Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-09-01

nations of their party. The Stat
ticket and the National ticket came il
for the largest share of what littl
political enthusiasm they could sti
up, the nominations made yesterday a
Magnolia being apparently thought Il
be of little consequence.
The meeting WAS as complete fail
nre az one would see in lifetime o.
campais. ming. The highest expecta
tions had been raised in the minds ot
the local Radical leaders that the big
guns of the party who would attend
would draw together an unusually
large and enthusiastic crowd Of negro
voters. In this they were totally dis
appointed. Not only was the crowd
small, but it was entirely without the
| apparent enthusiasm which has here
tofore been exhibited at such Radical
meetings by loud and boisterous de-
monstrations.
A stand for the speakers and officers
had been erected at the head of the
market house two days previously. At
one of its corners United States flag
was unfuried, and around it was ar
ranged number of barrels of rosin
and tar. All of the great lights of the
party had been invited and were ex-
pected 10 be present. Placards and
runners had been sent over the coun-
try, and the small politicians of the
party had talked themselves hoarse
for days prior to the meeting, trying
SO stir the negroes mp to the import
ance of coming out last night to ratify.
But somehow the thing failed, and the
meeting fell flat on the hands of it's
promoter. All the "great lights "
were Oh hand, and spoke, but even
they and their speeches fell flat, one of
them almost literally.
Judge Russell presided, and intro
ducf the speakers. First on the pro-
gramme was the Hon. Thomas n.
Settle, the Jupiter ZOnaaas of his
party-and Republican candidate for
Governor. Many Democrats we're
p1esent, being drawn ont by curiosity
to hear this man of whom the Radical
party had for years SO proudly boast
ed. Fifteen minutes of his speech
was enough to satisfy most of them.
They quietly wended their way home
with feeling of disappointment not
unmixe2 with a degree of pity. For
how low soever was the estimate they
had placed upon the man as Judge,
and as a man, they labored IN
der the impression that he at
least had some speaking abilities.
This disappointment was apparent
throughout the assembly. Even the
negroes expressed it. They listened,
but it was with that kind of attention
which said that "the Judge would get
to the good part of his speech pres
emily"
When Judge Settle was a young
man he was thought to be vain of his
appearance. His physique
and features no doubt continually fed |
this innocent vanity. In one part of
his physiognomy, however, he was
always deficient; this was his breadth |
Of forehead; and of this defect Mr.. !
Settle was always painfully aware. He
did all he could to aid deficient
nature. at least so far as the outside
appearance would 60, by his peculiar
style of reaching his hair. The
roach still sticks up to relieve
The appearance Of the narrow fore
lead, but as he stood last
night before his dusky audience. with
his neatly fitting black coat buttoned
over his manly form, one might
have seen written beneath the careful !
Iy preserved roach, in characters
larger than the narrow space could
we'll contain, the one word FAILURE.
This one word was not only to be
seen written on Judge Settles fore
head, but it rang out in every SEN
tence that he uttered, and there was
not a Democrat who heard him that |
did not turn away with the satisfaction
of knowing that he could give Gov. |
Vance no trouble, neither in debate |
nor at the polls in November.
W. P. Canaday, the Magnolia |
nominee for Congress, was next intro
duced, and when he rose everybody |
self of speech. Many were curious
to know what he could do in that line,
but he quickly disappointed their
Curious expectations by saying 81 am
too we'll known among you to attempt
to make you speech
Next came "Ike" Young the ubi-
quitous Revenue officer who has I'M
dertaken to beat the bushes in the
Raleigh District with the vain hope of
beating the Hon. Joseph J. Davis for
Congress. "Ike" made much the best
speech of the occasion-but it's chief
characteristic was it's impuderce. De-
prive his speech of this one feature,
and there would be nothing left of it.
In addition to making this feature
prominent, he seemed to be perfectly
satisfied with getting up an occasional
laugh among the ''niggers''-as he
called them.
Next came Judge Albertson who,
after consuming three quarters of an
hour in discussing the constitutional
Amendment, took his seat, greatly to
the relief of even the negroes.
Then came Judge Watts-"Greasy
Sam" We believe it was this emil
nent jurist's first appearance in Will
mington. and he seemed to feel that it
was incumbent upon him to exhibit his