The Forrest City times., 1888-05-19
Poplar Grove, May 7th. 1888.
An AnsMer

see in your issue of April 21st a communication headed "who are the democrats" and signed by Wm. Manning, which 1 think deserves more than passing consideration. That it emanated from a very for tile brain is readily perceived. If this communication be true which 1 suppose no one will for a mo- ment doubt, we come to the con clusion that It IS the product of the most brilliant brain s,nce the days Of Jefferson. The lightning has flared, the thunder has rolled We have had wars and rumors of wars. We have had renowned statesmen and military chieftains, but it has been left for Wm. Man. ming 10 find handle for the dem ocra,ic party-Ideal Democracy.
 l hope your readers will pardon me for presuming commentary on such an able document. but holding to lhe doctrine of free speech we make the venture. In sec. l. of his article we find these words-"I am one of ihe men who is responsible for the acton of that convention" How was that convention gotten up, by whom was it called and did it voice the sentiments of the people. l have good reasons for believing tbat said convention was gotten up by designing men for special pur- pose irrespective of what might be the sentiments of the people, l happened to be secretary pro tenn of Forrest Wheel at the time and never heard of any convention be- ing called by the wheel or any oth- CT organization or party for the pur- pose of nominating n candidate for congress, but one thing l do recol- feet and that is this, at the first meeting of the Wheel after said convention. Capt. k, W. Peevy made a motion that the Wheel pledge itself to go into no primary election or convention. The mo- ton met with some opposition on the ground that there was too much curb to the bit. It was fl nally amended and the third Sat urday in May was the limited time. At the conclusion of the debate over the motion s E Sweet emerged from some where in the audience and defended the motion with one of the most eloquent appeals that it falls to the lot of man to listen to. He had been at that conven- ton and 1t was the most enthusi- astic he had ever witnessed. He was here in the interest of Feath- erston and expected to work for him till the November eleclion, can these gentlemen tell the dear people why it was that a fe~ would be leaders could hold a con- vention and then ask them to take a pledge never to exercise that privilege. Does th't smack of being willing that every man should exerc,sehis own judgement
 In sec..3 Mr Manning tells us that Thomas Jefferson formulated principles which have been ac- cepted as coming nearer the ideal idea of democratic government than any other man before hls time.
 It sec. 5. He tells us that-"It meant state sovreignty in the fullest sense of the term. It has been my understanding that Andrew Jack son was considered Il democrat in his day, he has also been consfd- cred as having head and shoul- ders over some wi ho have held the same position he did. Did he ad- vocate state sovereignty if so, why his proclamation to Soath Carolina when she proposed 10 exercls that right. At Forrest Mr. Sweet claimed to stand with both Jeffcr- son and Jackson. Wonder if it wouldn't be an ideal idea for MT. Featherston te have conference with his spokesmen. they "mout' get things little mixed.
 l have never studied hierogly- phics and consequently don't know to whom ho has reference in sec. s where Ire calls them ''my cheeky counterfeit democratic friends" :" He bewais in lamentations ex- ceeding those of Jeremiah at our condition in consequence of corpor- ations, trusts, etc. lie tells us that conventions and primaries are responsible for the present condi- ton of things. and yet he is one of the men who brought out Feath- erston by { convention.
 1 have heard of the wisdom of Solomon. the conquests of Alex ander, the beauty of Queen Cleo patra, the heroism of Stonewall Jackson, but the idea of an ideal democrat to be in favor of a fair count IS something new under the