The Brookhaven leader., 1884-10-02

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Last Monday, the 22d, was to
have been the first day ofthe circuit
court of this county, but his Honor,
Judge ,Chrisman, generously gave
the day to two Democratic orators
Mr.. j. W. Bailey, the talented and
accomplished young elector for this
district, and the venerable Maj.
Barksdale, Democratic nominee for
Congress. Mr.. Bailey's address
was a scholarly and elegant compo-
sition, rhetorical and courteous
throughout. and coming from one
so young, it awoke the admiration
and surprise of all who heard it,
whether they agreed with all his po-
litical theories or not. The late
veteran editor of The Clarion follow
ed in a most elaborate and charac-
teristic speech of some two hours,
in which he made many telling
points, but mostly of the al captain
dun style, and all of in most strik-
ing contrast with the didactic and
mastery argument by which it was
preceded.
About the close or shortly after
of Maj. Barksdale's speech, Col. j.
B. Yellowly, the Republican candi-
date for Congress, arrived, and a
joint discussion was agreed on.
Yellowly led off in a very gentle
manly and elaborate address OF
about one hour or more. He was
listened to by larger and if possi-
BILE more attentive audience than
that of the forenoon. The speaker
seemed to be we'll informed aud
self-possessed, and spoke in appar-
emily an earnest and honest spirit,
and the audience though largely
Democratic, manifested the best of
good humor and frequently gave
vent to at least their appreciation of
the good sense and ability Of the
chief of the cause to which they are
so generally opposed, by vociferous
applause and prolonged laughter.
When Mr.. Yellowly closed, Maj.
Barksdale arose in a seeming rage
and for upwards Of an hour poured
forth torrent of fierce and passion
ate invective upon his amazed and
yet perfectly cool and undaunted ad-
versary. This may have been all
deserved and we'll merited; but il
so. the fact was by no means appar-
ent to the large audience present, to
whom Col. Yellowly, although a
Republican, was nothing worse than
a we'll behaved, dlgnified and high
ly intellectual stranger; of differ
ent AID very distasteful politics to
many, it is true, but still entitled to
the respectful courtesies Of civilized
life from the man who had virtually
pledged his knighly faith by engag.
ing and entering into the joint dis.
cussion.
IfMsj. Barksdale expected his
audience to approve the coarseness
and vulgarity of his TRADE, he was
sadly disappointed. He may not
have lost votes, or at least not
many (of this I am not yet certain },
but he certainly forfeited and lost
much of the esteem Of that small
number of the people of Franklin
who had know him before, aud made
bad impression upon those who
tup to that day, were total strangers
to him,
The large crowd at the county sitt
on Monday was by no means at
tracted hither altogether by thu
speeches or to attend court. But ''ir
the wee sma' hours anant the twaP
on Sunday morning between one
. and three o'clock, a party of from
25 to so white men repaired quiet
r ly to the Meadville Jail and hanged
four colored prisoners on the shad
trees that surround the court hous
and on the cross-bean above tn
front gate of the court house yard
Last Sunday mornings sun greetet
the ghastly and distorted features
of the four negroes, dead iron
strangulation by ropes, and theil
stark and rigid forms hung as mo
tionless as the trees and gate post
which bore them on that sultry Sep
tenber morning. ava HooaS
Two Of the ill-fated prisoners ha'
been confined in the Jail at Natche;
: to escape the mob, and had just re
turned here to await the action Q
2 the Circuit Court and were strongi