The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-03-23
Plain Talk to Arkansas Democrats.

The charge of Judge George s..
Cunningham to the Conway County
Grand Jury, now sitting at Morrill,
ton, is exciting much comment. He
said in the course of his remarks:
1.-THE recent assassination in this
county was instigated by others who
ought to be hanged with the man
who fired the gun that killed Clay
ton. These parties ought not to be
exempt from punishment because of
any position or influence they might
have in the community. l do not
know who they are. 1 wish 1 did.
L would tell you. But, mind you,
political assassinations do not origi-
nate from men in the humber walks
of life, but from some fine-haired
gentlemen who pretend to be respec-
table, and they are the men we are
after, and who ought to be hung.
They tell you it is politics-Demo.
cratic politics, / have been f1attering
myself l was Democrat, but must
have been mistaken. 1 would just as
lief punish Democratic murderer as
any other. l want to appeal to you
as Democrats TO punish crime wheth.
er the criminal be a Democrat or not;
and ifyou always do that the DemCc-
racy will rule the country. There is
no man who does not know that
murder and assassination are the re-
suit, and will continue to be the re.
suit, of the methods that have been
employed in Conway County. You
must stop this ballot-box stealing and
force and fraud, or your property
will not be worth the paper that the
title is written on. The meanest
man in the county is the professional
politician. They try to scare you
with the idea of negro domination.
What does the law say 1t says that
they may vote. Where haye you
heard any such thing? Where have
they dominated ? l want to talk to
you as Democrats. The rights of cit
liens must be protected. I would
have at every little precinct in the
country free ballot and fair count
The law guarantees to every Ameri
can protection. The question is moi
is he Democrat or Republican. E
black man or a white man. but is he
an American citizen ? and his rights
must be protected on election day a.
on every other day.
"Something occurred right here il
this town, aud the parties who par
ticipated in this disgraceful affair
ought to be indicted. An American
citizen, Judge M. w. Benjamin. re
Gently deceased, was met at the de
pot, and kicked and cntfed from the
depot to the hotel, and his hair wa.
pulled, and he was shot with bean
shooter, and the rights of American
citizenship were violated. He die
not come here to bulldoze anybody
One man could not have done that
but. professedly to see that there was
a fair election. If that was his OBJ
ject, it would not have hurt you al
all, if you had an honest and fail
election. 1t would have been a com.
pliment to have had political enemy
present to witness and testify to the
fact. This government is won by
the ballot, and everybody who Op.
poses fair and free election is revo.
lutionary and an enemy to his coun.
try. Don't bout in the country and
indict some poor man for killing g
deer. or failing to work the road.and
let these other fellows escape, and
then come in here with hypocritical
look and say: I'VE find nothing
against them.' Don't fool away your
time after minnows when there are
whales in sight. If you must make
a discrimination. get after these
prominent men and let the other fel.
lows 60. Democracy means that the
people shall rule but, if this intimi.
dalton and fraud and murder consti-
tute Democracy, may the angels OF
mercy protect me from Democracy.
Yet the parties who committed these
acts are Democrats. The assassina-
ton of Cayton is the natural result OF
the indignities perpetrated on Benja-
min, One is the natural consequence
of the other"