The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-09-20
REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONyES-
TI0S
The Bottom Rail Oh Top Sure En-
cngh-Negroes Controlling the Party
Not a White Man in the Conven-
tion-a Picture FOR the Republicans
of the West to Look in Upon.

cngh-Negroes Controlling the Party
Not White Man in the Conven-
tion-a Picture for the Republicans
of the West to Look in Upon.
The negroes held their convention here
last Saturday and nominated county Of
fcers. The GOLD LEAF wishes the white
Republicans of the West could have been
here. They would then have a practical
illustration of what Negro Rule" means
There were q delegates in the convention
and there acdS not Il 1ck.fte mar among them.
Only three White men took any pars in the
work OF the convention, and they were all
candidates for Office. The convention was
called to order by negro and was pre-
sided over b; negroes.
The meeting Of Saturday was not charac-
terized by the rowing and wrangling usu-
ally incident 20 such occasions. While
the committee on credentials was out
speeches were in order. Jim Young (ne
gro) maze speech aud Of course charged
up everything that is bad to the Democratic
party. His ignorance or wilfulness made
him say the Democrats have done nothing
for the negro and that the white mans
party wants to keep the colored man in
darkness and ignorance. This in the
face of all the white people of North Car
olina have done I'D the way of educating
| the negro-a work that they get neither
thanks nor a beneficial return for. II
must be said that part Of Jim'S speech
| was first rate argument for the Demo
Gratis. but he neither knew nor intended it
| to be so.
| The next speaker was II. Z. Cheatham
| (colored) candidate for Congress. lie said
he WIS rightfully nominated at Weldon on
the 30th OF May, and charged that Meb-
| ane's nomination was fraudulent. He said
democratic mob" who fourished "pis-
| tolls and clubs and chairs in the air, at
! tempted to override the chairman and in
| this way declare Mebane nominated.
Cheatham claims that in this manner his
| opponent was put in the field against him.
! IThe GOLD LEAF has seen reports of that
convention III both Democratic and Re-
publican newspapers, edited by both
whites ana blacks, but it has seen nothing
that made it appear to be such daring
and desperate border rutfian affair as the
speaker in question pictured it Saturday.
We had heard nothing of pistols and clubs
before, though it was stated that chairs
and table O. two were overturned but
what convention Of negroes where there is
anything like spirited contest does not
turn bottom side up and break half a dozen
or more chairs trying to stand on the backs
| IF Ia cnt lai tnc
in as strong manner as possible, and
made much more sensible and cOnserva-
tive talk than some of the papers in the
lower part Of the district credit him with
having made.
il. Z. P05enbusch (who had to say that he
| vas white man in order that the public
may know iD made a speech declaring
himself a candidate for Register Of Deeds
He is a g big lump Of fat as he seemed
to delight in calling himself, and the chief
interest OF his harangue was the frequen
reference made to does leetle dollar
which he repeatedly held up in his hand
He declared the Democratic party to bt
The Oppressor of the poor whites and til
negroes, and the balance of the gas let of
less as this statement. Rosenbusch is
bitter pill from-no body knows where
Indeed, he is so bitter tliate the negroe
whose rights and liberty he processes t
love so well, cannot swallow him. Not
withstanding he has been actively canvass
ing for the past two months, and no dout
many piece of meat and salt herring ha
been carried from his grocery store by
"coIOred brother" who the candidate
had thought to fix" out Of the 81 DELE
gates he did not get O cote Saturday. TIL
is too bad, but g Bush said he would NJ
feel hurt if the convention thought prope
to nominate better man than he is for til
place, and Of course he will be as good q
| his word. A negro named Tom Eaton, froI
the WILLIAMSBURG neIghborhood, we
thought to be such man by the CONVEX
ton, and he received the nomination.
Sheriff W. H. Smith announced himsel
candidate for denomination. He ha
1 learned only that morning that an effol
had been made to beat him by I. I. Ha
5 riS, who it was alleged had bought up
) out Of the 81 delegates. Smith made
l the Republicans of Vance county, an
II poured hot shot into the camp Of bis opp
1t nent He said he had discharged the dutit
of his Office in accordance with the strict lie
J. ter of the law, knowing neither party III
color in the administration of the sam
e and there was no charge that could
u brought against him rejecting in any We
q upon his character or his course as a publ
servant. lie put only good men in Off
Il under him, and as Democrats helped hi
X to give his boud, he thought it notbii
v but right TO do as he had done in makil
\ a Democrat his first deputy, though not
n ing of the kind had ever been asked
st him he said by single man who had go
IL on his bond. Smith was put upon
c mettle he saw that a gross wrong W
re about to be done him and he was not lOl
st in marshalling his forces SO effectively
"a to completely overthrow it. But this W
more the effect of his speech and natur
/ strength than any work he did.
Y T. l. Harris, Smiths opponent, then to
Ii the stand He denied having bought up
ID single one Of the delegates and disclaim
d any intention of treating the Sheriff I
pc fairly in his candidacy against him. y
5 Harris has heretofore been a DemOcr
III has always been held in high esteem in I
l. community. and his friends did not L
Il derstand what he meant when it was
5. ported around that he was a candidate
IS, the Republican nomination for Sheri
e Some Of his friends tried to persuade b
against taking such step-it was too gre