The Brookhaven leader., 1890-09-18
A POINTED SPEECH.
Hon. j. III. McGehee of Frank
Gives the Convention Some
Straight Talk.

Jackson correspondence OF Memphis Appeal,
September 18th.
The speech of the day and for that
matter of the convention, was made
by Delegate J. H. McGehee, of Frank
lin county. 1t was the last speech of
the day and members were beginning
to grow tired, and not few seats had
become empty, but when Mr.. McGehee
had said few things it was realized
that the very spirit and embodiment
of straightforward honesty, that
knows nothing but candor and direct
ness, was wide awake in the person of
an unpretending farmer delegate.
Mr.. McGehee is stalwart fellow, as
Stunning no airs of any kind of supe
riority. His remarks were brief and
right straight at the mark. He hadn't
got half through before the convention
was in transport of delight, but here
is his speech just as he made it:
"Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of
the Convention am no speaker, but
l feel that | would be recreant in my
duty if | do not express my feelings
on this important question. Coming
as do from q white county, which al
ways has given q Democratic MAORI
ty, | agree with the gentleman from
Webster (GOre) that this is govern
ment of the people, by the people and
for the people. But what people 7
When our forefathers wrote this they
meant Anglo.Saxon people. There is
nobody in this State has kinder feel
ings to the black man than have, for
there is a black colony that lives close
to me, and they always come to me
and ask me how to vote, and | have
the privilege of fixing their ticket.
These people who say they don't want
to dsfranchise anybody remind me of
two armies where one knows it has the
power to whip the other, but is afraid
to fight, for fear it will lose some of
its men. Loud laughter and applause
renewed again and again. And
these fellows who are afraid to dis
franchise anybody, and who don't
want to do anything for fear when
they go home some fellow will say,
You were agin me up yonder, and
now I'm agin YOU remind me of the
ulRS6T WUOSc lOlhS were SlCh anu lc
went after the doctor and when he
had gone apiece he turned around and
came back, and when they asked him
what he came bnck for, he said: TO
give the sick niger dose of castor
oil to hold him at what he was at I'M
til the doctor came Shrieks OF
laughter and applause The gentle
man from Webster says he won't vote
any educational or property qualitica-
ton, and yet he says he went to the
war and fought hard four years, and
risked his life to protect his neighbor's
property when he had none. And we
all know that many others did the
same thing, and yet we are not will
ing to sacrifice anybody to prevent
negro domination. | think we ought
to be willing to sacrifice some of our
white neighbOrs. Laughter and APP
plause which continued for some min
utes. Too many of lis are trying to
whip the devil around the stump.
[Renewed applause.] l am for the
white people running this Govern
ment, even if have to sacrifice some
of my white neighbors and children.
Gentlemen, l thank you. Applause
and cheers repeated again and again
AS McGehee took his seat Mr.. Sex
ton said he thought the Convention
should adjourn after that excellent
speech, and think about it. Delegates
then swarmed around McGehee, over
whelming him with congratulations.