People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-23


Don't you think for one minute that
you can intimidate me. I tell you
that the man or the set of men that
| am afraid of, God never yet made.
I represent a cause that is not afraid
to be- discussed. Great cheering,
the people seeming to reassert them
selves. [ represent men-not a
gang of bowling rowdies.
A storm of voices. Yes, Tom.
You bet that we are here at your
back, old boy!
Mr.. Watson. I represent men.
Men not dressed as well nor putting
on as many airs as some of you, but
as brave men as ever the sun shone
upon--men that are not to be bullied
or bought.
Voices. Now you are talking,
Tom.H We are right here by you.
Give it to them.
Mr.. Watson. They are the men
who have built up your city, and
beautifed your streets. They are
the men who have made your banks
rich, and your factories prosperous.
They are the men who made your
merchants thrive. Long continued
cheering They are the men
who fought your battle in time of
war, and fed and clothed the
country in time of peace, and I tell
you if you think that you can stife
that people, you viii find your mis-
take
Cries of. Let them try it, Tom,
right now. Three cheers for Wat
son. rThey were given with will,
and for the time being brutal row.
dyism quailed before calm determi-
nation.
Mr.. Watson. You thought you
could discourage me. That cannot
be done! I won my way to honor
with no mans help save that of
him who gave me work to do.
(Great applause.) Know, you rowd-
les, that when to-morrow's sun shall
gid the eastern hills / will arise
stronger in the faith than I ever was
before, because of to-night's disgrace
full confusion that our enemies have
made of their weakness. (Tremen-
dous applause.) A man is accused
here in public of betraying his honor,
of betraylng his people, and denied
the poor privilege of being heard in
his defence. (Great cheering and
long continued applause.) Tell it
tell it to your neighbors tell it to
your children tell 1t to your wives;
tell it SO that it will go to the fur
thermost ends of the country, that
even the presence of these ladies'
ladies as pure, as lovely, and as vir-
tuous as the womanhood of the South
affords, could not restrain this rabble
from bowling me down. (Wild ap-
plause)
whether it was the earnest, vehe-
ment, impassioned words of the
speaker, or the determined indigna-
ton aroused in the farmers and
workingmen of the city, the crowd
desisted during the foregoing def
ance.)
Mr.. Watson, addressing the well
disposed). Just word and I will
take my seat. Tonight will not be
always. will meet you all again.
| am going to talk to you people,
and the only way to prevent it is to
put bullet into my heart. am
going to be heard by the womanhood
of Richmond county again. I am
not going to take the verdict from
lot of men who do not know how to
behave in the presence of ladies.
They have succeeded in spelling my
speech. That is all right; I can get
another where that came from. They
have kept me from arguing your
principles here tonight. They have
howled me down tonight like de-
mons, but, laborers of Augusta, am
going to meet you as surely as my
pulse beats.
I will not attempt to make this
speech. Let me say in conclusion,
men, ladies, laborers, farmers, pro-
ducers-
Cries of, Oh, rats, rats! Sit down,
Tommy; we've had enough of you.
Hurrah for Black.
This was followed by continued
cheering from the other side, and
cries Of dudes, dudes! blackguards.
TNote--At this point man with
a Black badge on his lapel, arose in
the body Of the audience and -four
ished bottle of whisky about half
full, inviting the boys to take drink.
[ mention this fact because at sub
sequent period, when M jor Black
was on his feet, the same man
scrambled on the stage and Mr..
Fleming cried out, :'Look at that
Peoples party man with bottle of
whisky" I called his attention that
saw man with badge on in the
audience, and that made honors easy
on that score. | ascertained later
that it was the same man. I did not
see Peoples party man that night
under the influence of liquor.
Mr.. Watson. This is a fight under
the banner Of fraternity. This is
fight which you can make with the
n i