The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-08-20
TME HANCOCK AND wLOxHsAm
CLUE.

a GrmmA Meealmg - @plemMl@ Orme
eaons-The ladies ome In Full Rorce
-Raney amA Mrevara Enoqmeme.
On Wednesday night the Hancock and Blox-
ham club, a. heretofore announced. held its frst
public meeting In GalliSs Hall, which was well
filed by the best portion Of our population.
About one third of the large audience ives COM
posed Of ladies, who. besides being attracted by
the opportunity of hearing the earnest Raney
and the eloquent Brevard, seemed anxious to
manifest sympathy and interest in the political
questions Of the day
Uncle Tom Mason was there with his baby"
- he calls his snare-drum, and, forgetting his
rheumatic" he made Il speak In rousing tones,
bearing witness TO the old mans loyalty 70 our
cause, and showing = vigor and enthusiasm
which may well be emulated by our young men,
both black and white.
A considerable number of negroes gathered
about the entrances and the hall, and seemed
deeply interested In the glowing words which
fell from the lips of the speakers. Early in the
evening, before the meeting was called to order,
when many Of them had assembled on the stair
ways and platform outside the hall, colored
policeman. who had doubtless been prompted
thereto by the low cunning of those who are
conducting the Republican campaign, appeared
and began driving the negroes down the stairs
and out into the streets, where he took up his
position at the gateway to prevent them from re-
entering. Upon being demonstrated with he
claimed 10 have received his orders from Sheriff
Mosely, who arriving on the scene a few min
utes afterwards promptly denied that he had
given any such orders. as he had no authority
over the city police. The officers of the club
took the matter in hand, and assured all present
that they were welcome, that they had been
publicly invited 10 attend the meetings of the
club, and that they should be protected In their
right 10 be there. This produced the desired
effect, and large number entered the hall and
listened attentvely to the speaking 1t is by
such contemplate tricks as this that the opposi-
ton apparently expect to retain the failing ale-
glance Of the cOlored voters, who themselves
with shame and indignation have been heard to
denounce the adoption of such methods, de-
claring that the time when they could be
driven like sheep in gangs from place to place
by their Radical masters hAs now passed away
The meeting was called to order by the Presi-
dent of the club, Hon. John A. Henderson, who
announced that the usual order of business would
he suspended and introduced Hon. George P.
Raney, whose appearance was greeted with
long continued applause.
Mr.. Raney's address was i'm that happy style
Of finished Oralory TO which his hearers are 30
we'll accustomed, and was rcplete with argument
and illustration of the highest order. He spoke
OF the early history Of the different political par
ties, Of the charges that The Democratic party of
the South was sectional party, reviewed the
conduct of New England in the war of 1912,
when her people denied the right of the Federal
government to conscript soldiers, showed by the
facts Of history that the now called Republican
party had stolen the name under which the
Democratic party had in the earlier days achieved
its greatest constitutional success in the adoption
Of the amendments tn the Federal constitution
which incorporated nearly all of the great prin-
ciples now being denied and repudiated by the
Republicans, and conteuded for by the Demo
Gratis, recounted the political achievements of
the Democratic party during the twenty years
of successful government up to the time of the
war, recited the acquisition OF Louisiana Florida
Texas and the Pacific States during this period, set
forth the differences between the Hamitonian and
Jeffersonian systems of politics and showed how
bitterly the Republicans were now contending
for the supremacy of the former, while the Dem
ocrats are as vaantly resisting, step by step, the
encroachments of Capitalization and military
supremacy in the conduct of government affairs
throughout the Union. He adverted to the
shameless manner in which the Republicans are
now, In the very face of the truth and the rec
ord, declaring the failure of the Democratic
State government in the matter of free schools.
showing that Parson Hicks, in 1877, gloriied
the Republican State government by announcing
that there were 700 free schools in Florida, and
that in 1878 the Democrats had made the num-
Der 1877, in 1879 991, and at the present time the
number was over 100, the patrons and bene-
ficiaries OF which, in very great measure, were
of that class who were now being daily and
nightly drilled 10 shout and vote for the re-
vival and perpetuatiOn OF the carpet bag gov
eminent which had paged and plundered
the State OF Florida from 1868 to 1877, and
that it was one of the highest duties of the Dem
ocratic State government 10 extend this system
OF free schools AS far and fast as possible; hat
there was some cause for complaint concerning
the character of the teachers employed, but that
great improvement had been made, and the day
wonld sOOn come when no public school In Flor.
da would be used for the propagation of per.
nicious political doctrines and incendiary ideas
He spoke of the quiet yet thorough methods of
organization now being pursued by the Democ-
racy all over the State, and promised that Leon
county would be found in the van of the conflict
doing her whole duty. His tribute to the char
acter and talents Of Hancock was fervid in
manner, and logical and unansw cradle in matter.
He described the horrors OF darkness which over.
hung The South during the reconstruction period,
when, in the contest for power and place and
riches, and IN the indulgence of the most brutal
passions of revenge and hatred for a fallen foe,
those in power forgot there was such a thing as
honor and magnanimily. and gave full vent 10 all
their baser passions, when In time of profound
peace the States OF the South were governed by
military force, and darkness and gloom settled
like pail upon every heart, then broke forth
n light, steady and unwaverlng, in the bright ef
fnlgence Of whose glorious beams the South re-
cognised her future hope. that light was Winfield
Scott Hancock He then reviewed Hancock,s
maenanimons and just administration of the
power he possessed, and the restoration under
bis rule, Of constitutional State government in
the States comprising his military department.
quoting from hia WritinOa and den;ctinU thu orast