Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-09-16

%SeNS " AAo SeAuOot uuA CAOluOub
words of pure reason and common
sense. As he warmed up the crowd
drew nearer and listened with in-
creased interest, although they had
been on their feet several hours with
out rest. Occasionally he was in
terrupted by a burst of sponta-
neOus applause, which instantly
subsidized as quick as thought
that all might hear. Wilson had the
advantage, as usual in West Tennes.
see, Of sympathetic crowd, by sew
eral to one. He made not only his
usual strong arguments, but great
many happy hits. When it suits his
purpose to illustrate a point by an
anecdote, he does it very effectively.
He had not been on the stand fifteen
minutes until he had nearly the whole
crowd close around the stand, ready
to punctuate his address with rounds
Of applause. The old men looked
knowingly at each other and said,
"That's so, whilst the younger mem
bers of the low-tax democratic party
stood by, and encouragingly said /:
Hit him again." One Of Wilson 5
most taking little points was this IF
you will give us the railroads we will
pay the bonds" The crowd caught
the idea, and applauded vOciferously.
The old Baptist preacher came in for
a hearing, and was an important fac
tor in the discussion. He asked q
question which brought out a reply
that Georgia had by a
constitutional enactment eliminated
over seven millions of her debt. An
excited individual in the crowd de-
manded the proof, which Mr.. Wilson
produced in letter from. Hon. Ben
Hill. The interlocutor then said,
Then you are a repudiator," or
something to that effect. Consider
able confusion ensued, and the crowd
surged around the stand, and various
exclamations were heard. The great
majority said, "Goon, you have friends
here" Wilson turned around very
cOolly and said, IF any man says |
am a rep1diator, he says that which is
false; and whether | have friends
here or not, am ready upon any
proper occasion as a man, in a moral
or physical sense. to assert that which
| deem to be right, regardless of con
sequences" This was received with
tremendous and excited applause
The iuterruptors subsided, and Mr..
Wilson concluded his telling speech
without further trouble.
The rejoinders were decidedly
spirited, but | cannot at
this late hour give the
outline. There was some lively spar
ring between Judge Wright and Mr..
Lambeth in which the latter had the
advantage of the support of four -flths
of the crowd.
There is a barbecue in store for uq,
but it is after four O'Clock. Wilson is
making his rejoinder speech with tel
ling effect as | write, and it is not
likely that we will stop long at the
feast, as we have determined to 60
through to Bolivar to night by private
conveyance. Seldom. if ever, have
seen such an attentive great crowd
and such an impression made as that
of the speeches by Mr.. Wilson. All
this has been written during the
speaking on the ground and is the
conclusion and impression made by
the surroundings and impression Of
the occasion. heard number Of
men say that they came here for
Wright but had changed for Wilson.
Several Wright men admit to me in
private that Wilson is too strong for
Wright in debate and that Wilson
will carry this county by great ma
jority over Wright. | am willing to
stand upon this hastily written dis
cription of the speaking and its sur
roundings as a pretty fair and certain
ly just account of the days prooeed :
ings, Now for a twenty miles ride by
carriage to Bolivar. where there will
be speaking tomorrow. j. B. NJ.