Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-09-21
OPENING OF THE CONGRESS.
SIGNAL CANVASS.
ROusing Meeting at - rawberrS
Plains.
Great Enthusi" sm- -'sThe Alum CSHa
paign"--A Field Bay ZOE
the Republicans.

DNSgnE--A E1e1O D"y AvA
the Republicans.
The discussion between the con-
gressional candidates for the secohu
district Hon. L. c. Houk and Mr..
Tnos. L. williams, opened yesterday |
of Strawberry Plains. A large num-
her of the citizens from the town and
surrounding country were collected
and the spacious church was filled to
ovelfiowing. The aisle was packed
with people standing up and rows OF
heads could ee seen through the win
dows of citizens who We're unable to
get in.
A hack load of Knoxvillians were
present, The stauDch district of
.ruck ahoe' came out in full force,
and Egg Calian, from Thorn Grove,
headed u large company on horseback.
| At least thret -fourths of the audience
were in sympathy with the republican
candidate, and the enthusiasm was in
tense. At times, during Houk's re-
joinder, the interest amounted to wild
excitement, and even some of his po>
Iitical enemies were noticed to so far
forget themselves as to join ia With the
general shout.
It fell upon Judge H0uk to open the
debate. He lead off in speech of an
hour and half, at least, addressing
his remarks to the democratic portion OF
the audience, saying that he came
to call the righteous bat sinners tC
repentance. Hereviewed the history
OF the democratic party Is shown IL
resolutions passed by various national
conventions, and showed how they
had successfully fought. and then en-
dorse every important measure the
l republicans had proposed, and fnaliJ
had swallowed all the constitutions
amendments and Horace Greeley, TIT
daddy of the abolitionists. He charged
the democratic national convention
4 at Cincinnati, with stealing from thu
republicans every plank of their plat
orm except two, the resolution agslns
protective tariff and that about cen
traIiZ4tiOn. HOuk's happiest hits
however, were ia his rejpinder. Dc
" ring the course of Mr.. Williams re
marks, he charged the republican
party with taxing articles Of common
at use, and among others, alum, cas-
re oil and ladies' hair pins. AS Hou
come to this part Of the subject, tn
crowd was coDVul5ed with laughter
The speaker had heard of big polite
le and little politics and wondered if thi
i was going to be an "alum campaign.
3" AT she conclusion Of Judge Houk
T. address, MIR. Williams began and VS.
listened to very attenively for a
hour and a half aud seemed fully t
come up to the expectation of b
friends. He was greeted with cOnsit
= cradle applause and his remarks wei
y acknowledged by all 10 be good pr
8 'ntation of democratic priI
ciples. He made very gra,
charges against the republicans, al
said he was prepared TO pro~e theI
" all. He did not wish to deal niue
u with the past, but being young ma
was inclined to look more to the fl
ture. He wished it understood th
when he spoke of republican knavel
=. he meant the leaders of The party ar
not the masses of republicans, who
he believed to be honest. The rascal
nd was all among the leaders. Said tn
es articles Of common use were enc
ng mousIy taxed, while the bondholie
went scot free, aud would, if be w
mt elected to congress, get after them
sc. voting for al income tax.
After thus paying his respects to 4
republicans in general he began {
," Judge Houk's record in congress. SA
the first vote Judge Houk ever cest
nv congress was calculated TO make To-
/, feel more like taking HIM out al
hanging him than sending him ba
IT. to congress. The refereLc CO was
where Houk had voted for the. color
congressman, R4iney, in preference
renegade democratic waite ma
j Houk replied to this by saying that
South Carolina or Mississippi.
- might be banged, but, tha0k e.
it in East Tennessee they did not ha
;e- men for voting for republican negro,
he and the wild cheering that
Id, lowed this showed that {
In audience appreciated the remal
Ike and at the conclusion of the disct
vs. sion three negroes, belonging to t
Hancock club at the Plains, declar
mt their determination TO resign.
ed, There was no personal matters
.v- troduced, and although the exiteme
OF was high, the greatest good feeli
seemed to prevail.
ant Strange that people will suffer