The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-10-09
STOKES AT ATHENS.
Hkc Speaketh ~ speech of Pom
derOmS Duration. 0


The author of the famous Duncan letter
madehis appearance hcrelast Saturday. attend
ed by L. A. Hamilton, of Memphs-thc latter
Il candidate for Congress for the State at large
for the short term. Col Stokes exhibition had
been prefigured and hcroldcd through the am
pie columns of the "oflicial paper" and in
posters something less in size than John Rob-
insons Big Show Bills upon which the origi-
nal Valpus from the Lybian wilds is spread
out as large as life and twice as natural. One
ardent adhercnt in the Wild Cat District rode
the shoes of of Old Blaze III warning the
lcaguers and hcnchmen to be on hand. while
In the loyal Fifteenth several noble steeds
which had survived their service in the rebel
cause, were badly used up in the same pat
rotic labor. Other portions of the county
were similarly visited. So that all men far and
near, black and white, were duly notified and
advertised of the distinguished cX-rebers COM
ing.
1t being Saturday, day upon which good
many Of the country people usually visit town.
there was pretty fair crowd in-say two hun
drcd, or possibly two fifty. Col. Stokes com.
menccd his haranguc little after II o'clock,
and spoke, and roared and howled for three
mortal hours as only Bill Stokes can.-evident-
ly wearying himself but very little, though
We'll not undertake to say the same in regard
to his audience. Hes Il loud, broad, sonorouS
talker; Il man of tremendous bellows-power,
full of sound and fury; and on clear day.
with the wind favorable, we should think he
might be heard distinctly well on to something
| 81.
licves more in noise than argument, and would
be an invaluable acquisition to any large whole
sale or retail auction house.
Seriously, though perhaps more efficient as
n stumper than Maynard. we don't think there
is much in Col. Bill Stokes. lie is illogical,
devoid ofcloquence or pathOs, reckless truth
and facts, inapt in illustration. and coarse and
vulgar in his anecdotes, with strong vein of
dirty dcmagogsm running through all. A
| leading object with him seems to he to intensi-
fy and deepen the prejudice of the negro
against the opposite party, and keep him sub
sery lent to the radical leaders who want his
vote, but will neither permit him to 20 to Con.
gress. like Bill Stokes. with salary of 5000
dollars year. or to the Legislature with Il per
diem of four dollars in gold. or six dollars in
the sort of currency the negro has to take fol
mauling rails and chopping cord wood.
Col. Stokes effort here on Saturday wa,
largely interlardcd with epithets about rebels
coppcrhcutlS. and so on. but we don't recOllec
that he mentioned the name of Gen. Forres
very often. We thought he presumed prett!
largely upon the ignorance and gullibility o
his hcarey but he no doubt satisfied mos
: of the radicals, and sent them away. particu
larly the blacks, more deeply impressed THAI
ever with the notion that they are the salt o
the earth. and that radical rule is TO endure for
fever. if not few days longer-a delusion tina
will he abruptly dissipated in short time.
Col. Stokes. like all radicals of question:
bic antecedents, was very denunciatory @
"rcbels," and fights them now with NOR
bodncss and yigor than he was wont to d
during the late war.
When Mr.. Stokes had concluded, Tom a
IIamilton-sometimcs called Th0mas-a- Ddy
mus--was introduced to the quiet little groul
by citizen of this place who looked as thong
| he would rather not. Mr.. Hamilton halls frol
| Memphis. He was in the rebel servicc--Con
h.. mi,sary Department-up till some time
lNOp. anu VI CUulSc ~ NV HtIttSl klllC vi
radical. Goes the whole Brownlow programme
and thinks disfranchiscmcnt ought to be mac
permanent and enduring. We wont. howeve
say any thing hard of Mr.. Hamilton, who
n running for an office that has no eXistcnc
He'll never set the river on fire by publ
: speaking, but can set n crowd to moving in
short a space Of time as any man who has ber
v along this line since the Cherokee emigration
II He is entirely harmless on the stump; one
those pale, vapOrish lights, engendered /
rottcnncss and corruption, which occasional
appear in the political horizon, tizzlr for
II short season. and then 90 away again, nc oil
i can tell whittier, and leaving anything but
i fragrant odor behind them.
Col. Stokes and his travelling companion. Il
"gentleman from shelby" left on Sund,
If morning, to stir up the fires of passion, pref
h dice and hatred between the races ut 9th
= places.