The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-10-25
Wednesday.
Large Meetings Of Democrats and
Republicans.
Democrats Jubilant.

The Great Enthusiasm and Demon
stration of the Democrats Discour.
age the Republicans--The Coloret
Democrats a. True as Steel.
The Democrats and the Republicans
held big meetings ut this place OF
Wednesday last and everything pass
ed of quite pleasantly and satisfacto.
rily to all the parties. The Republic
cans seemed satisfied and the Demo
Gratis were jubilant. AS we stated las
week the Republicans refused to "di
vide time" with the Democrats. The
Republicans assembled their masse:
at the Depot and marched to the col
ored Fair Grounds in Fort Pickcns,
The Democrats assembled on De
| Bruhl's park and marched through
town, then down by the Depot ant
round by Magazine Hill, and back tc
the Public Square, where they halted
at the Aston House corner in front OF
the Press and Banner Office, when
stirring speeches were delivered 10y
! Nessrs. Cothran, MCGOWAN, Thomson,
Burt, Hood, w. *. Bradley, J. E.
Bradley and Hemphill. The entllu,
siasm of our people was sublime II
gave additional evidence of their ear
nestness in q cause which so vitality
affects the whole country. Our men
now are more hopeful OF success than
ever. There were at our meeting
about $500 mounted men anu
several hundred on foot, and besides
the white men some five hundred col
ored men, and although the Republl,
cans had predicted that the colored
Democrats would desert our ranks
either before or at the election, they
proyed themselves as true "a steel
on this occasion.
AS far as we know only two colored
men deserted us, and one of them
came back in the evening after at
tending the Republican meeting. The
President, Young, of the club from
which he deserted, at first refused TO
allow him to %rejoin, but he insisted
and finally the President left II
to a vote of the club and upon the
second ballot he was received back into
the corhpany and invested with the
blue shirt which he had thrown aside
in the morning. ..
A dinner had been prepared for all
Democratic cOlored people that might
be in attendance, and it is said, that
one of the leading Republicans de-
clared that we need not prepare din
ner for q hundred. but we fed more
than four hundred colOred men in uni
form who are as true to us as possible.
We believe their Republican friends
SANDER them when they say that
these men will desert Is. We know
they will do no such thing. Their
action that day showed that they arc
in fact freemen, and that they defy
the Republicans any longer to rule
them arbitrarily.
The crowd of Republicans were
disappointed il not having some OF
the more prominent members OF thel!
party to address them. They had en-
pected the Governor, and when they
found 0ut that he was not here, the ct-
feet was perceptible. Few of the
speakers had cver been heard of by a
majority of those present, anu they
failed 70 inspire the enthusiasm which
is so much needed in the Republican
party. From the highest to the low
est it seems to u that despondency
rests upon them like a funeral pail.
There Is great difference between thei'
meetings and our own. Although we
have had many meetings, our people
never seem to grow tired, while
the Republicans at this, their fr-;
meeting, before the third speaker
had flushed, showed plainly n restless
disposition aud began to scatter off in
groups, and when The fourth speaker
lad finished it is estimated that moi
more than one-third of the Grove
were payingany attention at all I" what
was being said from the stand. AT lit
tie attcr two O'Clock the chairman dis
missed the meeting. and advised al: /"
go quietly home. which they did, pas
ing through town by the less frequent
ed streets, avoiding the great and ell
lhusiastic meeting Of Democrats
which was still going on in the public
square. Our meeting continued until
after four O'Clock.