The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-11-02
REPUBLICAN MEETING IN BEL AFT
A Fine TOrchlight Procession.
LARGELY COMPOSED OF YORK AND sALTI-
MORE COUNTY CLUBS.


The Republicans had a large meeting in Bel
Air, on Tuesday, but 1t must have been short
Of their expectations, as they had engaged the
fair grounds to accommodate the crowd they
expected. AS it was, the court room held all
who were there in the afternoon, including
many Democrats. number of ladies were
also present Two O'Clock was the hour ap-
pointed for the meeting, but the afternoon wore
on and very few had assembled. The Pylesvile
and Forest Hill Republican clubs were expect
ed by the two O'Clock train, but the latter was
delayed. About four o'clock the meeting was
called TO order, in the court room, by Mr. N. n.
Mock. He proposed the following officers, who
were elected:
Presdent-Col. E. II. Webster; Vice Presi-
dents-S. o. McCourtney, VIM. b. Baker, JAS.
Lee, Hon. John II. Price, z. Leslie Hopper :;
Secretares-John T. Spicer and John T. Har
kins.
Col! Webster, upon taking the chair, made
a graceful speech, but his health not being good
1t lacked his oldtime fire, and failed to arouse
| much enthusiasm. While he was speaking the
whistle of the locomotive was heard. The
faces of the managers of the meeting, which had
worn disappointed look, frightened up at the
| sound of the whistle. Shortly afterwards the
clubs from Pylesville and Forest Hill came in
The latter brought with them a neat little log
cabin, made by Mr.. John 7. Harkins. They
were accompanied by the band from GatchelI.
| vile, York county, the Frsnklinville baud,
doing duty inside.
Alter the confusion caused by their entrance
had subsidized Col. Webster concluded his
speech and introduced Col. Theodore F. Lang,
Republican candidate for Congress. Col Lang
| is a rather tall, diguifed old gentleman, with
partially bald head, the remainder of which
bears a scanty growth of gray hair His NOUS
| tache and imperial are also gray. He was the
guest, while here, of Capt. X. E. Bouldin. His
! speech was entirely free from offensive per-
sonalities. file eulogzed the protective system,
| as the source of the country'S wealth and the
| reason why wages are high irths country.
| This part Of his reasoning must have seemed a
little cloudy to those fhis hearers who ork
for dollar day. He criticized some of Col.
| Stumps statements but failed to refute them,
In closing he addressed himself to the colored
people, number of whom were present. He
advised them to vote as they pleased, but he did
not see how coored man could be Demo.
GRAFT. IA voice, Cant bel "Vote as you
like" continued Col. Lang, "6ut vote for Har;;
| rison, Morton and Lang" Col. Lang closed
with poetical quotation, but could not remem-
Der all of it. While he was striving to recall
the missing lines, voice from among the col
ored people said: Remember Jacobs in the
Legislature and all US colored people" The
sentence was an enigma which remains un'
| solved.
About seven o'clock the Franklinville Repub-
| lican club arrived, with log cabin, and torch
| light procession was formed, which marched to
| the station 10 receive a club from Delta. There
were about 2iO persons In line, of whom about
| 10 were negroes and nearly as many more small
| boys and youths apparently under age. After
long delay the train arrived from Delta, with
large delegation and brass band. 1t was
after nine o'clock before the procession got
back to the Court House.
Mr.. X. Stockett Matthews, of Baltimore,
was the speaker of the evening. His speech
lasted for at least two hours and quarter
His intense hatred to the Democratic party was
shown Throughout his address. His mildest
| epithet for Democrat was "traitor,n and he
denounced the Mills bill as "hellish, damnable, u
nc. The speech abounded in glaring inconsst
encies and Misrepresentation. For instance
after graphically depicting the horrors of power.
ty in England under protective system that
was prohbtory, in the next breath he told OF
the miserable condition of English workmen
under free trade. AS the Mills bill is neither
prohibitory in its character and very far from
free trade, Mr. Matthews doeful pictures would
not be realized by the reduction of our tariffrom
AZ to ~ per cent Mr. Matthews speech was an
example of pure demagogsm and recalled some
bitter speeches made by him against the Demo
Gratis during the war. 1t contained coarse and
indecent illusions to the President of the United
States, and while it may have served to
intensity and embitter party feeling, if any
! Democrat present was in doubt as to know he
ought to vote, Matthews speech must have
firmly anchored him for Cleveland.
While Mr.. Matthews was holding forth in the
Court House, Mr.. John T. Ensor was address
lngan audience composed almost entirely Of
negroes, in the Masonic Temple.