Wilmington journal., 1876-09-01
For the journal.
club MeetinG-Dr. Curtis speech.
SMTTHyTIIF N q Au0uct OF

SMITHvILLE, N. c., August 81.
EDITOR JoURNAL-Pursuant to pre-
vlous notice given, the citizens of this
place assembled at the court house to
hear DIR. W. G. Curtis speak on the
political questions of the day. DR..
Curtis made an unusually we'll pre-
pared speech, and you must pardon
me for being somewhat lengthy in this
my communication, but I desire to
| give you at least the prelude of his
| speech in full. DIR. Curtis commenced
as follows
| FellOaO Citizens-We are about to
engage in the great business of elect
! ing officers for our national, State and
county government. Than this, no
business can be of greater Importance
| for a people wishing to be free, happy
and prosperous. Without good gov
| ernment we can have none of the
blessings of freedom, happiness and
prosperity. The question then for
honest and thinking men is. have we
such h government, and if no., how
can we secure it? It has in former
times been our boast that our govern
ment was the best known to the civ.-
lized world, and under the shadow of
the stars and stripes, we have known
safety and security for our lives and
property, and we have rested securely
with the knowledge that our grand
banner foated on land and sea
throughout the civilized world,
and was respected everywhere.
We have not until recently been
burdened with oppressive taxation
or looked upon our Office holders with
suspicion. 1t has not been our Gus
tom to look continually in the public
prints for records of official thievery,
or to see high officers of the govern
ment placed on trial for high crimes
and criminal offences. 1t has not un
til lately been a common thing to see |
spies circulating among the people, or
so called officials travelling about hunt
ing up offences for the purpose of ex,
torting fees, and intimidating the peo-
pie i'll elections. 1t has not been the !
custom in the happy days of the re
public to see the voters marshalled to
the ballot box to tho sound of flies and
drums, and caused to vote tickets they
could not read, for people whose
claims for public office they did not
know. IL has not during all this time
when we were beasting of our freedom
and security under the law, been pos
great writ of habeas corpus with i'm
punity. and to imprison any good and
law abiding citizen without due form
of law in such cases made and pro-
vided. The sale of offices, and the
banding together of corrupt men with
money tor the purpose of 'defrauding
and worse than all, the prostitution of
re- Ia hn Of
liz an invention entirely novel
until within the last fifteen years.
All these things, and many others are
familiar to You. Some of them you
have read about, while others have
at your own doors. Bur so
common are they that no honest
observer disbelieves in their truth.
How, then, are these things possible,
md who are responsible for them? DIR.
Curtis then proceeded to show that
;he republican party was solely re-
'RQQnfGsqlhlf rffnfEH tbbddhtrfy. tbddh He spoke on
zach prominent public question at
'ome length and presented the issues
'tate and national, in a fair, clear light
% the voters of this section. Closing,
DR.. Curtis said: "It is law and order.
.ud honest government we are con-
ending for, and to establish these let
,s labor until OF the 7th day of next {
November the sun shall set upon a
glorious victory for democratic prin-
,iples, renewing prosperity from Maine
O Texas, from North Carolina to Cali
ornia." prolonged applause.) DIR. .
Jurtis was applauded heartily during
lis speech, and great enthusiasm was
manifested. The Doctor spoke for
ully one hour, after which DR.. f. w.
'otter made some remarks on
he late order of President ]
4rant's, through his Secretary of
Var. to Gen. Sherman. DIR. Potter
hought it would help instead of injnre |
he Democratic party; said we are not l
fraid of the troops; they are not 5
.oing to hurt us; we like the troops {
nd the troops like us, or words to
hat effect.
Republicans present at the meeting
re said not to have relished the speak
ng last night. "Didn't like it, some
ow." But why? YNoT.
h.1 IoI1r