Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-26
THE BARTLETT MEETING.
Enthusiastic Gathering Of the Rural
DemOcraey-Able Speeches BY
Distinguished Citizens.

people began to flock to town, aud BY II
o'clock there we're three or four thousand
persons present to participate in the en-
joyment Of the occasion and to hear the
speeches Of distinguished gentlemen an
%nounced to be present. Over three hun
drei citizens of Memphis attended,
thauks to the characteristic sceommo.
dation of the Louisville and Nashville
aud Great Southern railroad, whose su.
perinteadent, Col. Jas. Montgomery, and
his assistants, do ell in their power to
afford facilities for travel and trade to our
people and those along the line Of this
popular highway. Music, dancing aud
f%easting constituted the social features
Of the occasion, but the great attraction
was the speeches by the distinguished
gentlemen Of Memphis and others from
abroad. Such an outpOuring Of people
is not often Witnessed, and can be attrib.
uted only to the pervading interest IN
behalf OF the Democratic ticket, which
will be elected by a triumphant majority.
The enthusiasm was general, and it ar
cues we'll for the popularity Of the Dem.
ocratic nominees aud the ticket on which
they stand. Able and eloquent speeches
were made by General Gordon, Major G,
W. Winchester, Robert Hutchinson, At
torney General Luke Wright, Colonel
John C. Burch, editor OF the Nashville
American, Hon. Casey Young, Alfred
Froman (colored) and George Hayden
(colored).
SPEECH OF HON CASEY YOUNG.
Hon. Casey Young made one Of his
characteristic speeches, and begun by
saying that
Years had gone by since he addressed
his fellow citizens at Bartlett. Then two
great parties faced each other for a great
stgnggle-a struggle in which the Democ.
racy won %gloriously, but was cheated out
Of its fruits by the mest s~tupendous
fraud in history. Yet they gained a
greater victory when, to save the coun
try from a civil war, they stood by and
saw sacrificed the noblest rights of citi.
. zeuship. Then they vindicated their
right to control the government and tC
legislate on the greatest interests of al
mankind. When he left them they werl
just organized for a repetition of the
grand old struggle. When he returned
! he found many OF his old friends, MANI
whom be loved 30 well, to whom be owet
so much, had formed themselves into
new party, an offshoot Of the one il
D whose ranks they had fought so long to
gethsr. 1t grieved him to find it thus
: and he loved bis old friends to,
e we'll not to plead with them t
come back to the grand old flag that s
often led them on TO victory. H. coul
not but beg them to leave the househol
Of their enemies, Of those who had fougt
them in every battle for right, TO com
back to the old party. He had no nj
kind words, no words of blame to speal
He begged them as old friends, as oil
3: comrades, 10 come back to that party III
der whose guidancs they had made a Ian
most happy, most prosperous. He kne
there was q cause for complaint; b
knew there we're many grievances
From every town and hamlet came a CT
Of distress. He would not 60 throug
the steps whereby these evils had COM
No man would deny that they we're hr
the offspring Of that pernicious system
legislation which had marked the inal
)c cial policy of the Republican party
There IS not a wrong, not a grievanC
now weighing upon the people that cal
not be traced to the Republican partJ
BIT and there is not a reform in behalf {
4. the people urged by any party
honest men for which the DEM
cratic party had not warmly and zeA
ously labored. The bill to remonetiz
silver, and other measures oounteractin
the iniqnitous policy of contraction, b
n said, had been the work Of the Dem
cratic party. The moment that part
m had the power it went to work on thei
%reliefs. It's attempt to break in congre
the corrupt resumption act was dive
s. upon. The act, obtained by the use
money, as has been frequently charge,
al was supported by the bulk of Republ
:. cans, in the attempt to repeal it. NJ
- Ewing had prepared a bill to NAL
IA greenbacks receivable for duties on ia
hs ports. What more could the most zes
GUS greenback National ask
Colonel Young then addressed the CO
~ ored men present and advised them th
10 their well being was bound up in Il
Democratic party, for it represents Il
n. virtue, the wealth and the best inleres
!. of the South. In its supremacy tht
would find nothing Of which to complai
at Colonel Young closed with q deseriptio
Of the movement of the hour 10 nation
~. politics aud used it es an argumel
why the party organization shouI
" be kept ID. The Communist
ps threatenings he said would alarm al
political economist who would pau
ar. and think. He saw but one silver liniI
!, aud that was where the success Of th
Democratic party shoue out to chani
st this horrible policy of contraction. II
is Republican party is falling to pieces o
over the country, aud without it WI
given aid aud encouragement by Dem
" cratic defections it would surely di
w. The local matters were nothing. The
art we're probably as good men on one sic
-as as the other, but they must stand by Il
organization. This is one Of the lit
u rills which leap down the mountain sit
an to form the irresistible food. Cut of
lty rill here and a rill there aud they wou
check that tide which should sweep
to victory. Perhaps he ought not
mingled in these local matters, bat
felt it his duty to speak out in this EN-,
~ gency, aud he would feel recreaut
tos that duty if he did not do SO earnest
al. and frankly.
The speaking and festivities we're co