeen vehicles of'every kind, from the two-horse carriage to the single-seated sulky. It was evi evident - dent evident that but few of these stood in need of relief, consequently they were against reform, and spurned the cries of the masses for equal rights as shams and absurdities. 2. There was the promiscuous crowd, constituting by far the greater num number, - ber, number, which is always attracted by the noise of a band; and 3. A brigade of store-clothed, plug-hatted dudes who rivaled the band aforesaid in giving vent to unmusical sounds. These young men were chiefly dis distinguished - tinguished distinguished by being scant in cour courtesy, - tesy, courtesy, reckless in assertion, overbear overbearing - ing overbearing in demeanor and barren in ideas. They were boastful of their intelli intelligence, - gence, intelligence, too. Said one of them, in in answer to an observation of mine about the probable outcome of the election : "These y'ere third party partyites - ites partyites is so ignorant they think Watson are going to give them forty acre and a mule." The marks of ap proval with which this sage remark by this representative of intelligence was received, showed plainly that the common people of Georgia should not be trusted to manage their own affairs. The reader will pardon me for going back to throw in an incident, parenthetically. Passing Culver, a station a few miles back, a well-fed looking speci specimen - men specimen of the genus plutocrat rushed up to the train and addressing one of the group, Mr. Ham, I think, said: "Hello! you are going to Sparta to skin them fellers to-morrow ?" "Yes," said the gentleman addressed, "and you come along to hold them while we do the skinning." A country countryman, - man, countryman, sitting beside me, remarked: "Them fellers have been skinning us so long that they think they can al always - ways always do it." There was a grim de termination in his tone which boded no good for the skinners. Now I must confess a humiliating truth. lam a veteran of the Con Confederacy - federacy Confederacy ; I marched under the stars and bars upwards of three years, and always referred to it with pride; I have three wounds upon my body, received in that service; I suffered captivity and chains; I never, yet, voted anything but a democratic ticket, and all my predelictions are d'in favor of Jeffersonian democracy -