The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-08-20
THE OPENING DEMONSTRATION.
The Grand Mass Meeting and Barbe-
cue in South West Kinds.

In all the arrangements for a grand
affair, the Hass-meeting and barbecue
near Chapel Hill, in Southwest Kinds,
on the 14th, could not have been ex-
celled. It spoke volumes for the pro-
fuse liberality and hospitality of the
Democrats and Conservatives of that
section of the great old county of Kinds
Nothing was left undone so far as human
agency could accomplish it, to make the
demonstration a complete success. Prep
arations were made for several thousand
people, and the number in attendance
would have been numbered by the
thousands but for the inclement wealth
er on the days Immediately preceding
and the day of the meeting. Notwith-
standing the unfavorable weather, how
ever, the number in attendance was es-
timated at from 700 to 1000 persons.
DIR. E. F. Lowe presided over the meet
ing. The Greenbackers had invited
their "big gun, Gen. Reuben Davis,
from Monroe to represent them, and the
terms were arranged for discussion
between him and Mr. f. Barksdale.
Engagement Gen. d. led off in a speech
devoted mainly to the financial issue,
which was listened to with respectful
attention, but without the least sign of
sympathy or approval by his audience,
though he labored as hard and as sue
cessfully as any Greenbacker in the
State could have done to make the worse
appear the better cause After the
discussion had concluded between them,
Capt VIM Ratliff, ofRankin, announced
his candidacy for the Senate in hand
some address which took him right home
to the hearts of his hearers. Capt
Montgomery followed in a somewhat
disjointed but fluent speech, which had
but little connection with the issues of
the canvass, and was followed by Col.
j. ID. Stewart in a speech of thirty
minutes, peculiarly earnest and forcible,
upon the questions involved in the
election, and though the day was far
spent, the audience gathered around the
stand eager to catch every word which
he uttered. The impression was de-
cidedly favorable to the speaker him
self and to the cause Of which he is so
worthy a champion. 4 short harrangue
from Mr.. S. ID. Currie, who would re-
ally make an effective speech with good
cause, and a word Of reply from one of
the Democratic speakers who remained
to hear what he had to say, closed the
days proceedings. The impression
formed by the writer was that of the six
hundred white voters present they were
all of the Democratic Conservative party
and intend to vote for its nominees with |
the exception Of not exceeding twenty, |
and more than halfof that number were |
candidates before the Greenback Con-
yention which assembled at Raymond |
on the next day. The colored people |
did not seem to take sides, but listened |
to the discussion and enjoyed
the barbecue which was served up
profusely. The Greenback speakers
seeing that their hope for success de-
pended entirely upon the favor of the
colored element essayed to reclaim the
day by faint experiment with the
bloody shirt; but it was failure. We
were informed by colored people present
that they considered it a fight in which
they were not particularly concerned
and that they intend to wait until the
Presidential election of 1880 before tax
ing stock. 1t was good day for the
Democrats and Conservatives of Kinds.
The ball has opened well, and victory is
in the air.