The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-09-21

MIcCosUKIE FLA, September Is, 1880.
Editor Florid,dn The Democratic Club of
Miccosuke had large meeting to day, ut which
speakers from the other side were invited to be
present, and the would-be- Congressman Wither-
spoon, together with John Wallace and one
Isaac Jenkins, of Tallahassee, came out. The
ball was opened by short speech, to the
point by Mr.. w. p Byrd in which he set forth
clearly the reasons why the Democracy should
prevail in this State. He was followed by Isaac
Jenkins, who made an infammatory talk in
which he did little more than remind the colored
people of some facts which they, as well as he,
knew never did, and never will exist; for in
stance, he said: " Talk about production OF taxes
why don't they have production in your rents?
You all have 10 pay that same 1900 pounds
of cotton to forty acres" OF course the colored
people knew perfectly well he was yarning when
he told them that they had to pay four bales of
cotton to forty acres of land, and therefore knew
how much credit to give the rest of his speech.
Captain W. /. Vason next took the stump, who
demolished Jenkins in short order, and made
very good and able speech Witherspoon fol-
lowed Captain Vason in a speech which was
conciliatory, pleasant, and almost unohjectiona-
BILE. His illusions to white people and Demo
Gratis were in the highest degree genilemanly and
courteous, and the tribute he paid General Han
cocx was one of the prettest have yet heard,
representing him to be brave and gallant sol
der, who, embracing cause which he consci
entiously believed to be right, went forward the
proud leader of his countrys braves. He spoke
of him as the hero OF Gettysburg, and the man
who fought the decisive battle in the ranks of
the Union army. He told the people that Gen
eral Hancock was, always had been, and ever
would be firm and immoveable Democrat, and
did what have never before known "a Republi-
can speaker to do, viz explained that the DEM
ocra to did as much 10 free them as any body
else; that General Hancock, the greatest of all
Democrats, was the man who did the most effec-
tual fighting TO free the unfortunate negro. He
discountenanced everything like appeals to the
passions, and the question of social equality he
showed TO be an absurd one, and explained how
utterly out Of place they all would feel if they
had it. He had too much sense to even hint at
second slavery but his friend Wallace did not
fail with his usual disregard of truth and com
mon probabilities, TO remind them of the danger
Of again becoming slaves
Next came Mr.. j. B. Christie, Jr., of Monti-
cello, who made one of the ablest and most effec-
tual appeals to the good sense of the colored
people we have ever heard, and one which un-
questionably told on the crowd which heard
him. John Wallace followed Mr.. Christie, and
made some feeble attempts to answer the argu-
ments of the speakers who preceded him, and
from the tremendous applause given him by his
blind followers at every attempt, one might have
supposed he succeeded, but of all weak attempts
which il has ever been my misfortune to hear, i
do think, his was The weakest; for instance, in
answer to acharge made against s. B. Conover by
the Sentinel some time since and which Mr..
Byrd read from that paper in his speech of having
embezzled a large amount of the public funds
among other moneys $S1S8.63 of the school
fund, as shown by the Treasurer's books and Mr.
Conover's own figures, and denouncng him as
demagoguc and political montebaak without any
fixed principles, he said ii IT quirei more proof
than Mr.. Byrd's reading from paper to fix such
thing on MIR. Conovcr, whercupon The crowd
cheered manlully and gave Mr. Wallace credit,
as doubtless lie did himself, of answering this
grave charge very ably. Such were his answers,
aud the rest OF his speech was made up Of cum
ming appeals to their passions and such bosh as
"Now the whiie maa speaks to you rs fellow
citizens, amer the cl,c'i',n i, will I've you damn
niggrrs % before" On retiring, instead of advis.
ing In good faith the colored people, as he was
requested to do Ivy a gentleman who knew him
Of old aud anticipated his trick, to remain and
hear the last speaker, Mr.. Hilton, who was to
follow W., and on whom he made personal at
tack which Mr.. H. fortunately showed to be
groundless aud the statement OF the charge false
while Wallace was on the stand, wound up about
thus SWELL, fellow-ciiizens, Its getting mighty
late, and guess you all are getting pretty tired
but Mr.. Hilton 10 going 10 speak and II you all
oaM spare as time would like for you To- stay and
hear him, but 4 am going homo sight noss." Mr..
Hilton IVES thus out out Of . chance 70 reply, for
the crowd. e Wallace wished them do. dispersed
d Qnce. X